Chile Blackout, February 25: Overview

This was published in English using an automatic translation system

Report from ORRISK
March 2025

BLACKOUT VISION FEBRUARY 25, 2025: There is no doubt that the blackout that the country faced on February 25 is one that will remain in the memory of all of us who are part of the industry, both for the circumstances that triggered it and for the delay in its normalization; it is the first time that it has occurred with a level of renewable generation that is not minor.

It set a precedent by occurring in a scenario where renewable generation reached 80% participation. This high level of generation implied operating with less inertia, which increased the speed of change of the variation in the angular difference between the separate SEN NORTE and SEN SUR systems, thus increasing the probability of collapse. Added to this is the fact that the interruptible renewable generation units are limited in normalizing the system, which depend on the existence of a reference signal to connect to the system. There are many aspects to highlight from the event in question, so the exhaustive investigation carried out by CEN is key to drawing lessons and learning from this event; we will be waiting for the associated report.

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