GridProtecting the U.S. power grid
The U.S. power grid is made up of complex and expensive system components, which are owned by utilities ranging from small municipalities to large national corporations spanning multiple states. A National Academy of Sciences report estimates that a worst-case geomagnetic storm could have an economic impact of $1 trillion to $2 trillion in the first year, which is twenty times the damage caused by a Katrina-class hurricane.
Utility leaders, lawmakers, and researchers gathered last month in Idaho Falls to discuss national recovery and potential risks associated with restoring services following a large-scale geomagnetic disturbance, such as the March 1989 storm that resulted in loss of power to six million Hydro-Québec customers.
A National Academy of Sciences report estimates that a worst-case geomagnetic storm could have an economic impact of $1 trillion to $2 trillion in the first year, which is twenty times the damage caused by a Katrina-class hurricane. The estimates are based on digital prediction models funded by the National Academy of Sciences and others.
“We are interested in taking a closer look at the challenges posed by a geomagnetic disturbance,” said Scott McBride, Infrastructure Security Department manager at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL). “We are taking a proactive approach to discuss building resilience into the power infrastructure to avoid some of the damage that could occur.”
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See also:
States seek to protect grid from solar flare damage, 30 March 2015
Impact of solar storm on U.S. infrastructure cannot be predicted with certainty, 15 December 2014
Coalition sounds alarm about possible global EMP disaster, 4 April 2014
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An INL release reports that a year ago, INL announced the result of a full-scale testing effort sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and in collaboration with Scientific Applications & Research Associates, Inc. and Baylor University. Researchers at Idaho National Laboratory modeled and validated these phenomena, confirming some geomagnetic storm theories and bringing new concerns to light.
“INL’s tests demonstrated the strength of geomagnetic-induced currents and the resulting harmonics,” McBride said. “Advanced planning may help us to prevent unexpected shutdown that damage systems and may lead to socio-economic impacts, injuries, fatalities, serious business disruption and/or data loss.”
INL notes that the goal of the workshop was to bring together key stakeholders to evaluate actions that may mitigate the damage caused by a major geomagnetic disturbance. Participants are working to address resilience and the power needs of the nation, while balancing the effort with a reasonable and affordable path forward.
The U.S. power grid is made up of complex and expensive system components, which are owned by utilities ranging from small municipalities to large national corporations spanning multiple states. Utilities often take years to plan for major upgrades or repairs to their power systems.
— Read more in Severe Space Weather Event — Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts (national Academies Press, 2015)
