Calculation of geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) in a high-voltage electric power transmission system and estimation of effects of overhead shield wires on GIC modelling

Geomagnetically induced Currents (GIC) flowing in ground-based technological networks, such as electric power transmission grids, are the ground end of the space weather chain originating from the Sun. GIC constitute a possible source of problems to the system. Matrix formulas enabling the calculation of GIC in a power grid have been presented before. In this paper, we summarise the formulas and also express them in an alternative form that includes the (geo)voltages driving GIC during a space weather event more explicitly. An issue usually ignored in GIC modelling is the effect of overhead shield wires protecting a power grid and generally earthed at the towers. By numerical examples, it is shown in this paper that such neglect causes an insignificant error in comparison with other inaccuracies involved in GIC modelling and is thus really acceptable in practice. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.