Ali Mehrizi-Sani is a professor with Virginia Tech鈥檚 Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Power and Energy Center director.
海角社区 — On April 28, Spain experienced a widespread power outage that left millions without electricity for nearly a full 24 hours. While power has largely been restored, the cause of the failure is still under investigation. Early reports suggest that the high percentage of renewable energy on the grid at the time may have played a role — but it’s more complicated than that.
“Just like CSI investigating a crime scene, it takes some time to investigate the underlying cause of a power outage,” said , Virginia Tech professor and director of the Power and Energy Center. “Measurements must be collected and analyzed from across the system — including remote locations. Since the grid is highly interconnected, a problem in one region can ripple across the network, making it difficult to isolate the root cause.”
Mehrizi-Sani said in addition to the complexity of the grid, limited human resources means utility crews may focus on restoring power first versus determining the cause of failure.
Renewable energy impacts
There are reports suggesting that the Spanish system was tied to too much renewable energy at the time of failure. This still needs to be fully investigated, but it could be a contributing factor with a caveat, Mehrizi-Sani said.
“The main issue is not the generation source itself, but how that generation source is controlled,” he said. “Renewables introduce a new paradigm in electric power generation – they generate power without needing large rotating masses. This means that with more renewables, the inertia of the power grid is reduced. Less inertia can make the grid more agile but also more fragile during sudden disturbances.”
Mehrizi-Sani and his team are doing research to ensure the grid can endure higher amounts of renewables using control modes referred to as grid-forming controls. These help renewables mimic the stabilizing effect of traditional generators. Virginia Tech is part of a $25 million national effort – , which is funded by the Department of Defense – dedicated to developing these technologies.
A positive to power outages?
“While power outages are indeed disruptive in the short term, in the long run, they can help researchers, engineers, and system operators better understand the limits of the system, offering valuable insights,” said Mehrizi-Sani. “These events help us understand what is needed to increase system reliability and resiliency. This is what happened after the 2003 blackouts in the Northeastern and Midwestern areas of the United States and catalyzed the development of the concept of smart grid.”
About Mehrizi-Sani
is a professor with Virginia Tech’s and the Power and Energy Center director. He works to find answers to challenges related to control, protection, and cybersecurity of a sustainable, efficient power grid, including mitigating impacts of low-probability and high-impact events on the power system.
For media inquiries or to schedule an interview
Contact Margaret Ashburn,, 540-529-0814
RSS