The threat of a solar flare wiping out our electric grid is probably something that most people have never even heard of, but the fact is, the threat is very real and has happened in the past.
This week Congress is set to unveil a plan to save the nation’s electric grid from Large Scale Solar Flares and EMP attacks. The bill, The Secure High-voltage Infrastructure for Electricity from Lethal Damage Act (SHEILD ACT), is aimed at protecting our nation’s transformers from both solar storms and EMP attacks.
As unlikely as it may sound, it’s among the top threats facing America. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) have enough power to literally fry our entire fragile electric grid. Just one EMP, or a direct hit from a large enough CME, could send 300 million Americans into the dark for months or even years.
And just like our electrical grid, our communications infrastructure is also incredibly vulnerable to CME and EMP attacks. In fact, either one of these disasters could bring down our cell towers, radios, telephones and internet systems in a flash.
It’s happened before…
Back in 1859, just as the world started to rely on electricity, the earth was hit by a massive solar flare. What came to be known as the Carrington event, gave us a taste of what could happen should we be hit by one of these massive solar flares today.
The CME that hit back in 1859 was so powerful that it could actually be observed with the naked-eye. It caused widespread damage to telegraph systems throughout the world. Telegraph operators received shocks, telegraph papers burst into flames and aurora-induced electric currents sent power through telegraph machines allowing messages to be transmitted even after being disconnected.
Today, our modern electronics are much more sensitive than those telegraph systems and are incredibly vulnerable to this type of disaster. Computers, cellphones, vehicles, and pretty much anything electrical could be zapped out of existence in a split second.
Even worse is what would happen to our electric grid. In a matter of seconds, the large transformers that power our grid would be instantly crippled – resulting in our country going dark for a year or maybe even longer.
In 2004 a congressional panel described the effects of a “Carrington Event” in today’s world. Bill Graham, chairman of the panel, said as many as 9 out of 10 people could be killed in the aftermath. This isn’t that surprising since according to a recent study, most Americans believe they would be dead within two weeks of the power going out.
Hah now that congress is filled with by people elected on electronic voting machines I bet those machines will be protected first.
OH MY GOD! Congress is doing something right for once!
you mean congress is going to do something..
They still haven’t done anything? Scary times!
Don’t get happy. There must be a catch!
I fully agree with you there. Congress does not do anything unless they benefit from it some how.
Sad But True. They will probably put a bunch of fun things in it to screw it all up.
Some senator or group of owns a shielded cable and wire company or builds faraday cages and that company will get the contract
OK I have many questions about this.
1. This does not protect all transformers, only the large ones. So all the small transformers that feed homes and commercial properties fry and even many of the wiring in the homes and commercial properties, Right?
2. All cars and trucks fry Right? So no trucks no food Right?
3. All appliances(refrigerators, ranges, microwaves) fry Right?
4. All cell phones, TV, computers fry Right?
5. Do they protect the electical transformers that feed the water plants? With out water we are dead!
6. How long will it take to replace all of what I listed? Not 6 months, more like 2 to 3 years.
I just do not see what this helps, many be it helps some that will be conected direct to these transformers.
It takes almost two years to build a large transformer now. I don’t think you can build new ones that fast when the plants have no power, the workers have no more food than what is in their homes now. Fuel could not be made or shipped. A new transformer could not be transported. Most or all nuclear power plants would have overheated, etc etc.
So evreybody knew about this since 1859, congreddie started talking about it in 2004, and NOW they want to do something,,,at this rate they will start doing something TWO days after a major fubar….
read( one second after) it,s a real eye opener
Awesome book…just read it…eye opener.
What they did not say is that this project has been given to the Chinese, so that in the end they will control the power too!!!
What Congress did was take it up CME/EMP attack on the Congressional floor…they have not done anything! All window dressing for “We the People” while they do nothing about defunding ObamaCare, DHS purchase of 2 Billion HP Rounds, DHS purchased 2717 Civil Tanks and much more! Bankrupt us, then kill us…!!! Wake-up people, see the Commie cronie pattern!
Think asymmetrically…
Calculate into the timeline the fact that the destruction of the power infrastructure will also effect the availability of material resources and the actual manufacturing of the very components required to repair and restore the system. And just when you think it couldn’t get any worse…
Over the past three decades Ameri[K]a has divested itself of nearly ALL its manufacturing capability, even to the point selling off the manufacturing equipment itself to Asia! And yeah, it gets even WORSE! Not only was the manufacturing equipment sold off, BUT THE MACHINE TOOLS USED TO PRODUCE THE MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT!!!
Our entire mechanical and technical needs and requirements are some 90%+ reliant on foreign supply. It would take DECADES to restore the nation to self reliance in this area.
With such a solar event being global in its destructive effect, and the needs also being global, it will be those with the existing industrial manufacturing base that will recover first — and will be shipping to Ameri[K]wa ONLY AFTER THEIR NEEDS ARE FULFILLED!Perhaps decades later.
Think ‘United States of Cuba’ (circa: 1960’s).
In further consideration, consider the global politics of such a circumstance. The former global military and banking bully will have been severely crippled by a solar baseball bat! Entirely dependent on its former victims, in prospering recovery. What could possibly be the impetus for the Asians to assist in the economic, social and military restoration of the ‘MONSTER OF MANKIND’????
even if they did try to do something i doubt it would be sufficient or completed in time.
Today I got this,
Amber ALERT – Space Weather – Level 3 event occurringActivity increasing at a moderate active level.
Many power systems may require voltage corrections,
false alarms triggered on some protection devices, possible transformer damage.
Satellite orbits may be affected. GPS Accuracy will suffer. GPS signals may be lost entirely.
This happened at 10:55am today. Here in Miami I hear two transformer blow.
All this is, is a Military Industrial Complex Power Grab of a Utility entity Through FEAR. Part of NDAA power asset grab, and using an EMP, CMA or a Computer hack as an excuse. They have the power with the hack Stuxnet worm already on a major power facility in Iran. More false flags coming for more power grab….. literally. Just saying.
Finally!
Sorry but i just looked up the SHIELD Act, Saving High-tech Innovators from Egregious Legal Disputes (SHIELD) Act introduced by Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR)would protect American tech start-ups from predatory lawsuits it doesn’t specify anything about protecting our electric infrastructure.
Oh that’s nice to know!
The Facts are is that Congress has it all wrong, once again reactionary. Congress with influence of Big Enery Corporations have rigged the electric grid to fail, and set the American people up as their dependent slaves to their fragile system. For the last 30- 40 years, instead of hardening the Electric Grid with infrastructure building, Corporations and Wallstreet have sucked all the profits, resources and reserves out of the system,leaving it fragile. What Americans need to do is get off this Dependency Grid and set up your own hardened Solar, Wind and or hydro system. Having 100 Million energy plants instead of a Dozen would help make this country stronger, but until Congress Gets off the Political Pig Trough of campaign donors andactually start helping the American people we will be dependent slaves and fragile andripe for failure. Imagine if the US Govn’t spent $3 Trillion for solar pannels on every home and business in America instead of the last 2 failed wars, we would be way ahead and a stronger nation. This Corruption kills us every time. Its soon Game Over. Be prepared.