Much of Cuba blacked out.

For technical discussions about electricity, electrical equipment with particular emphasis on safe and compliant installations.
Off topic remarks are liable to be moved elsewhere, or in extreme cases to be deleted.
Post Reply
User avatar
adam2
Site Admin
Posts: 10910
Joined: 02 Jul 2007, 17:49
Location: North Somerset, twinned with Atlantis

Much of Cuba blacked out.

Post by adam2 »

For well over 24 hours now. There seems some doubt as to whether mechanical failure, or fuel shortage was the reason.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8elzx8dg7zo

A hurricane is approaching.
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more"
User avatar
BritDownUnder
Posts: 2502
Joined: 21 Sep 2011, 12:02
Location: Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia

Re: Much of Cuba blacked out.

Post by BritDownUnder »

Yes very interesting and the first thing I was going to ask was whether it was due to fuel shortages or dilapidated equipment being the cause.

Interestingly a reasonably large Australian town, Broken Hill, famous for the Mad Max and Wake in Fright movies has got a power cut due to overhead transmission lines being knocked down. Could be out for two weeks apparently. The local wind farm, gas turbine and battery storage system don't seem to have been a lot of help at the moment. Perhaps some kind of 'islanding' capability needs to be installed and then tested.
G'Day cobber!
User avatar
adam2
Site Admin
Posts: 10910
Joined: 02 Jul 2007, 17:49
Location: North Somerset, twinned with Atlantis

Re: Much of Cuba blacked out.

Post by adam2 »

Wind turbines and batteries can not in general black a start a grid system, or a part thereof that has become isolated. The inverters used will not function without a grid supply already present and derived from some other source.
A gas turbine unit, if of sufficient capacity and fitted with suitable controls, can generally black start a system.
"Installers and owners of emergency diesels must assume that they will have to run for a week or more"
Post Reply