5 ms·

Link to the actual journal article[0] (which I don't have time to finish reading this morning), because the writing in this is a little click-baity but not too

Link to the actual journal article[0] (which I don't have time to finish reading this morning), because the writing in this is a little click-baity but not too bad. I'm curious if there is any serious analysis out there about dangers to the electric grid that exist. It's hard to wade through a google search on the topic and find a good round up of how bad things actually are. [0] https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019SW002250 https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/201...

lgats 7y ago
Here's a more modern event primarily impacting Canada's grid due in-part to the length of their north-south running lines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1989_geomagnetic_storm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1989_geomagnetic_storm
- Zenst 7y ago
  Yes events like that, if they happened today would be more impacting - mobile cell towers! Satellites... the potential for disruption is greater.
beefman 7y ago
The story references two recent papers. The other is: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019SW002195 https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019SW00...
olivermarks 7y ago
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&ved=2ahUKEwiygqvq0vvkAhVWu54KHT6VBaEQFjAJegQIAhAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lloyds.com%2F~%2Fmedia%2Flloyds%2Freports%2Femerging-risk-reports%2Fsolar-storm-risk-to-the-north-american-electric-grid.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0Hg4EvoNAgqpCKI0oteQHI https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&c... [Lloyds insurance pdf] Transformers are the fundamental problem. Once they are fried it could take years to get grid back up and running. There was US legislation proposed to mandate spares in the the event of a major solar flare, don't have time to locate right now
- adt2bt 7y ago
  I remember a few years back hearing that one reason we are studying the sun is to hopefully detect such a powerful solar storm on the order of ~hours before such a solar flare hits Earth. This might give grid operators enough time to effectively shut off and disconnect those massive transformers to save them from the brunt of the damage.
  - olivermarks 7y ago
    '... it is a problem the same way hurricanes are a problem. One can protect oneself with advance information and proper precautions. During a hurricane watch, a homeowner can stay put … or he can seal up the house, turn off the electronics and get out of the way. Similarly, scientists at NASA and NOAA give warnings to electric companies, spacecraft operators and airline pilots before a CME comes to Earth so that these groups can take proper precautions'.. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/flare-impacts.html https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/flare-impac...
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- peter303 7y ago
  The US has something like a supply of 2% replacements for normal repairs. Something much larger than that could mean the end of the US power grid for years. Plus the suply chain to manufacture replacements could be terminally destroyed.

lgats 7y ago

Here's a more modern event primarily impacting Canada's grid due in-part to the length of their north-south running lines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1989_geomagnetic_storm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1989_geomagnetic_storm

Zenst 7y ago
Yes events like that, if they happened today would be more impacting - mobile cell towers! Satellites... the potential for disruption is greater.

beefman 7y ago

The story references two recent papers. The other is: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019SW002195 https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019SW00...

olivermarks 7y ago

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&ved=2ahUKEwiygqvq0vvkAhVWu54KHT6VBaEQFjAJegQIAhAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lloyds.com%2F~%2Fmedia%2Flloyds%2Freports%2Femerging-risk-reports%2Fsolar-storm-risk-to-the-north-american-electric-grid.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0Hg4EvoNAgqpCKI0oteQHI https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&c... [Lloyds insurance pdf] Transformers are the fundamental problem. Once they are fried it could take years to get grid back up and running. There was US legislation proposed to mandate spares in the the event of a major solar flare, don't have time to locate right now

adt2bt 7y ago
I remember a few years back hearing that one reason we are studying the sun is to hopefully detect such a powerful solar storm on the order of ~hours before such a solar flare hits Earth. This might give grid operators enough time to effectively shut off and disconnect those massive transformers to save them from the brunt of the damage.
- olivermarks 7y ago
  '... it is a problem the same way hurricanes are a problem. One can protect oneself with advance information and proper precautions. During a hurricane watch, a homeowner can stay put … or he can seal up the house, turn off the electronics and get out of the way. Similarly, scientists at NASA and NOAA give warnings to electric companies, spacecraft operators and airline pilots before a CME comes to Earth so that these groups can take proper precautions'.. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/flare-impacts.html https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/flare-impac...
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
peter303 7y ago
The US has something like a supply of 2% replacements for normal repairs. Something much larger than that could mean the end of the US power grid for years. Plus the suply chain to manufacture replacements could be terminally destroyed.