Month: April 2025

Why half Spain still does not light at home, and will continue like this time

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From 12.33 this Monday, A massive blackout seriously affect Spain and Portugal. In his appearance, Pedro Sánchez explained that what Spanish Electric Electricity technicians communicate is that “15 gigawatts (GW) of generation have suddenly lost, in just five seconds.” Something that, he said, “had never happened.” It is equivalent, it has mentioned, 60% of the country’s demand at that time. Nevertheless, The Government still does not explain the causes behind the trigger of the blackout. In this sense, a Portuguese electric operator has indicated as the origin of the problem to an “induced atmospheric vibration”a strange phenomenon produced by extreme temperature variations inside the peninsula. In the absence of official confirmation, the possible consequence behind this would be A 0.15 Hz drop on the electrical frequencythat Normally on the European network it is fixed at 50 Hzas we can see in Grid radar. And, while in Spain Red Electrica estimated to recover the service “between 6 and 10 hours”, the Portuguese operator was more pessimistic, stating that “recovering normality could take up to a week.” At 22:30, 10 hours after the blackout, Red Electrica has announced that it has recovered 48.2% of the estimated demand for this time. Let’s see what is behind the “black start” or “autogenous start”, the process of restarting the electrical system, so complicated so that the deadlines can be extended so much. “It has to be done slowly” Click to go to the publication. As Red Electrica explained in one of the first communications, we are facing an “exceptional and extraordinary” event that had never happened. Something like this is not common in the world, like Simon Gallagher explainsEnglish electrical engineer with 20 years in the electrical networks sector: “I do not think that a re -energyization of such a large network with such a high penetration of solar energy (PV) has never been made before.” To this is the electrical analyst John Kemp, who He pointed out that: “No one has ever tried a black start in a network as dependent on renewables as Iberia. The limited number of thermal generators will make it difficult to restore speed and frequency control.” And there is an added difficulty. Although we should be prepared for what the weather events can bring, Gallagher points out that Most emergency plans are elaborated by raising situations where gas or coal plants are the protagonistsand without the relevance of renewables in our network. Gallagher commented in the context of acquaintances that they are writing surprised by how long it takes to return normality to electrical infrastructure. According to this engineer, The slow recovery makes all the meaningbecause there are many critical factors to handle in the resolution. First, you have to operate with great care, spending a lot of time identifying which parts of the system are as they should: which are turned off, which ones lit, what damaged equipment, etc. And it is a process that must be done manually. Islands. The second key is that You have to reactivate the system little by little, in stages. The re -energization process requires controlling that each part that adds to the system works correctly. And that, despite what can be thought of in full 2025, often requires that engineers physically move to the substations to do something as simple as closing or opening a switch manually. When starting, you have to gradually reactivate the different areas of the country as if they were “islands”, that is, small networks isolated from each other. In the case of Spain, Red Eléctrica has some of these islands are the axes Aragon-Cataluña, Galicia-León or Duero-France. If they connect a lot very fast, These islands can saturate the generators and fall. The process, Gallagher explains, is complicated coming from a general blackout, because the load for the generators will be huge by being turned off. For the islands to integrate with others, they must be synchronized with each other, establishing that they work at the same frequency and voltage. This, again, requires extreme care and is expensive in time. Related to this is the speed at which the energy must be introduced to the network, then If very fast, the electrical system can be destabilized again (A sudden variation in frequency is what would have produced the first fall) altering negatively the 50 Hz to which the network must operate normally. The Iberian case is peculiar. A problem that Gallagher points out of our system is that solar energy does not inertia, in the sense that it does not help stabilize the frequency, indispensable requirement, or to start nets that are disconnected. We must then resort to alternatives such as gas and coal centrals, which have to start without help from others, and that is a slow and expensive process in resources. Another added problem, and that lengthens recovery is that The batteries of the substations, which are doing their job from the blackout, begin to run out. That means that, as we said before, they cannot be energized remotely, and it is problematic even if physical displacements occur to them, because base energy is needed for protection systems to work. How is the “Black Start in Spain” From the beginning of the problem, Spain has worked to work with the authorities of France and Moroccowho have collaborated to help re -Energify the areas of the south and north of the Iberian Peninsula. According to Red Eléctrica, together with this foreign aid, Spain has had a group of hydroelectric plants with the ability to start autonomously, without help from others, as we explained before. In doing so, they have begun to be coupled to the network, growing the aforementioned islands. At this time, according to the company, and According to the worldthere are no islands left. “ Image | Alexandru Boicu In Unspash In Xataka |

