{"id":68080,"date":"2024-05-16T15:03:21","date_gmt":"2024-05-16T20:03:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/?p=68080"},"modified":"2024-05-16T15:03:21","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T20:03:21","slug":"extreme-solar-storm-impacts-nz-power-grid-emergency-declared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/?p=68080","title":{"rendered":"‘Extreme’ solar storm impacts NZ, power grid emergency declared"},"content":{"rendered":"

‘Extreme’ solar storm impacts NZ, power grid emergency declared<\/a><\/h3>\n
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\"NASA\u2019s<\/picture><\/div>
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NASA\u2019s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare in extreme ultraviolet light on May 2. (Source: NASA)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Transpower has issued a precautionary grid emergency notice as the largest solar storm in two decades to affect Earth hits New Zealand this weekend.<\/p>\n

Sixteen electricity assets across the country have been removed from service to prevent power cuts: seven in the North Island and nine in the South Island, Transpower said. The notice was expected to remain in place until midday tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Transpower said in a statement earlier: “As part of our contingency plan we are removing some transmission lines from service across the South Island as a precaution. In order to do this, we have to issue a grid emergency notice, however this initial action should not impact supply of electricity to consumers.”<\/p>\n

Executive general manager John Clark told 1News the solar storm induced electrical currents through the Earth.<\/p>\n

“Those electrical currents like to use our long transmission lines as an alternative route.”<\/p>\n

The currents were “not good to have” through the grid so the flow of currents needed to be limited by turning off transmission circuits where possible, he said.<\/p>\n

“This is a preemptive measure to make sure other more important equipment, namely transformers and generators, aren’t damaged.<\/p>\n

“We’re able to supply everybody, but we haven’t got quite the same level of redundancy in the power system.”<\/p>\n

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