Latest findings about the course of events confirm that the brief outage on a 380 kV electrical power line from Mettlen to Lavorgo is not the cause of Italy's power cuts. There is nothing unusual about a line outage like this, which can be absorbed. A flash-over to a tree near Brunnen therefore did not trigger Italy's blackout. This is also the finding reported in today's media release from ETRANS, the coordinating body for Switzerland's electricity grid. Atel sees this as corroboration of previous statements and, supported by these facts, categorically rejects all allegations of having caused the blackout in Italy.
Atel emphasises that all necessary and planned measures were immediately taken in the wake of the automatic shutdown of the Lukmanier power line at 03:01 a.m. last Sunday morning. ETRANS promptly informed the Italian grid operator and called for a run-up of production capacity in Italy. According to information currently available, the Italian response was either lacking, or too slow. Consequently, a cascade of power line outages resulted within Italy, and along its border.
Atel now considers it necessary to begin detailed investigations of the events in Italy. Atel's specialists are assisting the Italian grid operator in its search for the blackout's real causes.
Aare-Tessin Ltd. for Electricity Corporate Communications