Loneliness is already a matter of public health. We have more and more evidence that animals help us to placate it

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In recent years, we have seen how loneliness has become a problem with numerous ramifications, including toilets. The “male solitude epidemic” is one of the faces that has given more to talk, but loneliness also affects other sectors of the population. And small details can help, if not to solve it, perhaps at least to relieve it. Pets. Domestic animals They can help To placate the feelings of loneliness, as a new study has observed. Interestingly, the study key is not in the company that they could offer, in themselves, these animals, but in their ability to boost and facilitate social interactions between people. The work was done in Australia and focused on two groups notoriously susceptible to this problem: older people and international students. The team found that animals could be useful to facilitate the interactions between these two groups, improving the well -being and health of both. “We find that older adults and international students experienced a significant decrease in feelings of loneliness and a significant increase in their health. The presence of living pets in particular helped break the ice and facilitated conversations between participants,” stood out in a press release Em Bould, co -author of the study. The cost of a silent epidemic. The loneliness It can impact us In different ways, not only in our well -being, but also in our physical and mental health. Loneliness can accelerate our cognitive deterioration and has also been linked to lower life expectancy. Pilot project. The study was based on a pilot project in which 30 elderly people participated in different residences of the Australian state of Victoria, as well as 11 international students. For 18 weeks, participants held periodic meetings, of one hour every week, in which various leisure activities linked to animals were carried out. There were also animals, and robotic versions of these. Some of the participants in the pilot project (six older people and 10 students) also participated in the evaluation of the program and subsequent study. These participants completed several surveys and also participated in a semi -structured survey. Measuring loneliness. Measuring loneliness is not simple, but there are some tools dedicated to this, such as the scale of the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), the one used in this analysis. The team also evaluated the health status of the participants, through an instrument of 5 dimensions-Europe. The evaluation was positive in both dimensions. The team responsible for this observed both a decrease in the sunny index and an ascent in the health index. The details of the study were published in an article in the magazine Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. Fight loneliness. The fact that in an era that stands out for advances in communication technologies La Soledad has acquired such dimensions is a sad irony. However, the important weight that loneliness can mean about our State forces us to take the problem very seriously. In Xataka | A good way to end loneliness in cities: plant more trees Image | / Alec Favale

It is a sign that security systems have worked

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He Great blackout today He has aroused the alarms in the environments of some of the country’s refineries. The refinery of Repsol in A Coruña and that of Pentronor in Muskiz They have emitted blacks blacks during today’s noon. In both cases, from the refineries it has been called to tranquility. A security measure. As reported by the companies that own refineries, the smoke was due not to a problem but to the proper functioning of the security system of these centrals. “All security measures have been automatically activated, which has caused the output of black smoke through the three torches,” Petronor detailed In a press release. The cause of this incident has been in the blackout that, for hours, has affected the peninsular network, leaving almost the entire country without electricity. In the case of the Biscay Refinery, the blackout has forced at 12:30 to the off of all units. According to The company has detailedthe torches are necessary security measures when it comes to releasing pressure in certain circumstances in this type of facilities. The fact that they have activated is precisely a sign that everything has worked as it should. Constant monitoring. Beyond the proper functioning of this type of industrial complexes, the possible impact on health and the environment is, naturally, in the center of the concern of many. In this regard, the company has stressed There are several parameters They are monitored to ensure that the torches work at all times correctly: flows, temperature and even the appearance of the flame are among these factors. The flame of the torches is due to the fact that, precisely to avoid problems derived from the emission to the atmosphere of certain gases, these have to be burned. The peninsular blackout. The Iberian Peninsula has suffered today one of the most notorious blackheads In recent years In Europe. A blackout which has also affected some areas of southern France. While Spain and Portugal gradually recover the supply, there is little that is known about the origin of the cut, which began at 12:30 noon and from which it began to be left in some past areas 3:00 p.m. In Xataka | Light has gone throughout Spain: what to do in this situation and how to keep you informed Image | Petronor

