Estimation of geomagnetically induced currents based on the measurement data of a transformer in a Japanese power network and geoelectric field observations

Abstract

Geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) have the potential to cause electric power blackouts. Hence, it is important to study the effects of GICs produced by intense geomagnetic storms. The measurements of GICs were conducted at the Memanbetsu substation, Hokkaido, between December 2005 and March 2008. We obtain the complementary cumulative distribution function (CCDF) of the measured GICs and the empirical equation to estimate GICs using the GIC data and geoelectric field observation data. GICs associated with the past intense geomagnetic storms, e.g., the March 13-15 storm and the October 29-30, 2003 storm, are estimated.