ABUNDANT SNOWFALL IN FEBRUARY 1999 AND ITS EFFECTS ON ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY

Abstract

In the period from 8–12 February 1999, Slovenia was affected by heavy, uninterrupted snowfall. Very wet and heavy snow caused the sagging and rupture of wires, collapse of poles and falling of trees onto lines, resulting in substantial damage to the high-voltage, medium-voltage and low-voltage networks. Network damage and power supply disturbances were most severe in the central part of the country (Ljubljana) and in the Dolenjska and Štajerska regions. In the given circumstances, both the ELES company and distribution companies were forced to engage all available capacities and manpower in order to eliminate damage and failures. Among ELES’s units, the greatest workload was borne by the Operations and Maintenance Sectors, as well as the transmission units Ljubljana, Podlog and partly Maribor, Divača and Nova Gorica. Thanks to the exceptional endeavours of workers and their mutual cooperation, a normal electricity supply was restored to customers on 13 February, 1999. These emergency events were analysed and discussed at several meetings, including a meeting held on 24 February, 1999 on the initiative of the then Minister of Economic Development, Metod Dragonja. At this and other meetings in power supply companies, several measures were adopted with the aim of improving power supply (e.g. priority construction of the Krško switching station for supplying the Dolenjska region), the interconnectedness of existing switching/transformer stations and their modernization (e.g. upgrading of the Kleče switching station for supplying Ljubljana), and enhancing the cooperation of relevant institutions on the national and administration levels (e.g. by adopting an Assessment of Hazards and a Protection and Rescue Plan in ELES).