How a 0.2Hz Wave Took Down Two Countries’ Power Grids

About this Video

• Video Title: How a 0.2Hz Wave Took Down Two Countries’ Power Grids
• Channel: The Electric Brit
• Speakers: The Electric Brit
• Duration: 29:35

Introduction

This video analyzes the cascading events that led to a widespread power outage in Spain and Portugal. The speaker explains the contributing factors, including excess reactive power, inter-area oscillations, and issues with protection system settings and coordination. The video aims to provide a detailed understanding of the blackout's causes and potential preventative measures.

Key Takeaways

• Excess Reactive Power: A lightly loaded grid, combined with abundant solar power, resulted in high voltages and excess reactive power, creating instability.
• Inter-Area Oscillations: Two significant inter-area oscillations, particularly a 0.2 Hz east-center-west mode, destabilized the system, impacting Iberia due to its weak interconnection with the rest of Europe.
• Protection System Failures: Incorrectly configured relay settings caused premature generator trips, exacerbating the voltage rise and triggering a cascading collapse. Slow SCADA updates hindered real-time operator response.
• Cascading Collapse: The combination of oscillations, premature trips, and low inertia led to a rapid cascading collapse, resulting in a complete system blackout within 90 seconds.
• Root Causes & Fixes: The root causes included an over-meshed grid during low demand, delayed reconnection of spinning plants, poor ride-through settings, and weak voltage support. Solutions involve deploying grid-forming inverters and battery storage, enforcing and testing ride-through settings, adding reactive controls (statcoms, synchronous condensers), expanding interconnections, and improving coordination across countries and TSOs.
• UK Vulnerability: While the UK grid is less vulnerable due to its asynchronous connection to continental Europe, it still faces risks from excess reactive power, intra-area oscillations during low inertia periods, and potential disruptions from continental blackouts. The UK's 2019 blackout highlights similar vulnerabilities related to ride-through settings and commissioning.