1. Real-Time GIC Simulator D. H. BOTELER, L. TRICHTCHENKO, J. PARMELEE, S. SOUKSALY Geomagnetic Laboratory, Natural Resources Canada R. PIRJOLA Space Research, Finnish Meteorological Institute L. MARTI Investment Planning Division, Hydro One

2. OBJECTIVES: Provide information to power system operators > to help them manage the power system during geomagnetic disturbances > and system failures (power blackouts) > to prevent equipment damage (transformer overheating)

3. USER: 640,000 square km region 28,600 km grid 500, 230, 135 kV 520,000 transformers 25,000 MW peak power HYDRO ONE Operator of the Power Transmission Network in the Province of Ontario

4. USERNEEDS Keep Ontario supplied with power Protect against natural disasters lightning, ice storm, earthquakes, magnetic storms Know when GIC are building up in the system Alert power system operators to hazardous GIC levels

5. USER SATISFACTION: Pleased with displays Engineers using system to monitor GIC during storms Want more verification of system before putting in control centre Installing GIC sensors at some sites

6. SUSTAINABILITY: Further development of the system is being funded though Natural Resources Canada ‘Energy Infrastructure Protection Division’ Final system will be transferred to Hydro One to operate on the main control centre computers. We provide ‘feed’ of real-time geomagnetic data Future Funding options 1) paid service2) government funded option (2) is most likely - energy protection is critical to the health and safety of the public. Ongoing operation supported by Geomagnetic Lab. part of Canadian Space Weather Forecast Service extra effort: nil, incremental cost: zero

7. IMPROVEMENTS (1): Include GIC Measurements in Simulation - overdetermined solution - need best fit - change matrix solution to use Singular Value Decomposition Add more magnetic field measuring sites - non-uniform magnetic source fields Transition to Control Centre computers - allows automatic updates of system configuration Further develop modelling of geo-electric fields - 2D/3D ground conductivity structure

8. IMPROVEMENTS (2): Operating the Services in a Network? Add more magnetic field measuring sites - use research-funded satellite links - paying full cost for links would make service unsustainable. Improved upstream data provision? User: - only accessing one specific service Supplier: - only using local inputs - only delivering to one specific client - could be done at lower cost with Internet connections