Disturbances in the US electric grid associated with geomagnetic activity

Abstract

Large solar explosions are responsible for space weather that can impact technological infrastructure on and around Earth. Here, we apply a retrospective cohort exposure analysis to quantify the impacts of geomagnetic activity on the US electric power grid for the period from 1992 through 2010. We find, with more than 3σ significance, that approximately 4% of the disturbances in the US power grid reported to the US Department of Energy are attributable to strong geomagnetic activity and its associated geomagnetically induced currents.

Keywords

• solar magnetic activity
• geomagnetic disturbances
• US electric power grid
• geomagnetically induced currents