StreetsofBeige
Member
Go nuclear and hydroelectricity. Most reliable. Only problem is it takes a ton of time and money to built this stuff.
Six days ago, the media celebrated a significant milestone: Spain's national grid operated entirely on renewable energy for the first time during a weekday. At 12:35 pm today local time, the lights went out across Spain and Portugal, and parts of France. Although power was quickly restored in France, it could take a week to fully restore power in Spain and Portugal.
In an instant, the electric hum of modern life — trains, hospitals, airports, phones, traffic lights, cash registers — fell silent. Tens of millions of people instantly plunged into chaos, confusion, and darkness. People got stuck in elevators. Subways stopped between stations. Gas stations couldn't pump fuel. Grocery stores couldn't process payments. Air traffic controllers scrambled as systems failed and planes were diverted. In hospitals, backup generators sputtered on, but in many cases could not meet full demand.
It was one of the largest peacetime blackouts Europe has ever seen. And it was not random. It was not an unforeseeable event. It was the exact failure that many of us have been, repeatedly, warning lawmakers about for years — warnings that Europe's political leaders systematically chose to ignore.While Portugal's grid operator REN initially blamed the mass blackout on "extreme temperature variations" and a "rare atmospheric phenomenon," and while some media repeated that framing, the reality is more serious. Weather may have triggered the event, but it was not the cause of the system's collapse.
Spain's national grid operator, Red Eléctrica, revealed that the immediate cause of the blackout was a "very strong oscillation in the electrical network" that forced Spain's grid to disconnect from the broader European system, leading to the collapse of the Iberian Peninsula's power supply at 12:38 p.m
"No one has ever attempted a black start on a grid that relies so heavily on renewables as Iberia," noted
@JKempEnergy "The limited number of thermal generators will make it more challenging to re-establish momentum and frequency control."In a traditional power grid dominated by heavy spinning machines — coal plants, gas turbines, nuclear reactors — small disturbances, even from severe weather, are absorbed and smoothed out by the sheer physical inertia of the system. The heavy rotating mass of the generators acts like a shock absorber, resisting rapid changes in frequency and stabilizing the grid.
In a traditional power grid dominated by heavy spinning machines — coal plants, gas turbines, nuclear reactors — small disturbances, even from severe weather, are absorbed and smoothed out by the sheer physical inertia of the system. The heavy rotating mass of the generators acts like a shock absorber, resisting rapid changes in frequency and stabilizing the grid.
But in an electricity system dominated by solar panels, wind turbines, and inverters, there is almost no physical inertia. Solar panels produce no mechanical rotation. Most modern wind turbines are electronically decoupled from the grid and provide little stabilizing force. Inverter-based systems, which dominate modern renewable energy grids, are precise but delicate. They follow the frequency of the grid rather than resisting sudden changes....
Don't open the freezer and it should be fine for x hours.
For the love of god let it be aliens
Please
Fucking Finns at it again!My money is on a foreign power testing the waters in what they can hack and shut off in the west.
A true "net zero".The moment people from Spain realice their are the beta testers of the green grit.
![]()
Well the fact that with one simple trick you can shutdown the infrastructure of two countries (well a bit more but still) at once. Imagine shutting it down for one or two days - logistics are dead, hospitals, factories...All down.My money is on a foreign power testing the waters in what they can hack and shut off in the west.
Really scary feeling to be honest, no one knew anything and you couldnt talk to anyone because communications were all gone.
When we were coming back from work around 2pm the gas stations and super markets were overloaded we people...it was as i said above a really strange feeling.
You're acting all mighty because you're now rich but until yesterday all your buildings looked like a match box.Google street view from Spain:
![]()
Lisbon Portugal here.
Light went out around 11.30 am and we are slowly getting it back, our just came on around 15 minutes, 9.30pm now
Really scary feeling to be honest, no one knew anything and you couldnt talk to anyone because communications were all gone.
When we were coming back from work around 2pm the gas stations and super markets were overloaded we people...it was as i said above a really strange feeling.
Imagine having no power to nothing. There were no communications whatsoever working. In the first hours people were overloading supermarkets , gas stations. Fights broke out to catch a simple bus to get home. Traffic was simply chaotic since no street signs were working. People stuck in the subway,trains and whatever u might imagine.Mate, it's not even been half a day. Scary?!
Give me a fucking break.
Damn murcianos, it's almost 00:00 and this hellhole of a town of mine is still pitch black.You're acting all mighty because you're now rich but until yesterday all your buildings looked like a match box.
