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Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025

European Investigation into Power Outage Points to Grid Operator Failures

Entso-E focuses on initial disconnection triggers and operational deficiencies linked to the blackout in Spain and Portugal.
The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (Entso-E) is progressing in its investigation into the power outage that occurred on April 28 in Spain and Portugal.

The inquiry is centered on identifying the factors that led to the initial disconnections of electricity generation in southern Spain, as well as analyzing why the Red Eléctrica's Defense Plans failed to prevent the event that caused the blackout in both countries.

Additionally, the investigation is scrutinizing the management of interconnections with France prior to the incident.

This investigative body has distanced itself from the Spanish government's assertion that the responsibility for the blackout lies with electric companies, rather than with Beatriz Corredor's Red Eléctrica, despite Red Eléctrica being a participant in Entso-E. Exclusive reports indicate that the Spanish government proposed a coordinated version among the sector to absolve all parties of blame and liability, which was rejected by the electric companies.

Following a second meeting of its expert panel on June 3, the panel articulated the next steps to guide the ongoing investigation, according to a statement from the organization.

Currently, experts are gathering essential data to clarify the events related to the incident, emphasizing that this will aid in understanding the oscillation phenomena that occurred prior to the blackout.

Entso-E has also responded to concerns about its transparency and independence from major electricity companies by launching a dedicated website to serve as an informational portal for stakeholders throughout the investigation.

The platform presents a preliminary timeline of events since the blackout, details on the restoration process, the composition of the expert panel, and other relevant information, which will be updated as the investigation progresses and new findings become available.

Entso-E noted that the information published is based on preliminary findings and analyses and may change at any time.

In terms of the preliminary timeline of events, documentation indicates that two distinct periods of oscillations—power and frequency oscillations—were observed in the Continental European Synchronous Area (CESA) in the half-hour leading up to the blackout.

The first oscillation occurred between 12:03 and 12:07 PM, impacting mainly the electrical systems of Spain and Portugal.

A second oscillation began between 12:16 and 12:22 PM, involving inter-area oscillations corresponding to the East-West continental mode, which were effectively mitigated through compensatory exchange measures that reduced energy flows between France and Spain, along with adjustments in the operation mode of the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link and internal line couplings in southern Spain.

Following this second oscillation, the voltage remained within the operational range of 390-420 kV before rising again.

At this time, scheduled international exchanges from Spain—entirely for export—totaled 1,000 megawatts (MW) with France, 2,000 MW with Portugal, and 800 MW with Morocco.

However, in a span of just 27 seconds, a series of events unfolded that culminated in the blackout at 12:33 PM.

Specifically, at 12:32:57 PM, 12:33:16 PM, and 12:33:17 PM, generation interruptions were recorded in southern Spain, amounting to an estimated total disruption of 2,200 MW, which led to a rise in voltage in Spain and a corresponding increase in Portugal, while frequency levels dropped.

Between 12:33:18 PM and 12:33:21 PM, the voltage in southern Spain surged dramatically, and subsequently in Portugal, triggering a cascade of generation losses that resulted in a dip in the electric frequency across the Iberian Peninsula.

At 12:33:19 PM, the Iberian Peninsula began losing synchronization with the European system.

Between 12:33:19 PM and 12:33:22 PM, the Defense and automatic load shedding Plans of Spain and Portugal, crafted in compliance with legal obligations, were activated but failed to avert the collapse of the Iberian electrical system.

Consequently, at 12:33:21 PM, alternating current lines between France and Spain were disconnected using protective devices against loss of synchronization, and by 12:33:24 PM, all parameters of the Spanish and Portuguese electrical systems had failed, ceasing energy transmission across the HVDC lines between France and Spain.

In the aftermath of the blackout, the affected transmission system operators—Red Eléctrica de España (REE) and the Portuguese REN—promptly activated their respective system restoration plans, developed in accordance with the European regulation that establishes a grid code for emergency and electricity restoration, along with any other pertinent procedures and protocols to restore the system’s voltage.

The report indicates that the restoration process in some regions of the Iberian Peninsula was aided by the activation of system resources, such as black start procedures in certain plants, as well as existing interconnections with France and Morocco.

Additionally, it noted that the swift restoration of supply in Spain and Portugal demonstrated the preparedness and efficiency of Red Eléctrica and REN, with support from French RTE and Moroccan ONEE.

The restoration process commenced at 12:35 PM and 12:43 PM, when REN requested the activation in black start mode of the Castelo de Bode hydroelectric plant and the combined cycle gas turbine plant at Tapada do Outeiro, respectively.

At 12:44 PM, the first 400 kV line connection between France and Spain (western border) was reestablished, and by 1:04 PM, the interconnection between Morocco and Spain was reactivated.

Between the inception of the restoration process and approximately 1:30 PM, several hydroelectric plants in Spain capable of black start activated their black start procedures to initiate system restoration.

By 1:35 PM, the eastern part of the France-Spain interconnection was reactivated, and at 6:36 PM, the first 220 kV interconnection line between Spain and Portugal was reenergized, facilitating the acceleration of the Portuguese restoration.

By 9:35 PM, the southern 400 kV interconnection line between Spain and Portugal was energized.

The transmission network restoration process in Portugal was completed by 12:22 AM on April 29, while Spain's restoration concluded around 4:00 AM.
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