Science Outreach – Athabasca presents: The Impact of Solar Storms on the Alberta Power Grid

The in-person event will take place in the Athabasca University Governing Council Chambers, 1 University Drive, Athabasca, Alta.

The sun always produces a constant stream of particles ejected from its surface known as the solar wind. But sometimes it rapidly ejects an enormous mass of particles all at once and this is called a solar storm. If that large cloud of fast-moving particles hits the Earth's magnetic field, it causes it to bend and warp in complex ways over the course of minutes or hours, leading to well-known phenomena such as the northern lights.

Beyond the northern lights, these magnetic variations also induce a weak electric field in the Earth which push currents into large, grounded infrastructure such as power transmission networks. These "geomagnetically induced currents" (GICs) can cause problems for power systems, most notably in March 1989 when a solar storm caused the entire Hydro-Québec power grid to collapse.

Dr. Darcy Cordell, assistant professor, will present recent work modelling and measuring GICs in Alberta during recent solar storms showing their impact on the grid during May 2024 and October 2024 events, and extrapolating to more extreme scenarios. This work seeks to better understand this natural hazard to ensure continued reliable electricity for Albertans  even during the most intense solar storm events.

This is a free community event for anyone to attend, with refreshments and door prizes. Events may be photographed, recorded, and shared.