Europe's power grids braced for eclipse with extensive backup plans
XLU•Expected hit to solar output
The eclipse is expected to decrease solar power generation by up to 9.7 gigawatts across Europe, of which around 5GW will affect Spain and Portugal, data from the European Network of Electricity Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E) and Spanish grid operator Red Electrica showed.
Grid operators in affected countries, including Germany, France, Ireland and Northern Ireland, all have measures in place to maintain electricity supply, ENTSO-E told Reuters.
They include temporarily ramping up gas and coal power plants, and adjusting the "automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve" — a system which rapidly adjusts power output to maintain stable electricity frequency in the network.
Operators say disruption unlikely
Some European grid operators have been preparing for the eclipse for over a year, by modelling the impact of shadow and light on power generation.
The operators in France, Spain and Britain told Reuters they anticipated no disruption, in part because the eclipse will be in the evening, when solar power is lower anyway.
For example, the eclipse is expected to temporarily knock out up to 1.8GW of French solar power — just 6% of the country's 30GW total solar capacity.
Summer grid conditions remain tight
Solar energy produces around 13% of the EU's total electricity output, and plays an increasingly important role in meeting energy demand during summer, when power demand for air conditioning peaks, particularly in southern Europe.
At the same time, Europe's power system comes under strain in summer from other factors, with heatwaves and low river levels forcing nuclear power plants to shut in recent days in Romania and Hungary.
