A nuclear weapon detonated at high altitude would disable all electronic and electrical devices within its line of sight.
An EMP attack could turn out the lights for a long time.
From prepper blogs and survival guides to epic novels and boxed sets, search for “EMP Attack” and you’ll find thousands of results.
Earth’s magnetic field protects us from most effects of naturally occurring large-scale EMP events. These generally originate from the sun, and every solar storm brings the chance of an EMP that could damage our power grid. It has already happened.
Nuclear weapons also have enough energy to produce a devastating EMP, especially when detonated at high altitudes. A high-altitude burst that covers a large area could destroy the power grid. If a country (or terrorist organization) wanted to significantly weaken an enemy, it could use an EMP to turn off the lights and disrupt communications. Bringing the grid back online might take more than a decade and cost trillions of dollars.
What is an EMP?
An EMP, or Electromagnetic Pulse, is a brief burst of electromagnetic energy from an artificial or natural source.
When a conductor passes through a magnetic field, the field induces an electric current in the conductor. Stronger fields produce stronger currents. The amount of energy in an EMP that affects a large area has the potential to put an enormous load on the electrical infrastructure within that area.
Natural sources include geomagnetic storms courtesy of the sun and lightning strikes. Though lightning strikes are very powerful, the EMP from a strike is typically a local event. Because a geomagnetic storm affects a large area, the long wires of transmission lines and distribution lines allow the storm’s pulses to induce high currents in the lines. Effects and damage reach hundreds or even thousands of miles.
EMP stands for ElectroMagnetic Pulse.
In 1972, a solar storm led to grid disturbances in Canada with significant fluctuations in power, power outages, and equipment damage. That solar storm traveled to the Earth from the sun in a record 14.6 hours.
In 1989, on March 10 and March 12, two powerful Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) resulted in a G5 geomagnetic storm. (Geomagnetic storms have ratings from G1 to G5.) The intense magnetic disturbance struck the Hydro-Quebec power grid in Canada and took the entire network offline in less than a minute and a half.
Quebec’s unique geology contributed to the problem. The Canadian Shield, a bedrock with poor electrical conduction that underlies the province, prevented the massive power surge from flowing harmlessly into the earth. Instead, the surge followed the path of least resistance through the long high-voltage transmission lines. Transformers overheated, breakers tripped, and protective relays opened.
In the same incident, the U.S. power grid operators reported over 200 problems but avoided most blackouts. However, a large transformer at a New Jersey power plant required replacement, which took six weeks.Some satellites lost control, and NASA communications satellites recorded over 250 issues. Space Shuttle Discovery was in orbit and had a sensor malfunction attributed to the storm.
Auroras (Northern Lights) were especially intense and visible as far south as Florida, Texas, and Cuba.
Auroras (Northern Lights) were especially intense and visible as far south as Florida, Texas, and Cuba.
Electric generators require magnetism to convert rotating mechanicl energy to electrical energy. The large generators that make up the nationwide power grid rely on electricity from the grid to start making electricity. Once started, they are self-reliant. If the entire grid stopped functioning, a black start requires other sources of electricity. After an EMP, restarting the grid could take months or over a year.
EMP Attack
Earth’s magnetosphere directs most of the magnetic energy around the Earth and into space. But the field’s lines of force have spaces between them that can allow a fraction of the energy from a storm to reach the earth, most of it at the poles. The magnetosphere won’t protect us from an EMP attack.
Related: Is Your Family Prepared for a Power Outge?
Tensions around the world are high as enemies of the United States seek any advantage. When the values and ambitions of two or more competing countries clash, one might risk measures that give it an advantage. From terrorism to economic and territorial concerns, an EMP attack could give a lessor country an advantage over a more powerful enemy.
EMP stands for ElectroMagnetic Pulse. If a nuclear weapon detonates at high altitude, the Earth’s magnetic field can’t protect us. A deliberate, targeted attack could have widespread effects on the power grid.
Globally, search engines report that every month, over 1500 people search for methods to cause or create an EMP.
Instead of delving into the devastating consequences, consider what you can do to mitigate such an EMP attack or exceptionally strong solar storm.
A backup generator like this Champion Home Standby or a Portable Generator can provide power during an outage.
EMP Preparedness
We’ve already talked at length about how a Solar Storm Could Shut Down the Power Grid. Everyone knows how important it is to have an emergency kit along with enough nonperishable food, water, and supplies to last at least a week.
But what about electric power? If you don’t have a generator, you might be left in the dark—for days or weeks or even months in extreme cases. You might even want two. An efficient model, like an inverter generator, helps your fuel last as long as possible. Even better if it can run on whatever is available: gasoline, propane, or natural gas.
Gasoline might be hard to come by after an EMP. Propane can sit on a shelf forever without going bad, unlike gasoline. If the natural gas fields are operating, you could have an almost unlimited supply of fuel.
Another option is a standby generator. Specifically made to restore power during an outage, they can power an entire home. Most run on propane or natural gas, but diesel options are available for homeowners.
Use an EMP Shield to Protect Generators and Electronics
A Faraday Cage can protect your generator and other important electronics from an EMP. Invented by Michael Faraday in 1836, it’s a cage or box of metal mesh or just a metal covering. As it turns out, aluminum is one of the better materials, especially at high frequencies.
You could invest in a metal shed. The metal box will shield anything inside from an EMP and prevent damage. All sides and the roof and floor should be metal and electrically connected. Large sheds require one or two ground rods at opposite corners driven six feet into the earth to allow current to flow harmlessly away. Park your car and store generator in it and both will work after an EMP attack.
No place for a shed? A simple cardboard box covered in several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil will do a good job of protecting whatever is inside it.
Emergency Preparedness and EMPs
While an EMP attack is a possibility, it’s not the only reason to prepare. People in the Midwest will tell you they don’t have hurricanes or alligators, but they do have tornadoes and blizzards, which are rather rare in the Florida Keys. In today’s world, it’s smart to prepare, whether for hurricanes, ice storms, blizzards, or an EMP.
If you prepare for one, it’s not much more effort to prepare for another.
The first smart choice is preparedness. That’s the emergency kit with nonperishable food, water, and supplies for a week or longer. Throw in a generator, and you’ve helped ensure the safety of your home and family with a source of power. It doesn’t really matter if the reason you need it stems from a natural disaster, weather emergency, or an EMP attack.
If the power goes out for a few days, a couple of weeks, or even a month or two, will you be sitting in the dark? What about medical equipment, heat, food, cooking, and safety systems like sump pumps?
Prepare for an EMP, and you’re ready for almost anything.
