The recent blackout that affected Spain and Portugal left more than 50 million people without electricity and put an entire society in check. At that moment, the vitality and importance of sport took a back seat, as happened at the eagerly awaited international Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament. This renowned tournament was interrupted and suspended until the next day, causing thousands of fans to walk miles to their homes, hotels…. This incident raised serious questions about security in the preparation of major sporting events. Spain will host the 2030 World Cup? Can you imagine this blackout during the final?
What happened and what measures will Spain take
“15 gigawatts were suddenly lost from the system, in just 5 seconds,” explained Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez about the incident on Monday, April 28 at 12:33 pm. It was the first time in the history of Spain and the Iberian Peninsula that something like this had happened. The system, unable to balance such a sharp drop between generation and demand, protected itself by automatically disconnecting both internally and from the rest of the European grid. The Spanish peninsular grid has historically been robust and reliable – considered one of the best in the world – thanks to its high degree of meshing at high and very high voltage, as well as its large synchronous generation capacity. However, its weak point is its limited international interconnection, conditioned by the geographical barrier of the Pyrenees.
Although the reason for this total disconnection for 5 seconds has not yet been confirmed, the growing integration of renewable energies could be the reason, as wind and solar systems lack flexibility in the face of variations in demand. Therefore, the need to incorporate frequency and voltage stabilizers and storage mechanisms in the transmission grid to counteract the loss of inertia caused by the high presence of renewables is already being considered.
The shadow of the pandemic, in the neck of the woods
From the 20 minutes that San Sebastian in the Basque Country (with grids interconnected to France), for example, was without power for more than 12 hours in different parts of Spain? It was a time when the banished battery-powered radios invaded the streets and squares to keep informed. It was also a time in which the feet became a vehicle of transportation and in which Spain took to the streets to interact with neighbors, fill the terraces of the bars or have impromptu picnics in the parks.
Spanish society reacted well, civically – and in a very Mediterranean way – once they knew that this was not the beginning of something more worrying and that it was going to be solved in a short time. In addition, in hospitals, health centers and many buildings, the generators with batteries were able to continue operating almost normally, so we can happily say that there were no fatalities or violent disturbances despite these hours without electricity,
This situation was unimaginable to sustain it more days, having the shadow of the pandemic in the neck. At the beginning, the uncertainty, the images of supermarkets and large facilities without electricity, reminded us of that time when the covid ‘covered’ cities and towns with science fiction, with unimaginable scenes. That bad memory came back to haunt the heads of many during the first hours when nothing was known and the cyberattack or the beginning of something more terrifying hovered timidly overhead. More so when it began to spread that the same thing was happening in Portugal, Italy, France and the United Kingdom… Later it became known that except outside the Iberian Peninsula, it was on a minuscule scale.
Remembering the importance of sport
When the President of the Government was able to report with data on what had happened and confirm that they were already returning the light – little by little so as not to lose that stability – to the Spanish territory, people sighed and began to joke and relax in the streets, squares and parks. That was when the reflections on what would have happened if in a sporting context Spain was hosting a big event -as was the Mutua Madrid Open– and what measures should be taken knowing that it is something that can happen again and that the case of Spain should be looked at by the rest of nations in case it has coincidences in the distribution of its own power grid.
Elon Musk, very opportunistic, after analyzing what happened settled the episode in a simple sentence: “[Spain] needs batteries to stabilize the grid”. Perhaps this same advice can be applied to large scenarios such as stadiums or events like the Olympic Games? Should sport consider adopting this type of protection or should we trust that this circumstance will not happen again? What seems likely is that this issue of the power grid will be in the next plans for the organization of major sporting events in Spain. Investment in resilient energy infrastructures no longer seems so much a luxury as a necessity.
Apart from what may affect professional sporting events, the blackout had a direct impact on the daily life of citizens, affecting amateur sports practice (not only professional). It was a day when sports facilities were closed, clubs had no activity and the Government recommended avoiding unnecessary travel. Therefore, the physical and mental health of the population was also harmed, reminding us that sport is not only entertainment, but a vital necessity for a society that wishes to have a healthy lifestyle.
Climate change, the great threat
The blackout in Spain should serve as a wake-up call, not only for our country, but also for the whole world about climate change and solar storms that threaten the stability of the energy system. Investment in resilient energy infrastructure, the development of renewable energy and emergency planning are essential, including for major sporting events. With the 2030 World Cup so close, the time to act is now.
