Concern grows over massive power surge

[Techmomof2]

http://news.msn.com/in-depth/concern-gr ... ower-surge

It will be caused, he says, by a surge of magnetic current that fries the power grid and wreaks havoc on all electronics. Either a solar storm will trigger it, he says, or a terrorist act.

The scenario seems purely one of science fiction, and, in fact, many analysts dismiss as over-wrought the scenes of devastation sketched out by the former congressman and fellow believers.

But the ranks of those concerned that the country is on a collision course with a dangerous electromagnetic surge have increased considerably of late. Long the preserve of hawkish conservatives — notably former House Speaker Newt Gingrich — the idea that the power system is at risk has been drawing a wider audience. Regulators have begun scrambling to put a plan in place.

"We definitely think this is a risk," said Trevor Maynard, head of exposure management at Lloyd's of London. "It is one of those hazards you just know is going to happen, just like you know a major Miami hurricane will happen."

[VisorBoy]

Interesting quote:

This has become a strange alliance," said Peter Pry, a former CIA analyst at the forefront of lobbying efforts to "harden" the grid.

"I am a tea party Republican who does not like big government. But people like me who are genetically anti-government are nonetheless trying to expand its regulatory powers to do something about this."

The tea party interest stems largely from the efforts of people including Gingrich, Bartlett and former CIA Director James Woolsey, who have spent years warning of the danger, not of a solar flare but of a similar electromagnetic pulse caused by a terrorist.

[hokie80]

http://news.msn.com/in-depth/concern-gr ... ower-surge

It will be caused, he says, by a surge of magnetic current that fries the power grid and wreaks havoc on all electronics. Either a solar storm will trigger it, he says, or a terrorist act.

The scenario seems purely one of science fiction, and, in fact, many analysts dismiss as over-wrought the scenes of devastation sketched out by the former congressman and fellow believers.

But the ranks of those concerned that the country is on a collision course with a dangerous electromagnetic surge have increased considerably of late. Long the preserve of hawkish conservatives — notably former House Speaker Newt Gingrich — the idea that the power system is at risk has been drawing a wider audience. Regulators have begun scrambling to put a plan in place.

"We definitely think this is a risk," said Trevor Maynard, head of exposure management at Lloyd's of London. "It is one of those hazards you just know is going to happen, just like you know a major Miami hurricane will happen."

Is this really something new?

It's already been known that an EMP from a nuke detonated at high altitudes can cause these.