First Test for the Country’s Electric System on March 25 – Authorities Rush to Avoid Blackouts

The long weekend is expected to push the national electric system to its limits. The upcoming national holiday on Tuesday, March 25, will see many people combining it with the weekend for a four-day break in the countryside. This means electricity demand will significantly drop during these days. According to ADMIE forecasts, demand at noon on March 25 is expected to fall to around 4,500 MW from today’s 5,800 MW (March 20, 2025). This poses a major challenge as solar energy production peaks during midday without sufficient consumption, making it uncontrollable up to a certain point. While ADMIE issues orders to cut green energy production, DEDDIE cannot do the same in the distribution network, where approximately 8 GW of photovoltaics operate. The demand drop of about 1,000-1,500 MW exacerbates problems for managers and increases the need for further cuts. ADMIE officials stress that under no circumstances should there be more electricity in the grid than consumed, as this could crash the entire system, leading to widespread outages that are hard to recover from. Based on international experience, when a complete blackout occurs in a national grid, a complex process is required to restore functionality. If reduction options fail to balance production and demand, ADMIE may have to shut down entire lines indiscriminately, causing localized power outages. Essentially, it will cut off parts to save the rest. March 25 is merely a trial ahead of Easter, which will see even lower demand. Last year’s Easter was already strained, and since then, 2.6 GW of new photovoltaics have been added. To address the issue, DEDDIE and YPEN have instructed APE producers in the distribution network to add technical capabilities for reductions. Under threat of severe penalties, producers are rushing to comply. On March 26, a crisis management meeting will assess the situation and plan future actions.