Interim report into widespread European blackout blames network operators

‘Inappropriate’ coordination between Transmission System Operators (TSOs) was one of the root causes of the blackout that left many businesses and 15 million European households without power on 4th November 2006, according to the interim investigative report by the Union for the Coordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE).

The report finds that the operators responsible for the German power network ‘did not talk to each about the exact timing of the switching manoeuvre’ which triggered the blackout. Furthermore, ‘the network operator responsible for the operation was not apparently aware of the security settings of the grid operated by other network companies. This information was critical due to the very high flow on this line’.

Among new preventative measures expected to be implemented are:

* A formal European grouping of Transmission System Operators will be created at EU level which will have the task of putting forward common positions on issues identified by the Commission and in particular power network security standards;

* A mechanism to ensure that these standards are formally binding on network operators and;

* A European Priority Interconnection Plan to speed up progress on building essential new interconnectors.

•Date: 20th Dec 2006• Region: W.Europe •Type: Article •Topic: Power management
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