A sudden and widespread blackout hit Spain and Portugal on Monday 28 April, with Spain’s electricity load dropping by more than 50% within 30 minutes. Nuclear, hydro, fossil-fuel, wind, and solar production were significantly curtailed, while neighbouring France was able to withstand the blackout.
In a new article, Nicolò Rossetto (FSR) offers a clear and accessible explanation of what an electricity blackout is, why such events occur, and how electricity systems recover from them. The article then presents real-time data on the Iberian blackout from the ENTSO-E Transparency Platform, to trace the timeline of the event and cross-border electricity flows before and after the collapse.
Read the full article on the FSR website to learn more.
Nicolò Rossetto, since joining the FSR in 2016, has worked extensively on electricity-related topics, including the development of a seamless market for power in Europe and the emergence of new business models in a digitalised and decarbonised electricity system.