The massive electricity blackout that affected most of Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia in late June was caused by the unexpected tripping of two overhead lines, the European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E) said.
The incident took place on June 21, as temperatures across the region soared to 40 degrees Celsius amid a summer heat wave, ENTSO-E said in a statement earlier this week, citing the results of a preliminary investigation.
Tripping refers to the automatic disconnection of electrical lines from the power grid to prevent damage to the equipment, maintain system stability, and ensure safety.
Experts warn that the risk of outages is increasing as hotter summers lead to spikes in demand for cooling. High temperatures cause power lines to sag, which also raises the risk of igniting forest fires, seenews.com reports.