John Organek, Director of Program Planning & Operational Architecture, EIS

September 9, 2024

The Problem:

Geomagnetic Disturbances (GMDs) represent a significant threat to our critical infrastructures, particularly in the electric, communication, and fuel sectors. As electricity and electronic systems play an ever-expanding role in our daily lives, the risk posed by these disturbances grows. GMDs, caused by highly charged solar winds interacting with Earth’s magnetosphere, can induce massive voltage differences across wide areas. These differences generate electrical currents that flow through transmission lines, creating dangerous oscillations and imposing high currents that can damage or destroy transformers. Furthermore, the ionization caused by these events can affect electronic circuits, turning them into unintended antennas that absorb and channel energy, leading to severe damage.

The Response:

Various organizations are actively involved in monitoring and mitigating the effects of GMDs.The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is at the forefront, preparing utilities to handle such events. While the electric sector has developed mature data collection and response protocols, the communication sector still lags in its preparedness.

During the G5 GMD event from May 10-12, 2024, early detection and reliable forecasting enabled rapid response measures. Warnings were issued promptly by Space Weather command centers and NERC, allowing utilities to take protective actions. Thanks to these efforts, no significant damage was reported.

NERC has established a robust protocol for utilities, requiring comprehensive data collection before, during, and after GMD events to refine risk models and operational standards. You can find more details on NERC’s GMD data collection program here. Additionally, in anticipation of the May 2024 event, NERC released an Event Review Plan.

To ensure consistent evaluation across utilities, NERC developed a benchmark event that helps utilities assess system performance under low-probability GMD scenarios. This benchmark is used alongside Reliability Standards for system modeling, vulnerability assessments, and mitigation planning. For more on this benchmark event, visit this link. Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a limited request for information through the Space Weather Prediction Center to report any observed impacts from the May 2024 storm. You can read more about it here.

By enhancing collaboration across sectors and improving data collection and preparedness, we can better protect our critical infrastructures from the devastating potential of geomagnetic disturbances.

We’re all connected; we’re all vulnerable.

Join the EIS Council in shaping a resilient future.

By: John Organek