Published by Unipower AB, Metallgatan 4C, 44132 Alingsås, Sweden. Email: info@unipower.se
On 28 April 2025, at 12:33 CET, the power systems of Spain and Portugal experienced a total blackout. Investigation is still in progress.
Above and below is 30 minutes of high-resolution waveform data we could extract from a meter in the Portuguese grid. We could see three oscillations preceding the blackout (12:03, 12:16 and 12:19 ) in both voltage and frequency.
A key to understanding events like this and finding the root causes is measurement data. Traditional triggers initiate high speed recordings for a few seconds but in a power grid with a lot of distributed renewable generation, batteries and other new technologies triggers are not easy to set up. You could easily miss events that are below the trig limits or because the trigger is on the wrong parameter. Recordings are also often too short.
Our Continuous Scan feature doesn’t need triggers and records waveform for all parameters continuously with high resolution.
Please contact us if you want to know more about the blackout or our measurement capabilities.
About Unipower: Unipower AB offers a wide range of products for Power Quality measurements and Smart Grid systems.
Originating from a Swedish ABB company in the mid 80’s, Unipower has developed a competitive edge within the field of Power Quality and Smart-Grid solutions. We focus on norm compliance equipment, with a special focus on the requirements for power generation, transmission and distribution.
Our product lines reach from traditional portable PQ analysers to fully integrated and automated Power Quality Management systems for continuous supervision of the energy supply.
Website: unipower.se
Source URL: https://www.unipower.se/news/what-caused-the-big-blackout-in-spain-and-portugal/
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