AEMO Market Notice about ‘Space weather’

At 04:33:09 this morning, the AEMO issued MN115774 as follows:

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MARKET NOTICE
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From :              AEMO
To   :              NEMITWEB1
Creation Date :     25/03/2024     04:33:09

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Notice ID               :         115774
Notice Type ID          :         GENERAL NOTICE
Notice Type Description :         Subjects not covered in specific notices
Issue Date              :         25/03/2024
External Reference      :         Severe Space Weather Watch Notification 25/03/2024

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Reason :

AEMO ELECTRICITY MARKET NOTICE

Severe Space Weather Watch Notification 25/03/2024

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s Space Weather Forecasting Centre has issued the following notification.

Severe space weather watch: A recent space weather event is anticipated to impact the Earth within the next 48 hours.

The effects are expected to be significant.

Increased awareness of critical infrastructure is advised.

Please monitor the SWS website for further updates at https://www.sws.bom.gov.au

If required; actions will be taken as per AEMO’s system operating procedure SO_OP3715 Power System Security Guidelines.

Manager NEM Real Time Operations

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END OF REPORT
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On p14/32 of this BOM reference document ‘Australian Space Weather Alert System’ it provides a reference to what might happen in the Energy (i.e. Electricity) sector with a ‘Geomagnetic storm’ alert at ‘G4 – severe’ level :

‘Energy
• Significant GICs (i.e. Geomagnetically induced electric currents) may flow in isolated locations in the electricity grid. Isolated asset damage possible.
• Transmission network service providers may advise transformers to be de-rated or removed from service. AEMO may issue load-shedding instructions to maintain system  security.’

… but note this also covers Aviation, Defence, Space and Community.

On p20/32 of this BOM reference document ‘Australian Space Weather Alert System’ it provides a reference to what might happen in other sector with a ‘Solar radiation storm’ alert at ‘S4 – severe’ level … but in this case Energy is absent.

On p26/32 of this BOM reference document ‘Australian Space Weather Alert System’ it provides a reference to what might happen in other sector with a ‘Radio blackouts’ alert at ‘R4 – severe’ level … but in this case Energy is absent.

Note that the Market Notice is not specific about which category we fall under … however because AEMO has issued the Market Notice we think it will be G4 (Geomagnetic storm).