This is a webinar event. We will livestream this webinar at 1 p.m. in 3043 ECpE Building Addition.
Speaker: Rogerio Verdolin
Title: Effects of Geomagnetic Storms on Electrical Power Systems
Abstract: The impact of a solar coronal mass ejection (CME) on the Earth’s protective magnetosphere can lead to a geomagnetic storm, significantly increasing existing electrical currents flowing through the magnetosphere. These electrical currents cause large variations in magnetic inducing electric fields in the Earth which produce Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GIC). These currents flow in metallic pipelines, underground cables, communication systems, railways, and transmission lines and stations in the power system. When flowing through the various elements in a power grid, GICs produce undesirable quasi direct currents, superimposed on alternating currents within the grid. The GIC may result in an unbalanced condition and result in damage to critical transformers. For high voltage power transformers, the effects of GIC include half-cycle saturation that results in: 1) harmonic currents, 2) fringing magnetic fields (flux that flows outside the core), and 3) increased reactive power (Mvar) consumption. Further, the GIC may result in stability issues on the transmission system, and during an extreme CME, may result in blackouts. This presentation will provide a background on GIC for those people responsible for the reliability of power distribution and transmission systems as well as substations. The presentation places emphasis on assisting attendees with an understanding of the key principles and concepts regarding geomagnetic storms on electrical power systems. Identification and discussion of procedures necessary to apply the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) standard TPL-007-2 – Transmission System Planned Performance for Geomagnetic Disturbance Events will be presented.
This presentation will also provide information on how to reduce the risk of GIC failure, minimize outages, improve system reliability and reduce costs.
Bio: Dr. Rogerio Verdolin is a consultant engineer at Verdolin Solutions. He received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and his Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba. Dr. Verdolin spent more than 20 years with CEPEL – Brazil’s preeminent Electrical Energy Research Centre, where he managed the High Voltage Laboratory and various research programs supported by utility companies, equipment manufacturers, and other industry companies. In Brazil, Dr. Verdolin also chaired the Lightning Arrester Brazilian Association working group, and was a member of the IEC Technical Committee TC-37. After moving to Calgary in 1998, Dr. Verdolin joined GE Energy Services where he contributed to the development of new products for Substation On-line Monitoring. His 40 year career includes positions with SNC Lavalin, ENMAX, ATCO, and Teshmont Consultants, providing support in substation design, high voltage equipment specifications, power system transient overvoltage studies, and consultant services including Transient Recovery Voltage and Insulation Coordination, and Geomagnetically Induced Current simulation studies. Dr. Verdolin has enjoyed many years of involvement with IEEE, including the IEEE PES Transformers Committee, and his current positions as Chair of two IEEE working groups and Secretary of the Performance Characteristics Subcommittee. He is the author of many published technical papers and a member of APEGA, IEEE, and CIGRE.