On the organization of geomagnetically induced currents monitoring in Kamchatka

An agreement on scientific and technical cooperation was signed with Kamchatkaenergo PJSC on November, 2024, in the field of research on geomag-netically induced currents (GIC). A measuring system for monitoring GIC with low temperature drift, noise level of 3 mA, and a measurement rate 20 Hz has been devel-oped. The system includes automatic calibration unit. It was installed on a grounding bus of the generator step up transformer of the Mutnovskaya Geothermal Power Plant on 31.03.2025. Data processing algorithm has been developed to compensate 50 Hz magnetic flux interference. The GIC noise level is 12 mA due 50 Hz interference. During the monitoring period, there were several strong magnetic storms (Kp== 7). As a result, GICs with an amplitude of up to 1.1 A were recorded, for example, as a reaction to the sudden storm contamination (SSC) and a bay-like disturbance on June 1, 2025. The preliminary theoretical estimates based on one-dimensional geo-electrical models suggested that such GIC values would only occur in Kamchatka during extreme storms (Kp==9). The 1D model underestimates the GIC value during the SSC and the long-period geomagnetical variation. GIC generation as a response of the geomagnetic field pulsations (Pc2, Pc3, Pc4, Pc5, Pi2) is registered, if the rate of field change exceeded 0.2 nT/s. However the recorded GIC level is not dangerous for Kamchatka power grid.

Gvozdarev A.Y., Khomutov S.Y., Sivokon V.P., Uchaikin E.O. On the organization of geomagnetically induced currents monitoring in Kamchatka. In: Polozov, Y. (eds) Solar-Terrestrial Relations and Physics of Earthquake Precursors. STRPEP 2025. Springer Proceedings in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Springer, Cham. - 2026. - P. 127-140. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-21487-4_12