Pedro Sánchez is confident in recovering the “soon” supply without giving deadlines and asks for caution and “a responsible use of the mobile”

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The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has appeared after six in the afternoon after the National Security Council meeting to address The mass blackout that affects Spain and Portugal From 12:32 a.m. on Monday, asking for caution and avoiding moving hypotheses about its causes. “The causes are still being studied. It is better not to speculate,” said Sanchez during his brief intervention of seven minutes, without admitting questions from journalists. The EU, in any case, has ruled out the theory of a cyber attack. The Portuguese operator has mentioned “A strange atmospheric phenomenon“ The current situation. The president has placed the origin of the incidence in “a strong oscillation in the European electrical system” that has triggered the interruption of the supply throughout the Iberian Peninsula and parts of France. Sánchez has confirmed that the Executive has declared the electricity crisis and will assume the management of the blackout in Andalusia, Extremadura and Madrid after the request of these communities to activate level three of Civil Protection emergency. “We will spend a few critical hours until we recover electricity,” he warned. What is happening. Sanchez stressed that the operation of hydroelectric plants is already restored, expressing his confidence that the supply will recover “soon”, although without giving concrete deadlines. The recovery of the supply in areas of the north and south of the country has been achieved, according to the president, thanks to the collaboration of the authorities of France and Morocco, to whom he thanked his “solidarity.” Official recommendations. The president has transferred three recommendations to the citizens: Minimize displacements. Follow only official information and not disseminate information from “doubtful origin.” Make responsible use of the mobile, making short calls and contacting emergencies only if it is strictly necessary. Next steps. Sanchez has announced that the National Security Council will meet again at seven in the afternoon, an hour after its appearance, to continue evaluating the situation. He also reported that the government is in permanent contact with the King’s house, parliamentary groups, European partners and NATO. “The priority is to work so that the sooner we recover normality,” he stressed at the end of his appearance. In Xataka | What is the “energy zero” and why the supply can go suddenly but it takes hours to recover Outstanding image | Moncloa

The blackout in Spain raised the possibility of a cyber attack. The EU rules out

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He General blackout throughout Spain has caused great uncertainty about the potential causes of this “Energy zero”. One of those that are considered is that of a possible cyber attack, and agencies such as the National or Incibe Cryptological Center are investigating that option, they point out in the SER or In the country. In the last decade there has only been a great case of this type. The EU discards cyber attack. As media point out Like the worldTeresa Ribera, executive vice president for the clean, fair and competitive transition, has indicated that “there is nothing that allows us to affirm that there is some kind of boycott or cyber attack.” In his appearance before the media, Pedro Sánchez stressed that the causes of the incident are not yet known and does not rule out any option. Few outstanding cases. On December 23, 2016, the Ivano-Frankivsk region, in southwest Ukraine, He suffered a blackout as a consequence of a coordinated cyber attack that affected three of the main Ukrainian electricity companies in the region. The problem affected tens of thousands of people for a period between three and six hours. The following year a more sophisticated cyber attack caused a blackout again that affected kyiv residents, also in Ukraine. The country has been affected by blackouts after the Russian invasion after the attacks of Sandworm, a cybercrime unit associated with Russian intelligence, indicated in Tarlogic. But having them, there are. In November 2023, a series of coordinated cyber attacks affected the Denmark Energy Sectoralthough there were no blackouts but data theft. Tarlogic experts highlighted how these types of problems have increased. None, yes, has affected an almost complete country, as would have happened in this case. Usual suspects. In June 2019 A great blackout It affected 48 million people in Argentina and Uruguay. At that time there were suspicions of a potential cyberraade as the cause of the problems, but the Argentine government Indian that the cut was due to a failure in one of the transport systems from one of its hydroelectric plants in Yacryátá. It is therefore relatively frequent to associate such an event with a potential cybersecurity problem. And then, Stuxnet. What we know is how eeuu and Israel created Stuxnet malware In the second half of the 2000s. This malware managed to damage Iran’s critical infrastructures, specifically Its nuclear power plants And that showed that certain cyber attacks can be directed to critical infrastructure. The possibility is there. As they pointed out in 2019 in El Confidencial, Spain in fact already tried to prepare for this type of event. Experts like Rubén Santamarta They had warned of that risk already in 2011. During the blackout the National Cryptological Center (CNI) has indicated that the blackout could be a consequence of a cyber attack, According to the reason. Spain usually receives threats of this type. The National Center for Infrastructure and Cybersecurity Protection (CNPIC), under the Ministry of Interior, indicated in El Confidencial In 2019 that there were already “attempts at illicit accesses to this type of infrastructure.” From the country They pointed out a few months ago how Spain receives about 40,000 daily threats of diverse type. One more option, but just that. There are no data that can point to a cyber attack and therefore although the possibility is there, there is no confirmation. The blackout is exceptional and extraordinary, as indicated by Red Electrica and Spanish, which of course is also investigating what the origin of the problem has been. Image | Markus Spiske In Xataka | Another prequel of the ‘great blackout’: the solar storm that shook the world the 660 AC today would have very serious consequences

