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Podcast: NTNU Energy Transition Podcast
Episode: #85 When the Lights Go Out: Lessons from the Iberian Blackout (with Kjetil Uhlen, NTNU IEL)
Description: On 28 April, the entire Iberian Peninsula plunged into darkness in under 30 seconds. How can a modern, interconnected grid fail so spectacularly—and what does it teach the rest of Europe?I sat down with Kjetil Obstfelder Uhlen—Professor at NTNU's Department of Electric Energy and special adviser to Statnett—to reconstruct the split-second cascade that tripped lines from France to Morocco, sent frequency crashing below 50 Hz, and left millions without power.Together we talk about:Why a single imbalance spiralled into a continent-wide blackoutThe hard limits of interconnection, inertia and protec...