84th AMS Annual Meeting

Tuesday, 13 January 2004: 4:15 PM
Electric Power System Impacts and Vulnerability from Space Weather
Room 617
John G. Kappenman, Metatech Corp., Duluth, MN
A number of trends are causing overall increases in impacts from Space Weather or geomagnetic storms for electric power grids. Geomagnetic storms have been a concern for electric power grids at high-latitude locations due to disturbances driven by electrojet intensifications. However, other geomagnetic storm processes such as SSC and ring current intensifications are also proving to cause GIC concerns for the power industry at low and mid-latitude locations as well. A number of long-term trends in power system design and operation have also been continually acting to increase geomagnetic storm risks. These design implications have acted to greatly escalate risks for power grids at all latitude locations. As a result, large storm events may now be of concern even to power grids that have never considered the risk. The presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of these risk issues as they apply to many world power systems.

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