Cyclone 'GONU' and reliability of main interconnected transmission system of Oman

A severe tropical cyclone (Cyclone GONU) hit the coast of Sultanate of Oman on 05.06.07. This has caused widespread impact on several installations of the country including the integrated Main Interconnected Transmission network. A very significant challenge for an overhead or underground transmission system is to achieve an economical design while meeting many diverse performance requirements and constraints including this type of unprecedented severe cyclone. Designing a transmission system with predictable impact of environment is a normal phenomenon, even though; it also requires detailed study of various factors. But to design a transmission system to withstand this type of severe assault and fury of nature is definitely a challenge. Society expects high level of performance of electrical system at all points of time and more so, in these types of calamities. Primary interest is ensuring that the transmission system is capable of reliably transferring the necessary power at reasonable cost at all time. In this paper concentration was focused on the impact of Cyclone 'GONU' on the performance and reliability of main interconnected transmission system of Oman.