Solar Storm Threat Analysis - Impact

Impact, 2007 James A. Marusek
reactor at the Nemiscau substation, and damage to the SVCs themselves. The SVC thyristors at the
Nemiscau substation were damaged and the SVC capacitor banks at the Albanel substation failed. 12
March 13, 1989 – The solar storm destroyed a $12 million generator step-up transformer owned by the
Public Service Electric and Gas Company of New Jersey. The transformer was a linchpin in converting
electricity from the Salem Nuclear Generating Plant. The 288.8/24-kV single-phase shell-form
transformers, which are rated at 406 MVA, are connected grounded-wye. The damage to the transformers
included damage to the low-voltage windings, overheating, thermal degradation of the insulation of all
three phases, and conductor melting. 12 The utility asked the supplier for a replacement and was told that
the order would receive top priority, but it would still take almost two years to fill. 13 Fortunately a spare
transformer was made available, but it still took 6 weeks to install.
Figure 3. Generator step-up transformer owned by the Public Service Electric and Gas Company of New
Jersey damaged by 13-14 March 1989 geomagnetic storm. Images provided courtesy of Public Service Electric and
Gas and Peter Balma.
October 30, 2003 – A power grid in southern Sweden located in Malmo experienced a 20-50 minute
electrical blackout affecting 50,000 customers due to a strong solar storm. The same storm caused
significant transformer damage in South Africa. Over 15 transformers in South Africa were damaged,
some beyond repair.
As North America has evolved into a unified power-sharing network of regions, each buying and selling a
diminishing asset like a commodity, the US domestic power has become significantly more vulnerable to the effects
from geomagnetic storms. Electrical power today is routed over thousands of miles of long transmission lines to
keep supply and demand balanced across the electrical grid. 3 System transmission lines have become more
interconnected. We are also driving power grids to operative very near their maximum capacities and this has
seriously eroded reserve capacity. Continued load growth in high population centers without a corresponding
growth in electricity generation capacity removes the safety margin that provides U.S. stable electrical power. Many
areas have not built new transmission lines or electrical power generators for over a decade.
9