Solar storms pose risk of blackouts
Electrical grids, satellites could be disrupted
There’s stormy weather ahead — and it has nothing to do with global warming.
Massive solar storms over the next year could raise the risk of the sun spewing particles at the Earth.
At worst, they can disrupt entire electricity grids, as well as interfere with satellites and communica- tions systems. One storm was due late Wednesday or early Thursday.
Such storms have caused havoc before: one knocked out much of Quebec’s power system in March 1989, leaving six million people in the dark for nine hours.
Here, according to a report from the North American Electric Reliability Corp., is what we might expect. Q: What’s going on? A: Every 11 years, the sun’s magnetic poles reverse. Solar flares and solar storms are most likely to occur around a part of this cycle known as the “solar maximum.” The peak in the current solar cycle will occur in 2013. Flares and radiation storms can erupt on the sun at any time, but are more likely during active periods. During solar storms, bursts of charged particles are ejected from the sun. When they collide with the Earth’s atmosphere, they create geomagnetic currents that can affect power and communication systems. Q: Have these solar storms affected us before? A: Yes. In 1859 and 1921, telegraph wires acted as antennae for these geomagnetic currents, knocking out service. In 1989, Quebec’s long-distance power transmission system picked up the currents, knocking out power in much of the province. And in October 2003, solar storms interfered with satellites and airline communications. They also knocked out a power grid in Sweden.
Q: Is there potential for long-term damage?
A: Yes. In certain cases, transformers and other electrical equipment can be damaged. They can take a long time to replace.
Q: Can anything be done to prepare for solar storms?
A: Electrical system operators at Hydro One and the Independent Electricity System Operator in Ontario are watching closely, and have various ways of dealing with storms to limit damage and disruption.