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2 clusters · 19 sources · 3 days · First seen · Last updated

US economic and power grid risks from solar storms

Overview

Research published in AGU Advances has quantified the potential economic and infrastructural risks posed by extreme geomagnetic storms to the United States. A study led by Edward J. Oughton utilizes a model linking space physics, engineering, and economics to assess how solar plasma and magnetic fields interact with Earth’s magnetic field to create geoelectric fields.

These fields can induce currents in high-voltage transformers, potentially causing widespread regional blackouts. In a 100-year storm scenario, researchers estimate that approximately 3.45 million people and 91,000 businesses could lose power, with daily economic losses reaching $1.22 billion.

In a more severe 250-year return period event, the impact could escalate significantly. Such a storm could disrupt electricity for roughly 5.1 million people and 135,000 businesses, resulting in estimated daily economic losses of approximately $1.81 billion. The most vulnerable areas identified include the Northern Plains and the Northeast, particularly at higher latitudes.

Recent environmental reports continue to highlight these significant economic and infrastructure risks, noting that extreme solar storms could cause widespread power outages by damaging high-voltage transformers.

Entities

AGU Advances · George Mason University · The Lancet · Ed Oughton · Germany

Timeline

  1. 3 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 17 sources
    Global weather and environmental reports highlight diverse risks

    A collection of reports covers German weather shifts, including heatwaves and supercells, Atlantic hurricane patterns, the risks of solar storms to power grids, and a chlorine gas leak in a Brussels hotel.

  2. 5 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    US economy could lose $1.81 billion daily to severe solar storms

    A new study estimates a severe geomagnetic storm could cause $1.81 billion in daily economic losses in the US, potentially disrupting power for 5.1 million people and 135,000 businesses.

Sources

aerzteblatt.de · allgaeuer-anzeigeblatt.de · apple.slashdot.org · bild.de · dk-online.de · futurezone.de · hna.de · kreiszeitung.de · kurierverlag.de · leinetal24.de · mannheim24.de · merkur-online.de · merkur.de · newsflash24.de · newspaceeconomy.ca · op-online.de · tz.de · volksfreund.de · weekend.at

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history