A method of operating an electric arc furnace, the method comprising: receiving, at an analyzing device, indications of a plurality of operating variables of the electric arc furnace from measuring equipment (304, 306, 308), wherein the operating variables include a flicker of a power grid supplying the arc furnace; receiving, at the analyzing device, indications of firing angles of a plurality of thyristor switches (124, 139) in a variable reactance device (122, 134) controlled by the plurality of thyristor switches (124, 139) from an actuator (304, 306) for the variable reactance device, the variable reactance device having a control range; determining, by the analyzing device, a predicted power grid flicker based upon: the operating variables received from the measuring equipment (304, 306, 308); the firing angles of the plurality of thyristor switches (124, 139); and the control range of the variable reactance device; determining, by the analyzing device, that the predicted power grid flicker exceeds a predefined threshold representative of a predicted power grid flicker excursion; determining, by an override controller upon receiving an indication of the predicted power grid flicker excursion, an adjustment to at least one operating variable among the plurality of operating variables; and transmitting, by the override controller, to a controller (304, 306, 314, 316) of the at least one operating variable, instructions to adjust the at least one operating variable based on the adjustment determined by the override controller. receiving, at an analyzing device, indications of a plurality of operating variables of the electric arc furnace from measuring equipment (304, 306, 308), wherein the operating variables include a flicker of a power grid supplying the arc furnace; receiving, at the analyzing device, indications of firing angles of a plurality of thyristor switches (124, 139) in a variable reactance device (122, 134) controlled by the plurality of thyristor switches (124, 139) from an actuator (304, 306) for the variable reactance device, the variable reactance device having a control range; determining, by the analyzing device, a predicted power grid flicker based upon: the operating variables received from the measuring equipment (304, 306, 308); the firing angles of the plurality of thyristor switches (124, 139); and the control range of the variable reactance device; the operating variables received from the measuring equipment (304, 306, 308); the firing angles of the plurality of thyristor switches (124, 139); and the control range of the variable reactance device; determining, by the analyzing device, that the predicted power grid flicker exceeds a predefined threshold representative of a predicted power grid flicker excursion; determining, by an override controller upon receiving an indication of the predicted power grid flicker excursion, an adjustment to at least one operating variable among the plurality of operating variables; and transmitting, by the override controller, to a controller (304, 306, 314, 316) of the at least one operating variable, instructions to adjust the at least one operating variable based on the adjustment determined by the override controller.