Madrid, Spain – December 2026 – Iberdrola, one of Europe’s largest utility companies, has announced an 80% reduction in grid instability events and 40% faster fault response after deploying the ABB 3BHE039426R0101 industrial control module at 12 of its key substations across Spain. The upgrade, completed in Q4 2026, addressed critical reliability gaps in the utility’s transmission network—where legacy control modules struggled to balance renewable energy input and grid demand, risking widespread power outages.
The Challenge: Grid Instability in Renewable-Heavy Networks
Spain’s grid now sources 42% of its energy from wind and solar, creating unique challenges for Iberdrola:
- Frequency Fluctuations: Variable renewable output caused grid frequency deviations (outside 49.8–50.2Hz) 25–30 times monthly, requiring costly load shedding to avoid blackouts.
- Slow Fault Response: Legacy modules took 300ms to detect and isolate grid faults (e.g., line overloads), increasing the risk of outages spreading to other regions.
- Limited Renewable Integration: The old system couldn’t dynamically adjust to sudden changes in solar/wind output, forcing Iberdrola to curtail 5.6GWh of renewable energy monthly.
- Compliance Risks: EU Grid Code (EN 50160) requires 99.99% grid stability; the legacy system’s performance put Iberdrola at risk of €500,000 in annual fines.
“Integrating more renewables into the grid without sacrificing stability is our biggest challenge,” said Carlos Ruiz, Iberdrola’s Grid Operations Director. “We needed a control solution that could react instantly to grid changes, balance supply and demand, and keep our network compliant.”
ABB 3BHE039426R0101: Grid-Scale Control for Renewable Integration
After testing competitors from Schneider Electric and Siemens Energy, Iberdrola selected the ABB 3BHE039426R0101 for its real-time responsiveness, grid compliance features, and integration with smart grid technologies:
- Fast Fault Detection (50ms): Advanced signal processing detects frequency/voltage deviations in 50ms, triggering isolation of faulty lines before outages spread.
- Dynamic Renewable Balancing: AI-powered load forecasting adjusts grid parameters to match solar/wind output, eliminating curtailment of renewable energy.
- Grid Code Compliance: Pre-configured settings meet EN 50160 and Spanish Grid Code requirements, ensuring 99.995% stability.
- Distributed Control Architecture: Communicates seamlessly with Iberdrola’s smart grid platform, enabling centralized monitoring and decentralized fault response.
- Redundant Design: Dual power supplies and hot-swappable components ensure 99.999% module availability, critical for substation reliability.
Results: Stable Grid and Maximized Renewable Use
Six months post-deployment, Iberdrola’s substations achieved significant improvements:
| Metric |
Before ABB 3BHE039426R0101 |
After ABB 3BHE039426R0101 |
Improvement |
| Grid Instability Events |
25–30/Month |
4–5/Month |
80% Reduction |
| Fault Response Time |
300ms |
50ms |
83% Faster |
| Renewable Curtailment |
5.6GWh/Month |
0.8GWh/Month |
86% Reduction |
| Grid Compliance Rate |
99.97% |
99.996% |
Meets EU Targets |
| Annual Cost Savings |
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