The precedent closest to the great blackout of Spain was lived in 2003. And it also began in the interconnected network

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Few events show our electricity dependence as a mass blackout. And few blackouts have been as extensive as the one that has affected all of Spain today. But there is a precedent of similar characteristics that still remember in neighboring Italy: the great blackout of 2003. The day Italy was dark. On September 28, 2003, practically all the Italians (57 million people) were left without light. The ruling began in the Swiss Alps, demonstrating, as has happened today, the fragility of interconnected networks. It all started at 3:01 in the morning in a high voltage line that crosses the passage of Lukmanier, between Switzerland and Italy. A storm whipped the area. According to subsequent investigations, the branch of a tree hit the wiring, causing a short circuit and its automatic disconnection. It all started with a tree. The fall of a tree should not have been catastrophic. Electrical networks are designed with redundancies to avoid it. However, the demand for energy in Italy at that time was high, and the country depended significantly on the imports of electricity in Switzerland and France. The loss of the Lukmanier line increased the load on the other interconnections. In less than half an hour, a second crucial line, that of the Paso de San Bernardino, also failed. The exact reasons were subject to dispute (Switzerland said there were overloads not communicated by Italy, Italy blamed Swiss management), but the result was overwhelming: Italy lost suddenly a huge capacity to import energy and went out. The domino effect. At 3:27 am, the country remained dark. The almost simultaneous loss of these two great energy arteries had been too much for the Italian network. The frequency of the network began to fall dangerously below 50 Hz, and automatic protection systems, designed to avoid higher damage to generators and equipment, began acting in cascade. Electric centrals throughout Italy began to automatically disconnect from the network to protect themselves. This self -defense mechanism, however, aggravated the problem: the more centrals they disconnected, the greater the imbalance between the remaining little generation and demand, accelerating the collapse. In a matter of minutes, the Italian electricity grid was completely fragmented and collapsed. The blackout affected the entire Italian Peninsula, from the Alps to Sicily. The exception? The Island of Sardinia, which has an independent power grid and not connected to the continental system (as the Canary Islands here), as well as some small border areas that received a direct supply of neighboring countries. The biggest blackout in the history of Italy. The blackout surprised Italy in the early morning of Sunday. Although this mitigated the initial chaos compared to the blackout of Spain (fewer people in public transport, in factories, locked in elevators), the impact was deep and durable throughout the day. Thousands of passengers were also trapped in trains in the middle of nowhere. Hospitals and emergency services activated their diesel generators, but the situation tested their abilities. The meters of cities like Rome and Milan stopped working. The traffic lights went out, complicating traffic. Although many mobile phone antennas had batteries, overload affected communications in some areas. In Rome, the blackout coincided with the “Notte Bianca”, the annual night in which museums open, there are concerts and night activities. Everything was interrupted, plunging thousands of citizens in unexpected darkness. The lack of electricity lasted for hours. A delicate recovery. Restore the electricity supply after a total collapse (the now famous start From energy zero) It is not as simple as pressing a switch. Italy showed that it is a slow, complex and gradual process. Many of the large thermal plants needed external energy to start their own auxiliary systems. As the centrals generate energy again, they have to synchronize perfectly in frequency and voltage with the incipient network. An error can cause new disconnections. Demand must gradually reintroduce as the generation increases. Connect too fast load can overload the newly restored network and cause another collapse. It is a delicate dance between supply and demand. Between four and 18 hours. For these reasons, the recovery was unequal. The regions of northern Italy, closer to European interconnections and with greater capacity for their own generation, began to recover electricity in about 3-4 hours. However, the center and south, especially Sicily, took much more. Some areas remained without electricity for 18 hours or more. Finally, electricity was restored block to block, city to city, in a process that extended during almost all of Sunday. The Italian blackout of 2003 remains a case study on the complexity and fragility of our energy infrastructure. A reminder that small events like a fallen tree can turn off a whole country. Image | Victor Romero (Flickr, CC BY-C-SA 2.0) In Xataka | What is the “energy zero” and why the supply can go suddenly but it takes hours to recover

