A University of Cologne-led study in Nature Energy traced tiny 60-second power grid pulses to uninterruptible power supply systems found in data centers, hospitals, and research campuses. Investigations using high-resolution electrical data at Germany's Forschungszentrum Jülich campus isolated the signature to structures housing this specific hardware. Equipment manufacturers confirmed the management software runs automated checks every minute, which unwittingly align worldwide thanks to universal clock synchronization.
Key points
Global time synchronization inadvertently causes millions of isolated uninterruptible pow…: Global time synchronization inadvertently causes millions of isolated uninterruptible power systems to execute battery checks at the exact same moment.
The combined effect of these concurrent, minor battery tests creates measurable frequency…: The combined effect of these concurrent, minor battery tests creates measurable frequency shifts across physically unconnected regional grids.
Identifying this automated mechanism resolves more than a decade of scientific uncertaint…: Identifying this automated mechanism resolves more than a decade of scientific uncertainty regarding recurring global electrical pulses.
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There are many things about modern life we take for granted – perhaps none more so than the vast electrical grids that power so much of it.
But for many years, these grids have been doing something strange.
Every 60 seconds, they pulse – a tiny change in the frequency that subsides only to recur 60 seconds later.
And it’s not just one power grid. Around the world, multiple power grids – physically isolated from each other – have been found doing the same thing.
It’s precise, and it has persisted, year after year, for more than a decade. This precision suggests that it’s not an accident, but it has remained a curiously enduring puzzle.
Now, scientists think they have found the answer – and it’s surprisingly mundane.
Every minute, some uninterruptible power supplies – the backup systems used in places like hospitals, data centers, and research facilities – perform routine battery checks, creating small but measurable surges in electricity demand. And it’s like clockwork.
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