The Space Weather Problem Most Cities Never Think About
New Zealand's electricity grid operator, Transpower, recently conducted a large-scale simulation to test its preparedness for a severe space weather event. The exercise, involving experts from the University of Otago and alerts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, simulated a G5 geomagnetic storm. This scenario was designed to stress-test the grid's resilience against potential blackouts and damage, highlighting the critical need for robust infrastructure protection against solar phenomena like coronal mass ejections. AI
