Moving Forward Overview of the 2003 Blackout
Jan 19, 2016
Moving Forward
Overview of the 2003 Blackout
Overview
• Power system restored within 30 hours
• Conservation efforts avoided rolling blackouts once power system restored
• Focus now on cause and how to prevent a recurrence
• Electricity is back on the public agenda -- with a serious debate about future management of the system
Business As Usual Before Power Outage
584 MW584 MW
1,090 MW1,090 MW490 MW490 MW
140 MW140 MWConditions at 4:06 EDT:
Demand: 24,050 MWImports: 2,300 MW
•Reserve requirements met •Operating within system limits•Voltages within required ranges
First Power Swing• The flow from Michigan reverses, changing magnitude by
about 700 MW
• Voltages across South-Western Ontario are in a declining trend
700 MW Surge700 MW Surge
270 MW270 MW 1,790 MW1,790 MW
First Power Swing
• Flow conditions after first power swing • System remains in a stable condition
• Power swings of 2,000-4,000 MW continue for 12 seconds
Second Power Swing
300 MW Load
1200 MW Generation
Smoky30 MW
40 MW Load720 Generation
Des Joachims20 MW
800 MW Load480 MW Generation
320 MW
680 MW
To New York
900 MW
Restoration Plan Priorities
• Restore power to all nuclear sites• Restore power to critical transmission and generating
station, station service loads• Restore critical utility owned telecom facilities• Restore customer loads only to the extent necessary to
control voltages and secure generating units• Synchronize islands together and/or to adjacent power
systems
3
Restoration PathsRestoration Paths
Decision Support• System status briefings (two cycles daily)• Briefings and advice provided to key decision
makers and Premier• Twice daily news conferences• Industry load reduction support • Government delegated ‘Electricity’ communications
responsibilities to the IMO - co-ordinated IMO/OPG/H1 info
Communications Activity• Twice-daily media briefings
• IMO principal voice between briefings
• Average of 25 ‘live’ radio interviews and 5-10 television interviews daily
• 200+ media calls per day
• Twice daily news releases
• Numerous communications to market participants
• Communications provided 24 hr coverage
• 200,000 daily hits on the web site
• Help Centre staffed 24 hours a day
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15000
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25000
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Dem
and
(M
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Normal Forecast Actual Estimated Demand Response
Conservation Efforts
Moving Forward• Blackout not caused in Ontario• Investigations underway
• Mandatory enforceable reliability standards should be put in place where they do not exist
• Maintain and enhance the integration of systems and markets
• The industry should continue to pursue the three part strategy of prevention, containment and minimization of the effects of system disturbances
Moving Forward
Overview of the 2003 Blackout