Why did the ‘Black out’ occur that left Ecuador in the dark? – The Nation

2024-10-01 21:55:18

The blackout on June 19 was caused by a failure in the Milagro-Zhoray transmission line. This revealed the lack of investment in Ecuador’s energy system.

A series of cascading power outagesknown as ‘Black Out’, left the entire world in the dark. Ecuador on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 19, 2024. The blackout was due to a series of interrelated factors, explained the Minister of Energy (e), Roberto Luque.

What is a ‘Black Out’ and where did the failure occur?

And ‘Black Out’ It is a total interruption of the electrical energy supply in a large area. Blackouts can be caused by problems in the electrical infrastructure, overloaded networks, technical failures or natural disasters.

The technical failure occurred in the Miracle Transmission System – Zhoray (230 Kv), operated by the Transelectric Business Unit.

The Transmission System allows the transportation of energy to the National Interconnected System (SNI), which brings the energy to the users. When a failure occurs in any of the sections of the transmission system, it affects the energy supply to the distribution companies and, therefore, to the users.

The instability generated by yesterday’s failure caused the electrical protections will be activated. This paralyzed the generation plants and brought the entire system to a state of imbalance, both generation and transmission.

This situation forced the suspension of energy service throughout the country, he explained. Ricardo Buitronelectrical consultant. This entire process occurred in microseconds.

Could there be another ‘Black Out’ in Ecuador?

Buitrón also pointed out that a general blackout Yes, it could happen again in the country. To avoid this, maintenance plans must be implemented for the thermal power plants and the transmission system. In addition, Ecuador should work on a plan for the construction of new generation and transmission systems, which strengthen the country’s entire electrical system. To have a more reliable electrical system, it is required that the system planning be defined for the next 10 years, as determined by law. This planning must be included in the Electrification Master Plan of Ecuador. But this document has not been updated since 2017, Buitrón added.

Learn about the main reasons for the ‘Black Out’ in Ecuador

1. Technical failure on the Milagro-Zhoray transmission line. The immediate cause of the blackout was a transmission line failure. Milagro-Zhoray. This incident caused a cascade disconnection nationwide, triggering a collapse of the electrical system.
2. Lack of investment and maintenance. Minister Luque pointed out that the electrical suspension is clear evidence of the lack of investment y maintenance in the country’s transmission system. Additionally, this includes the lack of new electrical transmission facilities and protection systems for existing infrastructure. Therefore, the lack of these investments and preventive maintenance weakens the system’s ability to handle failures and overloads.
3. Energy system crisis. According to Luque, the event reflects a broader crisis in Ecuador’s energy systemwhich affects the generation, distribution and transmission of energy. Likewise, electricity generation was less than demand, which contributed to the collapse of the system.
4. Outdating of the protection system. Since 2004, the Systemic Protection System was programmed with the objective of protecting the generation and transmission infrastructure. However, this system was not implemented properly, leaving the system vulnerable to failures like the one that occurred.
5. Immediate actions and creation of a crisis committee. In response to the power outage or Black Outthe Crisis Committee was activated with a Failure Analysis Subcommittee. It is led by the National Electricity Operator (Cenace), with the participation of officials from the Ministry of Energy and the Electricity Corporation of Ecuador (Celec). This committee will evaluate investment needs to strengthen generation and transmission systems.
6. System Fragility. The event revealed the fragility of the Ecuadorian energy system. Likewise, the failure showed the need to reinforce infrastructure and guarantee adequate investment to avoid future collapses.

By: THE TRADE