Power outage in Spain

[jaybreak]

Pam is currently in Spain on a European trip with her sister and sister's friends, and there's a huge blackout in Spain and some areas outside the country. They are supposed to fly to Amsterdam tomorrow.

Spain Hit By "Massive, Really, Massive" Power Blackout

She's in downtown Grenada now, trying to get back to her hotel. So far she seems to be safe.

[forrealone]

That is frightening for Pam and her family and all those people who were going about their day.  I will pray right now that Pam's journey will be under the protection of our Lord and she will safely return home.  Hopefully at least she will be able to fly out of there.

I see in a late news post online that they are saying the cause may have been from an atmospheric variation of temperatures.  Who knows, aye?

[jaybreak]

Pam messaged me a bit ago...she's back at the hotel, thankfully. Still no power, though.

There was an update to that linked article I posted above. It looks like there was a rejiggering of the grid so that more renewable energy tech was being used. I have nothing against alternative technology, but it seems like it wasn't tested thoroughly. Sheesh.

...none of this should have been a surprise. The underlying physics had been understood for years, and the specific vulnerabilities had been spelled out repeatedly in technical warnings that policymakers ignored.

...

As countries replaced heavy, spinning plants with lightweight, inverter-based generation, the grid became faster, lighter, and far more sensitive to disruptions. That basic physical reality was spelled out in public warnings as far back as 2017.

...

Although political leaders promised that renewable energy would provide stable, affordable power, in practice, Spain grew more reliant on the remaining nuclear and natural gas plants to sustain inertia — even as the government pushes them to close.

...

Despite all these warnings, political and regulatory energy in Europe remained focused on accelerating renewable deployment, not upgrading the grid’s basic stability. In Spain, solar generation continued to climb rapidly through 2023 and early 2024.

Coal plants closed. Nuclear units retired.

On many spring days by 2025, Spain’s midday solar generation exceeded its total afternoon demand, leading to frequent negative electricity prices.

The system was being pushed to the limit.

And today, at 12:35 pm, it broke.

...

Spain’s blackout wasn’t just a technical failure. It was a political and strategic failure.

...

Unless Spain rapidly invests in synthetic inertia, maintains and expands its nuclear fleet, or adds some other new form of heavy rotating generation, the risk of future blackouts will only grow worse.

[jaybreak]

Quick note here: power came back to Pam's area in the early morning over there, and she's currently at the airport for their flight to Amsterdam. Woo!

[Robust1]

Praise the Lord!

[jaybreak]

Things seem back to normal with her itinerary. I'm surprised but thankful.

[Ed Hurst]

I'm glad she was protected. Her analysis is correct. Europe is in big trouble and things are going to start breaking all over.

[jaybreak]

Everything is going well, still. They are flying to Paris and then Italy, both places that got hit with the power outages. It's like she's taking a tour of the affected areas.

[forrealone]

I didn't want to laugh at your last statement, but I did.  Glad she is able to travel and prayers lifted to Our Lord to keep her safe......