Power flow studies in the presence of geomagnetically induced currents

Embedding the modeling and simulation of geomagnetically induced currents, GIC, into power flow simulation software allows the study of sensitivity and transient stability of the North American bulk power system under the distress of a geomagnetic storm. Modeling the interaction between the auroral electrojets and the Earth´s atmosphere is a crucial step in determining the geoelectric field induced by the geomagnetic storm. Geomagnetic storms interact with the Earth´s magnetic field, inducing damaging currents into the power grid, which have proven to be harmful to high voltage transformers and the overall stability of the power grid.