Re: Causes of the Gran Apagón (Spain), 65 corrective actions

On Thu, 10 Jul 2025 11:54:09 -0000 (UTC), piglet
<erichpwagner@hotmail.com> wrote:
 

Joe Gwinn <joegwinn@comcast.net> wrote:

On Wed, 09 Jul 2025 21:49:09 GMT, Glen Walpert <nospam@null.void>
wrote:
 

On Wed, 9 Jul 2025 23:07:26 +0200, Carlos E.R. wrote:
 

On 2025-07-09 22:57, Joe Gwinn wrote:

On Wed, 9 Jul 2025 22:10:21 +0200, "Carlos E.R."
<robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
 

On 2025-06-17 21:38, Carlos E.R. wrote:

<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/17/expert-report-rules-

out-

cyber-attack-for-spain-and-portugal-april-blackout>
 
    *Spanish minister rules out cyber-attack as cause of April
blackout, after expert report*
 
    System failure caused by network?s inability to control grid
voltage said to be behind outage in Spain and Portugal
 
 

<https://elperiodicodelaenergia.com/el-gobierno-aprueba-la-

instalacion-de-compensadores-sincronos-y-refuerza-la-interconexion-con-
francia/>

 
Energy policy
 
*The Government approves the installation of synchronous compensators
and reinforces the interconnection with France*
 
The 65 actions are aimed at incorporating additional tools into the
networks to facilitate voltage control, stability in the event of
oscillations and, in general, to reinforce the electricity system
Redacción
 
Editorial staff
 
07/08/2025
 
The Council of Ministers, at the request of the Ministry for
Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (Miteco), has
approved a list of specific actions to increase the resilience of the
electricity grid,
which will be incorporated as a new Specific Modification to the
Development Plan for the Electricity Transmission Grid 2021-2026, the
second, after the one implemented in 2024. The list includes 65
actions aimed at incorporating additional tools into the grids to
facilitate voltage control, stability in the event of fluctuations
and, in general,
the reinforcement of the electricity system, both on the Spanish
mainland and in the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands.
 
The actions include the installation of synchronous compensators for
the first time on the mainland, as well as the incorporation of new
units on the islands. These devices provide dynamic voltage control
and, given their local nature, are distributed geographically to
reinforce it in the different areas, complementing the equipment and
solutions that the system already has for this function.
 
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
 
... You can read the rest on the link if desired.

 
I did.  Thanks.
 
What exactly do they mean by "Synchronous Compensators"?

 
I don't know, I'm not an electrical engineer. But one of the comments
may explain a bit:
 
Frank
 
07/08/2025 Synchronous compensators are reverse generators acting as
motors connected to the grid. What follows is simulations to determine
where on the grid they are most effective, power and costs because like
all motors they take active power from the grid which is priced on an
hourly basis. And the last thing is who will pay for the voltage control
service and how the installed equipment will be accounted for.

 
Synchronous Compensators are also known as Rotary Capacitors, they are
unloaded synchronous motors which, like synchronous generators, will
deliver reactive power (same as a capacitor) when overexcited, and consume
reactive power when underexcited (like an inductor).  They have been in
common use since the early days of power distribution to produce reactive
power near loads, to reduce the amount remote generation needs to send
over transmission lines, with the attendant losses.  Regular capacitors
are also used for this purpose, but the rotary type is continuously
adjustable.

 
Yeah.  I read Frank's comment as well, and he may well be correct, but
one cannot assume that politicians are being quite that precise.
 
In the mechanical world, it's quite common to have a large but
unloaded three-phase induction motor running at or near synchronous
speed, precisely to absorb surge loads, and it would also serve to
absorb surge overvoltages ... if they are large enough.  The energy is
stored in the rotational energy of the rotor.
 
Do we have any idea how big these Synchronous Compensators are, in
kilograms?
 
The good news is that they are talking spinning reserve, like big
turbines, not fancy electronics and batteries.
 
Joe
 

 
100 to 400 tons seem to be the figures quoted.

 
I didn't see that anywhere.  Where did you find it?
 
Joe