Love said the rocks there are probably similar to those in New England and New York, though he hasn’t studied the region. And not all rocks have the potential for mayhem. Sedimentary rocks throughout central Pennsylvania and elsewhere would let the sun’s bursts pass right through.
The studies will help develop models for operators to test their grids’ ability to withstand solar storms, as required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Still, there’s not a lot of experience to draw on, Balch said.
Researchers are developing models to help utilities and grid operators, though
“We only really have roughly 35 years of digital data,” he said. “Earth conductivity is something that is just beginning to be available in more realistic types of models.”
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.