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Miscalculation by Spanish power grid operator REE contributed to blackout

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Re: Miscalculation by Spanish power grid operator REE contributed to blackout

#3
Disclaimer: I can't really vouch for any of this, but let me tell you what's being discussed in the press over here.

This is Government's version and it shows.

REE boss was put there by the ruling party. Still they try to paint REE as a private operator now. It's not. Like many other orgs, it's a mix of private and public capital, ultimately controled by the government.

It's suspected that the blackout was caused because she overruled technicians' opinion, looking for a solar % record.

Not "enough thermal power stations" carefully avoids mentioning nuclear, that they want to erradicate.

Private companies are requesting the records of CECOEL conversation to be published, some have leaked their logs. In one of those, REE technicians readily admit that oscilations are caused by not enough nuclear in the mix.

Re: Miscalculation by Spanish power grid operator REE contributed to blackout

#4
post #2

They've now presented the report, but the report itself hasn't yet been made public. The press release is here: https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/prensa/ultimas-noticias/2025/ju...

That's fantastic information, thanks! When will the report be made public?

Re: Miscalculation by Spanish power grid operator REE contributed to blackout

#5
post #4
post #2

They've now presented the report, but the report itself hasn't yet been made public. The press release is here: https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/prensa/ultimas-noticias/2025/ju...

That's fantastic information, thanks! When will the report be made public?

Last I heard they were aiming for sometime between July and October to have the full technical report ready and shared with the parlament and the EU commission.

Re: Miscalculation by Spanish power grid operator REE contributed to blackout

#6
post #3

Disclaimer: I can't really vouch for any of this, but let me tell you what's being discussed in the press over here. This is Government's version and it shows. REE boss was put there by the ruling party. Still they try to paint REE as a private operator now. It's not. Like many other orgs, it's a mix of private and public capital, ultimately controled by the government. It's suspected that the blackout was caused bec…

[deleted]

Re: Miscalculation by Spanish power grid operator REE contributed to blackout

#7
post #4
post #2

They've now presented the report, but the report itself hasn't yet been made public. The press release is here: https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/prensa/ultimas-noticias/2025/ju...

That's fantastic information, thanks! When will the report be made public?

My understanding is that it was supposed to be released later today. It's 8PM in Spain right now.

Re: Miscalculation by Spanish power grid operator REE contributed to blackout

#8
post #3

Disclaimer: I can't really vouch for any of this, but let me tell you what's being discussed in the press over here. This is Government's version and it shows. REE boss was put there by the ruling party. Still they try to paint REE as a private operator now. It's not. Like many other orgs, it's a mix of private and public capital, ultimately controled by the government. It's suspected that the blackout was caused bec…

Doesn't have to be nuclear, can be anything that provides reactive power and grid services, i.e. grid forming battery storage. The problem is this service is needed on the Spanish grid, but isn't paid for in the market. Pay for it and the grid services will be provided. Resources below. Mind you, doesn't have to be a Tesla battery, just has to be a battery with power controls (grid forming) and some lithium cells for fast response (vs sodium for longer duration discharge).

China launches world’s first grid-forming sodium-ion battery storage plant - https://www.ess-news.com/2025/06/03/china-launches-worlds-fi... - June 3rd, 2025 ("With a total investment of over CNY 460 million [$63.8 million] and occupying 34k square metres, the Baochi plant is designed for an installed capacity of 200MW/400MWh. Based on a dual daily charge-discharge cycle, it can regulate up to 580 GWh annually — enough to power 270,000 households, with 98 per cent of its energy sourced from renewables. The facility supports more than 30 local wind and solar power stations, alleviating the impact of intermittent supply and facilitating the integration of high shares of renewables into the grid.")

Tesla Megapack in Texas Supports the Grid and Keeps the Lights On [Gambit Energy Storage] - https://www.tesla.com/videos/gambit-megapack - September 30, 2021

Tesla’s giant battery in Australia [Hornsdale Power Reserve] reduced grid service cost by 90% - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17051066 - May 2018

Tesla Powerpacks Balancing the Grid in Terhills, Belgium [video] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVHQFrGzThg - May 14, 2018

Re: Miscalculation by Spanish power grid operator REE contributed to blackout

#9
post #2

They've now presented the report, but the report itself hasn't yet been made public. The press release is here: https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/prensa/ultimas-noticias/2025/ju...

Interesting read. I reminded me of some stories a German guy who used to work for a Spanish utility told me (the guy lost his job at one of the first closed German nuclear facilities and now worked at the museum of a pumped storage power plant): he told us that the Spanish utility he worked for waited far too long to kick in gas power plants waiting for prices to rise further making tons of money by risking stability. I also learned from him that a lot German nuclear facilities are still running there generators only as weight to stabilize the network. (Actually he also told us that some utilities legally abuse the pumped storage to trade energy between networks). So it seems there are some strange incentives and necessities in today's system , that might explain the failures to react in time.

Re: Miscalculation by Spanish power grid operator REE contributed to blackout

#10
post #3

Disclaimer: I can't really vouch for any of this, but let me tell you what's being discussed in the press over here. This is Government's version and it shows. REE boss was put there by the ruling party. Still they try to paint REE as a private operator now. It's not. Like many other orgs, it's a mix of private and public capital, ultimately controled by the government. It's suspected that the blackout was caused bec…

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