This is what he estimates that I take Spain to recover from an “extraordinary” blackout

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The press conference offered by Red Electrica (Ree) has allowed us to know the status of the situation after the general blackout that we have suffered in Spain. And above all, the time that the blackout is expected. “Between six and ten hours”. Those responsible have explained how the complete replacement of the system in all parts of the country could carry “between six and ten hours.” The estimate comes from simulations carried out above and also from the experience collected in blackouts that have occurred in other countries in the past. How Ree proceeds after the blackout. After the incident due to a collapse of tension in all the knots of the network, they explained in Ree, the essential thing is “Replace the different elements of generation and the transport network with tension so that when the stations obtain tension, it spreads through the different networks and start the propagation of tension.” Restitution has already begun. As indicated in Spanish Electricity, it has been possible to recover tension in areas near the borders with Portugal and Morocco, and both in the Catalonia area and the Basque Country is spreading tension to reach the transport stations. A gradual process. In the southern zone and center, tension has also been recovered at some points. This replacement process will be progressive in the different areas, they explain from Red Electrica and once it is possible to recover the tension in all transport regions, the supply to consumers can be replaced. An “exceptional and extraordinary” event. In Spanish Electric Electricity indicate that an incident of these characteristics had never happened and that “it is an exceptional and extraordinary incident.” They have insisted that they are focused on recovering the supply as soon as possible, and they have also highlighted that there are detailed prepared plans that indicate how to proceed and what steps continue to this type of problem. Unknown causes. In Spanish Electric Red have not given information about the causes of this general blackout. When asked about a potential cyber attack, government representatives have indicated that there is no record about the causes of the incident and “we cannot enter to speculate.” Image | Pere Jury In Xataka | The mass blackout is also affecting transport: Renfe informs of detainees and Aena of incidents

