[time-nuts] Re: Power grid logging during the eclipse?

[Joseph B. Fitzgerald]

>Nic near Sydney Australia asked:

>Is the street lighting in that part of the world automatic like here down
>under? Did a whole bunch of street lighting sensors all detect dark at the
>same time and turn the street lights on?

Yes, but the streetlights were on only during the few minutes of totality, and the path of totality was in the northern rural portion of the region.  It got a bit colder, so I imagine a few electric heaters turned on here and there, but the extra load on the grid is almost completely explained by the loss of solar power:

https://isonewswire.com/2024/04/09/new-england-power-grid-reliable-throughout-eclipse/

Note that even outside the path of totality, solar power was dramatically reduced, here is a graph of solar power reaching the ground made in Boston where the sun was obscured at a maximum of 93% at 3:30 in the afternoon.    

https://bhows.org/Weld_Hill_eclipse.png

Note that even well outside the path of totality, at the peak of the eclipse there was no solar power to speak of. Data are from Harvard's Weld Hill research station.   Both days were sunny with only a few afternoon clouds.

-Joe Fitzgerald