Europe's clocks 'back on time' after electricity grid fixed (Update)

The power operators association ENTSO-E said in early March a row between Serbia and Kosovo had affected the grid's electric fre
The power operators association ENTSO-E said in early March a row between Serbia and Kosovo had affected the grid's electric frequency since mid-January and caused clocks for radio alarms, ovens and heating systems to run several minutes late

Europe's digital clocks are "back on time" after its power operators compensated for a shortfall in the continent's electricity grid because of a row between Serbia and Kosovo, the operators said Tuesday.

The power operators association ENTSO-E said in early March the row had affected the grid's electric frequency since mid-January and caused clocks for radio alarms, ovens and heating systems to run several minutes late.

"The Continental Europe transmission system operators carried out a collective compensation programme to restore the situation back to normal," Brussels-based ENTSO-E said Tuesday in a statement.

"The digital clocks geared by electric frequency are now back on time," it added.

ENTSO-E said it will "continue to support all parties" in a bid to achieve a lasting end to the energy dispute between Serbia and Kosovo.

Serbia's electrical power grid company EMS AD, tasked with balancing the Kosovo grid, blamed the missing power on Kosovo withdrawing without permission "uncontracted" energy from the synchronised European grid.

Kosovo operator KOSTT complained of an "imbalance in the system" when it supplied electricity at a loss to minority Serbs in northern Kosovo who refuse to recognise the ethnic Albanian authorities.

Serbia has refused to recognise its former breakaway province since it declared independence in 2008 and tries to block its attempt to join UN and various international organisations, including ENTSO-E.

Both are seeking to join the European Union.

© 2018 AFP

Citation: Europe's clocks 'back on time' after electricity grid fixed (Update) (2018, April 3) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2018-04-european-grid-lag-clocks.html
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European clocks slowed by lag in continent's power grid

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