(2004/C 78 E/0212)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3010/03

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(8 October 2003)

Subject:   Blackout in Italy

Can the Commission say whether it intends to ascertain the causes of the blackout which hit Italy during the night of 27/28 September 2003?

Was the lengthy power cut caused by ‘human error’ as reported in the press or by other factors attributable to the countries that supply Italy with energy?

Answer given by Ms de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(6 November 2003)

According to the information currently available, provided by the UCTE (Union for the Co-ordination of Transmission of Electricity), the sequence of events was as follows:

After these power cuts the electricity supply from Switzerland to Italy was reduced by almost 3 000 megawatts. This power was transferred onto the other interconnecting lines — Italy-France, Italy-Austria — and this rapidly (within 40 seconds) resulted in the tripping of all lines interconnecting Italy and neighbouring countries.

The fact that the electricity imported into Italy (about 25 % of consumption during off-peak hours) could not be immediately replaced, after the power cut, by Italian-produced power during that time, meant that a blackout ensued across the entire Italian peninsula.

The UCTE is currently investigating the causes of this incident, in particular the possibility that one or more of its members did not comply with the operational standards. It is also inquiring into a possible lack of coordination between the transmission system operators (TSO).

The Italian and French regulators, in collaboration with the Swiss ministry, are also analysing the events.