On topic: YAY! Finally I have light and internet. Time to waste my life here.
Imagine having no power to nothing. There were no communications whatsoever working. In the first hours people were overloading supermarkets , gas stations. Fights broke out to catch a simple bus to get home. Traffic was simply chaotic since no street signs were working. People stuck in the subway,trains and whatever u might imagine.
Yes it was scary, go fuck yourself btw!!
Dude , we are talking about 2 FULL countries without power , im not gonna say anything more. You really need a reality check...get over yourself imagine the uk happenning that...if its nothing then u're just a moron im sorryAll that tells me is that there lots selfish idiots where you live.
All you have to do is find somewhere to chill with a few beers.
Now, in the UK it would probably be worse in urban areas. I don't live in one though and very occasionally the power goes out here. Neighbours come out and have a moan, then everyone just gets their candles out.
Also, what is this 'bus' you speak of? I think I've heard rumour of sightings of something by that name around here...
Dude , we are talking about 2 FULL countries without power , im not gonna say anything more. You really need a reality check...get over yourself imagine the uk happenning that...if its nothing then u're just a moron im sorry
Imagine having no power to nothing. There were no communications whatsoever working. In the first hours people were overloading supermarkets , gas stations. Fights broke out to catch a simple bus to get home. Traffic was simply chaotic since no street signs were working. People stuck in the subway,trains and whatever u might imagine.
All you have to do is find somewhere to chill with a few beers.
Now, in the UK it would probably be worse in urban areas. I don't live in one though and very occasionally the power goes out here. Neighbours come out and have a moan, then everyone just gets their candles out.
Also, what is this 'bus' you speak of? I think I've heard rumour of sightings of something by that name around here...
Dude , we are talking about 2 FULL countries without power , im not gonna say anything more. You really need a reality check...get over yourself imagine the uk happenning that...if its nothing then u're just a moron im sorry
Lisbon Portugal here.
Light went out around 11.30 am and we are slowly getting it back, our just came on around 15 minutes, 9.30pm now
Really scary feeling to be honest, no one knew anything and you couldnt talk to anyone because communications were all gone.
When we were coming back from work around 2pm the gas stations and super markets were overloaded we people...it was as i said above a really strange feeling.
my brother works at Drax in yorkshire. The stories he tells me are pretty scary to be honest lol. our grid is basically held up by jacobs cream crackcers and pva glue at this point. Just before christmas there was a near-system wide wipeout much like spain that was only prevented because the only qualified person in the country who could fix it, the ONLY guy who knew what they were doing came home from holidays in malaga to put out the fire. British airwayss sent out an emergency private jet to get the guy and got him back to the uk within hours to stop the grid from going down. How we get to the point where the national grid has it's very own Benz to call to fix it all is just insanity. The senior safety guy was also on sick leave for so long that new staff were being trained by people not even in the fucking country, by videocall lmao.All that tells me is that there lots selfish idiots where you live.
All you have to do is find somewhere to chill with a few beers.
Now, in the UK it would probably be worse in urban areas. I don't live in one though and very occasionally the power goes out here. Neighbours come out and have a moan, then everyone just gets their candles out.
Also, what is this 'bus' you speak of? I think I've heard rumour of sightings of something by that name around here...
As a Portuguese guy…we wouldn't be considered first world if we weren't located in Europe lol. This is a small country with poor construction, infrastructures etc…and a minimum wage of 820 euros lmao.Entire first world countries can lose power in peace time…?
Portuguese here. Lights went out at 11:30. Just got the power back almost 12 hours later.
They were even arguing this could take like 72 hours to solve…and its a bit scary because we rely on tech so much that most people had no actual cash to pay for anything and all i could think of was how tf the entire country would last for 72 hours without riots. As the night came it was a scary sight. I had friends that were about to stay up all night with their parents inside stores and everything.
Good thing it didn't come to that. But honestly…how does this happen in 2 European countries like this is weird as hell.
As a Portuguese guy…we wouldn't be considered first world if we weren't located in Europe lol. This is a small country with poor construction, infrastructures etc…and a minimum wage of 820 euros lmao.
What's good here is the weather, food, wine, the people in general and our heath system has lots of flaws but you can literally heal from a cancer without paying a single euro. But my god we are such a failure when compared to most Europe specially now that everyone figured we were cheap as fuck and all countries are investing in us creating even more problems for the ones already working and living here (you just have to check our housing issues currently)
Don't worry, the CEOs and Shareholders will invest their profits back into the business to bring everything up to code.No one applies to these jobs anymore since the work is ridiculous and pay is shit.
