Information Notice 1990-42, Failure of Electrical Power Equipment Due to Solar Magnetic Disturbances

Failure of Electrical Power Equipment Due to Solar Magnetic Disturbances

ML031130296
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	06/19/1990
From:	Rossi C Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-90-042, NUDOCS 9006130245
Download: ML031130296 (6)

1 r

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF NUCLEAR REACTOR REGULATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 June 19, 1990

NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 90-42: FAILURE OF ELECTRICAL POWER EQUIPMENT DUE

TO SOLAR MAGNETIC DISTURBANCES

Addressees

All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power

reactors.

Purpose

This information notice is intended to alert addressees to possible failure

modes of electrical power equipment in nuclear power plants and the connected

transmission systems due to solar magnetic disturbances. The events described

herein may be precursors to station blackout or partial loss of offsite power

sequences. It is expected that recipients will review the information for

applicability to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to

avoid similar problems. However, suggestions contained in this information

notice do not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or

written response is required.

Description of Circumstances

On March 13, 1989, an exceptionally strong geomagnetic storm caused major

damage to electrical power equipment in Canada, Scandinavia, and the United

States. The greatest damage occurred in Canada, where the Hydro-Quebec extra

high voltage (EHY) transmission system experienced seven static compensator

trips, causing system instability and tripping of lines carrying power to

Montreal from hydroelectric generating facilities at James Bay. Automatic

load-shedding was not able to offset the loss, and within a few seconds, frequency and voltage excursions occurred throughout the rest of the system

resulting in total blackout of the Hydro-Quebec system.

In the United States, a voltage fluctuation of up to 4 percent was recorded on

the EHV systems in Pennsylvania,, New Jersey, and Maryland. In the Allegheny

Power System, this storm caused 10 of the 24 transmission class capacitor

installations to trip and eight EHY autotransformers to heat.

Specific events occurred at the Three Mile Island Unit 1, Hope Creek Unit 1, and Salem Unit 1 nuclear power plants. At Three Mile Island 1, the licensee

observed tripping of capacitor banks in the 500-kilovolt' substation. At Hope

Creek 1, the licensee observed swings in reactive electrical power and six

operations of the main generator negative sequence alarm, indicating

(9006130245l

9 ' The

IN 90-42 June 19, 1990 electrical faults or' power imbalances that could 'damage equipment. 'At Salem 1, the licensee observed swings in reactive electrical power and,nc'a;subsequent

inspection of the generator step-up transformerJ'the licensee observed:severe

overheating, melted low-voltage service connections in phases A and C, and

insulation discoloration in phase B.

On September 19, 1989, at the Salem Unit 2 nuclear power plant, a second solar

storm damaged the generator step-up transformer.

Discussion:

Solar flares and other solar phenomena radiate waves of ions, electrons, and

protons called the solar wind. The solar wind interacts with the ;arth'sl'"

ionosphere and magnetic field in a complex manner tot produce auroral currents

near the earth. The auroral currents induce an earth-surface potential (ESP)

that establishes geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) in electrical power

distribution systems through the neutral grounding points of wye-connected

transformers at the ends of high-voltage transmission lines.

The GICs are quasi-direct currents, compared to the usual alternating current

frequency of 60 hertz. Measured values of GICs in transformer neutral ground- ing points have1exceeded100-amperes._ Such-currents cam distort current- transformer responses and undesirably trip protective relays. Further, GIC can

cause magnetic saturation of transformer cores. Depending on the extent of

saturation, these GICs may initiate excessive reactive, eddy, and harmonic

currents. Excessive reactive current can overheat transformers and produce

excessive voltage drops in a transmission system. Core saturation with harmon- ic currents can cause localized heating in transformer steel members, winding

conductors, and leads. Excessive harmonic currents in transmission lines can

cause system voltage distortions, which can overload capacitors in the trans- mission system and trip their protective devices, causing further voltage

degradations.

