European power grid operators have taken measures to prevent electricity disruptions during a solar eclipse on Wednesday, August 12. Grid operators are preparing to activate backup generation capacity and grid balancing mechanisms so that power supplies remain uninterrupted.
The solar eclipse will occur on Wednesday, August 12, between 20:15 and 22:30 Turkey time. As the Moon passes in front of the Sun, solar radiation reaching panels in parts of Europe will decrease, leading to a temporary decline in electricity production.
Expected Solar Power Loss
According to data from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, known as ENTSO-E, and Spanish grid operator Red Electrica, the eclipse could reduce solar power generation across Europe by up to 9.7 GW. About 5 GW of that reduction is expected to take place in Spain and Portugal.
ENTSO-E announced that grid operators in affected countries, including Germany, France, Ireland, and Northern Ireland, have taken necessary steps to protect electricity supplies. These measures include temporarily boosting output from natural gas and coal power plants and adjusting the Automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve, or aFRR, which keeps grid frequency balanced.
The aFRR system helps maintain stable grid operations by intervening quickly when imbalances occur between power generation and consumption.
Summer Grid Pressure
Solar energy accounts for about 13 percent of total electricity generation in the European Union, with its importance growing during summer months. In southern European countries, where rising air conditioner use increases electricity demand, solar power plays a key role in supporting the grid during daylight hours.
Europe's power grid faces summer pressure not only from the solar eclipse, but also from extreme temperatures and low river levels. In recent days, heatwaves and falling river levels forced several nuclear power plants in Romania and Hungary to halt production.
