> Were a similarly intense geomagnetic storm to occur today, it would likely seriously damage the electrical power grid, causing widespread outages and blackouts, as well as disrupting satellite communications.

Is this really true? I’m suspicious for a few reasons:

1. If it were true, I expect it would be a national security concern, and quickly remedied

2. While there is a lot more dependence on electrical connections, there’s also many more sources of disturbance now. So I suspect some of the failure modes are tested by “normal” human activity

3. EMI is a known risk, in my previous job we actively tested and built for it. I suppose if the limits are inappropriately set , or if this sort of testing isn’t wide spread, it could still be an issue.

4. As long as there’s a neutral line, i think any common mode should be rejected, in which case this should be fine?

btw if a enemy of the US was to explode a nuclear weapon high enough in the atmosphere over the continental US to overcome the curvature of the earth

ala a targeted "starfish prime" event

it would take out virtually every power transformer on every pole

exhausting all replacements for years

no specialized EMP needed and no direct strike needed

not sure what would happen to homes hardwired with solar

oh it would also take out every satellite in orbit as they would pass through the new artificial allen belt

doubt China would do this, however Putin could get desperate enough if he starts to lose his war entirely

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime

* https://www.science.org/content/article/us-tests-ways-sweep-...

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