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I do not believe the international supply chain is sufficient to replace any at-risk high-voltage transformers that are destroyed by an electromagnetic pulse. T

I do not believe the international supply chain is sufficient to replace any at-risk high-voltage transformers that are destroyed by an electromagnetic pulse. There is a considerable body of research around this topic.

Retric 6y ago
This is not a question of 1:1 replacement via the existing supply chain. This is using a 1920’s solution that gets us 80% of normal not the much better but more difficult 2020’s solution to the same problems. Consider, a modern ship’s propeller is an marvel of modern engineering that would be extremely difficult to replace with something nearly as good. But, welding some plates to the drive shaft is vastly better than nothing in an emergency. Similarly, if the choice is a poor solution or no electrical grid, having some power makes a huge difference.
- LargoLasskhyfv 6y ago
  Look at this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_grid#/media/File:A_network_diagram_of_the_'nesta_case1354_pegase_high_voltage'_electrical_power_system.png https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_grid#/media/File:A_... The purple lines there stand for the highest voltage level of the grid which usually runs at 380.000 to 400.000 Volts(with a few higher exceptions). These and their transformers are the most vulnerable to what we are talking about. What do you hope to 'McGuyvering' there with maybe 110.000 Volts when the whole structure and anything connected to that is designed, specified, and built for at least three times the voltage?
  - Retric 6y ago
    This is what we are concerned with: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_grid#/media/File:UnitedStatesPowerGrid.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_grid#/media/File:Un... Not all of those lines are equally at risk, but for the sake of argument assume everything over 200KV is gone. 400kV is not directly stepped down to 33kV there are generally intermediaries at 132kV and or 66kV. So if you can send 132kV or even 66kV much of the equipment can be used. Getting enough power to operate refrigeration and stop lights is a big deal. If you can only send 20% of normal power across those lines then that’s what you’re stuck with. In places such as Hawaii, local generation is close enough that your it’s no big deal, in others you may end up with rolling blackouts or charging 1+$/kWh.

Retric 6y ago

This is not a question of 1:1 replacement via the existing supply chain. This is using a 1920’s solution that gets us 80% of normal not the much better but more difficult 2020’s solution to the same problems. Consider, a modern ship’s propeller is an marvel of modern engineering that would be extremely difficult to replace with something nearly as good. But, welding some plates to the drive shaft is vastly better than nothing in an emergency. Similarly, if the choice is a poor solution or no electrical grid, having some power makes a huge difference.

LargoLasskhyfv 6y ago
Look at this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_grid#/media/File:A_network_diagram_of_the_'nesta_case1354_pegase_high_voltage'_electrical_power_system.png https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_grid#/media/File:A_... The purple lines there stand for the highest voltage level of the grid which usually runs at 380.000 to 400.000 Volts(with a few higher exceptions). These and their transformers are the most vulnerable to what we are talking about. What do you hope to 'McGuyvering' there with maybe 110.000 Volts when the whole structure and anything connected to that is designed, specified, and built for at least three times the voltage?
- Retric 6y ago
  This is what we are concerned with: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_grid#/media/File:UnitedStatesPowerGrid.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_grid#/media/File:Un... Not all of those lines are equally at risk, but for the sake of argument assume everything over 200KV is gone. 400kV is not directly stepped down to 33kV there are generally intermediaries at 132kV and or 66kV. So if you can send 132kV or even 66kV much of the equipment can be used. Getting enough power to operate refrigeration and stop lights is a big deal. If you can only send 20% of normal power across those lines then that’s what you’re stuck with. In places such as Hawaii, local generation is close enough that your it’s no big deal, in others you may end up with rolling blackouts or charging 1+$/kWh.