Power Blackout Risks

spain
29.11.2004
Human error/technical failure, overloaded transmission line

5 blackouts within 10 days MMM 
2,000,000
south west europe (parts of germany, france, italy, belgium, 
spain and portugal) 
04.11.2006 (detailed description see Annex)
Human error, the fault originated from Northern Germany, from the control area of
E.ON Netz. On November 04, 2006, a high voltage line had to be switched off to let a 
ship pass underneath. Additionally during that time there was a strong wind which fed 
into the grid 10,000 MW from wind turbines to Western and Southern Europe grids. 
Insufficient communication about this switch-off led to instabilities of the frequency
in the grid and to the overloading of lines, which ultimately resulted in the splitting of
the Electricity Transmission network into three zones: West, East and South-East.
The Western zone lacked power and the Eastern zone had too much power. 

2h MMM 
15,000,000
brazil (most states) + paraguay
10.11.2009
Natural event, heavy rains and strong winds caused three transformers on a key high-
voltage transmission line to short circuit, cutting the line and automatically causing all
of the hydroelectric power plant’s 20 turbines to shut-down due the abrupt fall of power 
demand (the world’s second largest hydroelectric dam).
Thousands of people were trapped in elevators, subways and suburban trains. Road 
traffic was also chaotic as the power outage darkened traffic lights, and the police were 
put on high alert as an outbreak of crime was feared. Only large office buildings and 
hotels with generators were lit. The country’s largest airports were also using generators 
and providing limited emergency service, they said. Brazil’s phone network largely
collapsed, but its mobile-phone network was still operating. 

25min to 7h MMM 
87,000,000