EMP-Shielded Power Grids Under Development

An anonymous reader writes with this excerpt from MarketWatch: "A one-megaton nuclear bomb detonated 250 miles over Kansas could cripple many modern electronic devices and systems in the continental US and take out the power grid for a long time. ... A solar storm similar to the one that occurred in 1859, which shorted out telegraph wires in the United States and Europe, could wreak havoc on electrical systems. Each of the above scenarios can create a powerful electromagnetic pulse that overloads electronic devices and systems. IAN staff and Frostburg State University physics and engineering professor Hilkat Soysal are teaming — through a $165,000 project recently approved by the Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program — to create renewable energy-powered, electromagnetic pulse (EMP)-protected microgrids that could provide electricity for critical infrastructure facilities in the event of a disaster." Also available are an EMP threat assessment (PDF) written for the US Congress and an estimate of economic impact (PDF).

Comments

Exactly

[iamdrscience]

Why settle for tin foil hats when you can have tin foil powerplants, houses, cars, etc. It just makes sense.

Re:Exactly

[adrianwn]

A one-megaton nuclear bomb detonated 250 miles over Kansas could cripple many modern electronic devices and systems in the continental US and take out the power grid for a long time.

I don't mean to troll, but you don't need a nuclear bomb to take out the power grid [1,3]. Instead, the money should be invested in renewing the outdated grid in the USA [2,3].

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_North_America_blackout

[2] http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/26/business/grid.php

[3] http://www.pubrecord.org/nationworld/239-5-years-after-blackout-power-grid-still-in-dire-straits.html

Omega Man

[p51d007]

Sometimes I wish we could throw away technology, and go back to the old days...less stress. Just as long as they don't take my cell phone, wi-fi, internet, DVD's LOL.

Re:Omega Man

[4D6963]

*We* can. Those of *us* who choose to do it join communities such as the Amish. It's only up to you to choose that lifestyle. And technology doesn't cause stress, having a job does. That's why I don't have one, ahem I mean, I'm self employed.

And of course the critical power lines would....

[3seas]

... be supporting the governments and their military for which an EMP would most likely come from.

Just more terrorism from those we pay taxes to.

Still inventing war-tech, guys?

[Anonymous Coward]

Soon nobody will want to waste an expensive bomb on your broke asses anyway.

Re:underground

[Anonymous Coward]

Not unless they are very very deep. Cables are usually more conductive than the ground. The EMP will continue deep into the ground, and will be picked up by cables like a several miles long antenna.

Re:Stupid scaremongering

[AudioInfecktion]

What do they teach kids in schools these days. Let me explain. The scenario is the detonation of a 1 megaton nuclear device at 250 miles. That's in space, btw. It would not directly kill a single person. When that happens the EMP field would actually cover the US and a good chunk of Canada, and parts of Mexico. Wait, he's gonna say that I'm full of crap.... proof: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_altitude_nuclear_explosion Look at the effects while you're there. And if you say that it can't happen.... You'll see that it already has been done.

How about Hurricane Resistant Power Grids?

[jefftp]

Hurricane Ike knocked out power across Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. We need to divert this money away from worrying about preventing a power grid outage due to an extremely unlikely nuclear strike and towards finding ways to keep natural, regularly occuring forces from bringing down power for 6 million people across the center of the US.