What to do in this situation and how to keep you informed

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The whole country is shock after Brugon that has taken place at the national leveland that has also affected other neighboring countries. Let’s tell you What can you do in this situationwith some practical tips on how to act at a general level and how to stay informed or informed. Nothing prepares us for this, but the advice can also apply them in other cases in which there is some type of massive electricity fall in your area. Because it is always good to have a small notion of preparation. First, keep calm It seems obvious, but the first advice must be Always keep calm. Do not get carried away by panic, and try to reassure other people. Being carried out by panic and fear can lead to bad decisions. It is best to go home and get calm or calm until it happens. You must understand that there are many people from electric operators working right now to solve everything, and that everything will return to normal soon. Even so, do not discard that it lasts several hours, so you should also be careful in other aspects. Save your mobile battery The computer of your house does not work without electricity, but your mobile and your laptop will. Even so, Try to use them as possible to save battery. We do not know how much a blackout can last, that is, it is best to prepare to stretch the autonomy of your devices as much as possible. For that, use it as little as possible, do not enter games or applications that are not necessary, and try not to always look at social networks or use WhatsApp to communicate. You may have to make a call to reassure or ask about how a relative is, but beyond that you do not use it. Check external batteries per house If you have external batteries in a house drawer, it is time to take them out and check how they are. Click on your ignition button to see in the indicator that they have the battery level and if they have something left. Choose a key devicesuch as your mobile, and focus everything you have batteries to keep it loaded. Do not try to keep all at once, do it only with the most essential. The closed fridge As for household appliances, little to say if the light has gone. Perhaps the most important thing is keep the fridge closed So that the cold does not leave and you can keep the food for as long as possible inside. Find information only in official sources In these cases, the normal thing is that there are all kinds of bulls and rumors. Do not create any speculation, and simply Look for official sources To keep you informed. Find information from the Government of Spain, and also of national electricity companies. When you read articles related to what is happening, always look at who you think and where the information comes from. Do not believe anything that no one says that is not within an electric company, in the government, or in an institution where they really know what happens. The normal thing in these cases is that the information does not abound, especially at the beginning, since administrations should avoid speculation and say only the things of those who have certainty. In Xataka | Spain is dark: a general blackout has left us all without light

Renfe informs of stops and aen of incidents

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Its causes are still unknown, but the massive blackout that has left widespread areas of Spain and Portugal is also affecting public transport, including rail, air and even, in some areas, traffic lights. In his official X profile, Renfe details that at 12.30 there was an electricity supply cut throughout the national electricity network that has resulted in “detainees and without outputs at all stations”, without providing more data. Similar message He has moved Aenawhich acknowledges that due to the power cut there are “some incidents” in airports and has resorted to contingency structure, which remain active. Likewise, public transport of at least some cities has been affected, such as Madrid. The Metro responsible They report that the service is interrupted due to “lack of electricity supply.” (Information in development)

What is the “energy zero” and why the supply can go suddenly but it takes hours to recover

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The general blackout in Spain is causing many problems at the level of transport or trade, and in the meantime hospitals are going to their emergency generators. The situation has been caused after the so -called “energy zero”. Energy zero. This is called the situation in which the flow of electricity in an electrical system is interrupted or significantly reduced, reaching zero. The question, of course, is why this problem occurs. Diverse causes. This event can occur for various reasons such as infrastructure failures, climatic events or great imbalances between supply and demand. Consequences. We are living them: lack of supply in essential homes, businesses and services such as transport, communications or health, in addition to damage to teams and the consequent economic impact. It has already happened in the Canary Islands. In June 2020 there was an energy zero in the south of Tenerife, and in fact in the Canary Islands there have been several similar episodes In recent years. The Governing Council approved in September 2022 a sanction of eight million euros to Red Eléctrica de España for the problems derived from that fall. And in the world. There have been large electric blackouts in various parts of the world for decades. In Italy, in 2003, 57 million people They were affected by a high voltage line affected by a series of fallen trees during a storm. In India, in July 2012, 700 million people They were affected by an electricity overdex. Chile suffered a recent blackout last February A very serious infraction of the Law of the Electric Sector. The law of the electrical sector that regulates these situations establish that these types of problems represent a very serious infraction. In article 64.31 The following is specified: “The interruption or suspension of the supply without the legal or regulation requirements established or outside the assumptions provided legally or regulation.” The supply goes fast, but slowly returns. In this type of event, the electricity supply goes completely in an instant, but its recovery is much more gradual and can take hours. From Red Electrica Español they indicated half an hour after the blackout how the supply begins to recover in the north and southern peninsular, but it will take some time that the recovery is complete. It is not known how exactly, but in some parts of Spain the electricity supply is already being recovered, they indicate media such as being. Xataka | There are so many Australians with solar panels in their roofs that the electricity grid has been one step away from the abyss

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