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NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2025 22:08:47 +0000
From: Joe Gwinn <joegwinn@comcast.net>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: Causes of the Gran Apagón (Spain), 65 corrective actions
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2025 18:08:45 -0400
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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