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World Markets Analysis

February 27, 2004

SECTION: IN BRIEF

LENGTH: 136 words

HEADLINE: Spain Also Threatened by Blackouts Due to Over-Reliance on Wind
Power

BYLINE: Eral Yilmaz

BODY:
The European Union's Energy Commissioner Loyola de Palacio has said that
Spain came close to suffering a nationwide blackout in mid-2003 because of
over-reliance on wind energy, reports Utility Week. Spain has 4GW of
installed wind capacity out of a total of around 50GW of generating
capacity. However, insufficient wind last summer had put most of this
capacity out of action, bringing Spain to the brink of a blackout.

Significance: Wind energy is inherently unreliable and had Spain suffered a
blackout because of over-dependence on this form of renewable power, the
drive to increase the share of wind-generated electricity would have
received a significant blow. Spain is trying to expand its renewable
generation capacity to help reach its carbon emission reduction targets
under the Kyoto Protocol.

LOAD-DATE: February 27, 2004