Archive

Solar Storms May Cause Disruption

Interference

Power companies urged to prepare.

cheats/2011/08/06/solar-storms-may-cause-disruption/solar-storms-cheat_mvd9rt
NASA via Getty Images

A series of solar storms could disrupt satellites, telecommunications, and electrical equipment over the next several days. Government scientists have urged power grid operators to prepare for the electromagnetic interference, which could cause an aurora borealis to appear as far south as Wisconsin. In 1989, a solar storm took down the power grid in Quebec, leaving six million people without power. A massive storm could cause up to $2 trillion in damage globally according to a report, but this one is expected to rank only two or three stars out of five on NOAA's scale.

Read it at Reuters