Sun Storm Effects on Earth Electrical Systems

Good morning ! EMP.. CME... We hear that a super storm on the sun, that resulted in a super CME, would wipe out the electric grid and etc for 50 years... Please, if you would, explain why this would happen and exactly why. How would a CME generate electricity and then "transmit" it to our power grid ? Very confusing.. Thank you, Stan
- Stanley LaPorta (age 55)
Trumbull Connecticut

Hello Stanley,

It is true that storms on the sun can disrupt electrical systems on Earth but the magnitude of damage is not as catastrophic as you depict, certainly not 50 years of chaos.   A pretty big one occurred  in 1989  that temporarily knocked out some power grids.  See: for a more detailed discussion. 

 

LeeH

(published on 03/06/2014)