Solar Storms Threaten Power Grids

A space weather scientist in England is reporting that a “solar storm” is likely to happen soon which could send cities into darkness as it destroys power grids and other electronic devices.

Mike Hapgood of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxford, England has published a piece in the science journal Nature that says the world is not prepared for a truly damaging solar storm.

Hapgood told the Los Angeles Times that we could have a world wide outage similar to what happened in Quebec, Canada in 1989. A solar storm caused the city’s power system to fail in under two minutes leaving 6 million people without power. The cost to repair the system was close to $2.4 billion dollars.

The impact on the economy and daily life will be extremely significant in the event of a massive outage.

“If you don’t have power, you can’t pump fuel into vehicles,” Hapgood said. “We require electrical power…to pump the sewage away. What could happen if the sewage systems are not pumping stuff away?”

Hapgood said a recent paper on the possibility of a storm of this magnitude puts the risk at a 12% chance in the next ten years.

“That’s quite a high risk.”

 

10 thoughts on “Solar Storms Threaten Power Grids

  1. Everyone can go online and get directions to make a Faraday cage in their home. (It is easier than you think.) The problem is a person needs have his/her electronic devices in the Faraday cage when the event occurs in order for it to be effective. Well…. like most people, most of my electronics are in different rooms in my house being used. Free Advice: Buy things that don’t take electricity.

    • My things are in a storage building made out of metal with a concrete floor. Would this act as a cage?

  2. I’m trying to save up for the fuel-less generator.

    But I am concerned about how to go about protecting that device from EMP attack or Solar storm.

    I’d like to use it on a daily basis to lower electricity bill. How could I protect the fuel-less generator if my panel is outside and I am using the generator to power my TV,DVD and Dish reciever

    • A faraday box will need to be used in order to protect the generator from an EMP attack or solar storm as it is an electronic device.

  3. Hi Jason, glad you are spreading the warnings. My daughter and I were out just a week ago. Nice to meet you all. Ive been warning about the solar flares for over a year. I’m curious though, about these rfid chips they are pushing… they are tied in with the New Health Care that is kicking in next year. Maybe you guys could put the red flags out concerning them. I can get you more credible updates if you want them. We keep ourselves on the cutting edge as far as what is going on in news and current events that tie in to Bible Prophecy. Very important in these times. GOD Bless you all. Shalom. Roxy

  4. Wow, I so wish that we had the money to get ALL the supplies we would need to be prepared for any disaster …. but unfortunately I am unemployed and cannot do this. I am sure there are many like myself that would love to buy the supplies to survive but are not financially able like myself 🙁 LORD Help Us !!

  5. What about stuff like the fuel-less generator, will it also be rendered DOA if the solar flares ” destroys power grids and other electronic devices.” Do we have to store them in a metal box, or faraday cage type container to protect it? I need to know, and what about the solar panels, will that also be destroyed?

    Thanks and God bless . . .

    Neal H Heupel

    • Since the generator is is an electronic device, a faraday box will need to be used in order to protect the generator from solar flares.

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