China hackers, Russia hackers, Iran hackers, or aliens, and/or Windows 98. Here in the USA, every time someone farts in the wind, the power goes out somewhere. Seriously, countries best start upgrading their infrastructure.
![]()
PS: I hope you and everyone affected gets their power back.
Did you Europeans really destroy nuclear power plants?
Chernobyl propaganda works, it's always brought up whenever Nuclear is mentioned and why it's a danger to keep around. Science has moved on in the decades past, shit, we should be using Hydrogen in cars but pussies are too scared of "it might explode".Did you Europeans really destroy nuclear power plants?
Remember: Murcia is almost 'MURICA. We can't looseDamn murcianos, it's almost 00:00 and this hellhole of a town of mine is still pitch black.
At least the internet came back! I was almost about to pick up a book lol.
It's really depressing we lost our empire to you, guys. Beaten by clowns…my brother works at Drax in yorkshire. The stories he tells me are pretty scary to be honest lol. our grid is basically held up by jacobs cream crackcers and pva glue at this point. Just before christmas there was a near-system wide wipeout much like spain that was only prevented because the only qualified person in the country who could fix it, the ONLY guy who knew what they were doing came home from holidays in malaga to put out the fire. British airwayss sent out an emergency private jet to get the guy and got him back to the uk within hours to stop the grid from going down. How we get to the point where the national grid has it's very own Benz to call to fix it all is just insanity. The senior safety guy was also on sick leave for so long that new staff were being trained by people not even in the fucking country, by videocall lmao.
We are a country filled with serious staff shortages at the most critical infrastructure level, nhs, power, public services like police etc are all fucked. No one applies to these jobs anymore since the work is ridiculous and pay is shit.
Nope, manchego. We didn't get our electricity back until 1AM, but no internet until a few hours ago.Remember: Murcia is almost 'MURICA. We can't loose
I'm guessing you're Malagueño? They've been 14 hours out!
German media is still using Fukushima as the "nucular is baaad" excuse, although no one died there. The war on nuclear power is crazy. We could have net zero co2Chernobyl propaganda works, it's always brought up whenever Nuclear is mentioned and why it's a danger to keep around. Science has moved on in the decades past, shit, we should be using Hydrogen in cars but pussies are too scared of "it might explode".
German media is still using Fukushima as the "nucular is baaad" excuse, although no one died there. The war on nuclear power is crazy. We could have net zero co2
Minimize power usage as a consequence? Too much energy was what probably caused the whole blackout ..Only Spain, Portugal and some southern parts of France. It's over now, right?
Anyway, I did see a message on the news about that they want us in NL to minimize power usage during 16:00 and 21:00. That's about it.
Funny how they first, for a few years, want us to stop using gas, oil and so on for electricity and now the net can't handle it. Well planned/handled as per usual.
In our case (as in NL) it's mostly because a lot of people invested in electric devices like EV's and anything in the household to replace gas with electricity. Yet the "grid" can't handle this high amount of sudden spikes very well, as it's ancient and never (properly) invested in at the same time to cope. Everyone but the government was able to see this coming. Seems like an incompetence issue, which is nothing new here.Minimize power usage as a consequence? Too much energy was what probably caused the whole blackout ..
That´s like the problem with saving on water: The sewers need to be flushed nowadays by hand as theres not enough flow to get the filth flowing
In the UK we have companies promote "free electric" days when too much is generated by Solar, for example this week it's looking nice and the provider I'm with (Octopus) have sent out a message stating that this Thursday and Friday will be free days and encourage people to just hit the grid hard.Minimize power usage as a consequence? Too much energy was what probably caused the whole blackout ..
That´s like the problem with saving on water: The sewers need to be flushed nowadays by hand as theres not enough flow to get the filth flowing
France has 18 operating nuclear power plants, we are making 70% of all energy using them. Here's French people when they hear Germans talking about closing the plants:Did you Europeans really destroy nuclear power plants?
In our case (as in NL) it's mostly because a lot of people invested in electric devices like EV's and anything in the household to replace gas with electricity. Yet the "grid" can't handle this high amount of sudden spikes very well, as it's ancient and never (properly) invested in at the same time to cope. Everyone but the government was able to see this coming. Seems like an incompetence issue, which is nothing new here.
You're under an illusion anything would change..Let me think. If it happened in the UK.
France has 18 operating nuclear power plants, we are making 70% of all energy using them. Here's French people when they hear Germans talking about closing the plants:
![]()