System split in continental Europe’s electricity system
19.1.2021
Question for written answer E-000275/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Nicolás González Casares (S&D)
According to the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO), on 8 January 2020 a system split was registered in the synchronous electricity area of continental Europe, which led to two separated grid regions (north-west and south-east) due to ‘outages of several transmission network elements in a very short time’. ENTSO reported that, due to the frequency drop in the north-west area, contracted interruptible services in France and Italy came into operation, and supportive power was activated in the Nordic countries and the United Kingdom to reduce this deviation. ENTSO also reported that a detailed investigation into the event is underway.
- 1.Does the Commission have any idea what may have caused the event? Was the Union in danger of a blackout, like the one which occurred in November 2006?
- 2.Is this event linked to the increase in the wholesale price of electricity in the Union that we witnessed on those days?
- 3.What role did the interruptible services and the level of interconnection between Member States play in resolving this crisis?