In general, solar magnetic disturbances follow an 11-year cycle. In the

present cycle, these disturbances exhibited minimum activity in September 1986 and are expected to peak in 1990-91 and in 1993-94. Some researchers in the

field of solar activity expect this present cycle to be the strongest yet

recorded. If these predictions are accurate, these peaks may produce equipment

damage, loss of electrical power, and problems with voltage control in trans- mission systems connected to nuclear power plants.

Several organizations are actively studying the effects of solar magnetic

disturbances and ways to mitigate these effects. In particular, the Institute

of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has established a working group

that convened a group of experts to discuss these phenomena in July 1989

('Effects of Solar-Geomagnetic Disturbances on Power Systems," Special Panel

Session Report, IEEE/PES Summer Meeting, July 12, 1989, Long Beach, Califor- nia). A copy of this report is available in the NRC Public Document Room, 2120

L Street, N.W., Washington, DC.

IN 90-42 June 19, 1990 If

This information notice requires no specific action or written response.

call one of

this notice, please

you have any questions about the' information in manager.

the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate NRR project

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor.Regulation

Technical Contacts: Vern Hodge, NRR

(301) 492-1861 Subinoy Mazumdar, AEOD

(301) 492-4308 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

"tachlent

u ............ 90-42 As 19, 1990 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED

NRC INFORMATION NOTICES

Inforat0n n _

notice No. Subject ~UT4W UT

uaqu.ort

Issued to

_ _ _ __

90-41 Potential Failure of General 6/1/90 All holders of OLt

Electric Magne-Blast or CPs for nuclear

Circuit Breakers and AK power reactors.

Circuit Breakers

90-40 Results of NRC-Sponsored 6/5/90 All holders of OLs

Testing of Motor-Operated or CPs for nuclear

Valves power reactors.

90-39 Recent Problems With Service 6/1/90 All holders of OLs

Water Systems or CPs for nuclear

power reactors.

90-38 Requirements for Processing 5/29/90 All fuel facility

Financial Assurance Submittals and materials

for Deconssioning licensees.

90-37 Sheared Pinion Gear-to-Shaft 5/24/90 All holders of OLs

Xeys in Limitorque Motor or CPs for nuclear

Actuators power reactors.

90-36 Apparent Falsification of 5/24/90 All holders of OLs

State of Connecticut or CPs for nuclear

Weight Certificates power reactors, and

10 CFR 70 licensees.

90-35 Transportation of Type A 5/24/90 All U.S. licensees.

WRC

Quantities of ton-Fissile

Radioactive Materials

90-34 Response to False Siren 5/10/90 All holders of OLs

Activations or CPs for nuclear

powt reactors.

90-33 Sources of Unexpected 5/9/90 All holders of OLs

Occupational Radiation or CPh for nuclear

Exposures at Spent Fuel power reactors.

Pools

OL

• Operating License

CP * Construction Permit

UNITED STATES FIRS Clss MAIL

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 P G FEES PAID

PEnNeSRC

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300

IN 90-42 June 19, 1990 This information notice requires no specific action or written response. If

you have any questions about the information in this notice, please call one of

the technical contacts listed below or the appropriate NRR project manager.

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts: Vern Hodge, NRR

(301) 492-1861 Subinoy Mazumdar, AEOD

(301) 492-4308 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

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CVHodge SMazumdar JERosenthal FRosa TechEd

04/30/90 05/02/90 05/10/90 06/12/90 04/20/90

IN 90-XX

April xx, 1990 action or written response. If

This information notice requires no specific in this notice, please call one

you have any questions about the information appropriate NRR project manager.

of the technical contacts listed below or the

Charles E. Rossi, Director

Division of Operational Events Assessment

Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contacts: Vern Hodge, NRR

(301) 492-1169 Subinoy Mazumdar, AEOD

(301) 492-4308 Attachment: List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

r (. C/SELB:DST:NRR

Document Name: SOLARMAG IN A

D/DOEA:NRR FRosa

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SMazumdar 4iN'I4amS TechEd CHBerlinger

CYHodge 04/o/90

04/13/90 05/4/90 Oyilit90