Effect of geomagnetic storms on a power network at mid latitudes

Abstract

Solar activities may disturb the geomagnetic field and impact the power grid via geomagnetically induced currents. We study active and reactive powers as well as the power factor of Iran’s power grid transformers (230 kV and 400 kV) and their correlations with geomagnetic disturbances indices (SYM-H < −30 nT and sizable horizontal geomagnetic field fluctuation) from 19 March 2018 to 20 March 2020. Out of 128,627 cases with a transformer power factor of less than 0.7, we observe that 12,112 samples correlated with SYM-H. Our investigation shows that about 4 percent of two years, the SYM-H has values less than −30 nT. Analysis of high-performance transformers (a power factor greater than 0.7 at 95 percent of working time) shows at least a 55 percent correlation of power factor less than 0.7 and SYM-H less than −30 nT. We observe that the transformers’ power factor of Rafsanjan-Kerman and Sarcheshmeh-Kerman (wye connection on 230 kV side) substations decreased to less than 0.7 and correlated with SYM-H. We show that the reactive power of the Sefidrood-Guilan and Shahid Beheshti-Guilan transformers (wye configurations) increased considerably on 9 January 2020 and positively correlated with SYM-H may produce large GICs at this part of the grid. We observe that the increase in reactive power at the Shahid Beheshti-Guilan substation correlated with the sizable changes in the horizontal field was recorded by the Jaipur station. However, more details (temperature and current of transformers) need records to estimate the impact of geomagnetic induction current on the power grid.