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Study Warns Severe Solar Storm Could Cost U.S. $2B a Day
The model estimates outages for 5.1 million people and 135,000 businesses, with total losses approaching $2 billion a day.
- Published in AGU Advances on Friday, a new study details how a rare, massive solar storm could damage the United States power grid and disrupt millions of lives.
- Geomagnetic storms form when the Sun expels plasma during coronal mass ejections. The Gannon storm in May 2024 and the 1989 Quebec blackout recalled the threat posed by historic events like the Carrington Event more than 150 years ago.
- A 250-year storm would threaten 5 million Americans and more than 135,000 businesses, with daily economic losses reaching $1.81 billion. The Northeast and Northern Plains are identified as most vulnerable to widespread grid failure.
- Researcher Ed Oughton at George Mason University said modern technology and power grid sizes remain untested by such massive events. Kelbert added that current assessments show the United States is ill-prepared, with societal impacts potentially catastrophic.
- Future research must examine cascading grid dynamics and multihazard interactions, such as storms hitting during heat waves or hurricanes, to better safeguard the United States. The study's findings offer critical direction for infrastructure investment protecting the power grid.
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Major Space Weather Risks Identified via Coupled Physics-Engineering-Economic Modeling
Space weather events can disrupt modern infrastructure on Earth, such as from strong geomagnetic storms. Although scientists know that these severe storms could damage power systems, the size of their economic and social impacts has not been well measured.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources6
Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left, 50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left, 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 50%
C 50%
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