The impact of geomagnetic storms on the US electric power grid

Large solar explosions are responsible for space weather that can impact technological infrastructure on and around Earth. We study the impacts of geomagnetic activity on the U.S. electric power grid for the period from 1992 through 2010. We find, with more than 3-sigma significance, that approximately 4% of the disturbances in the U.S. power grid reported to the U.S. Department of Energy are attributable to geomagnetic activity. The combination of our results with an economic assessment study by the electric power industry suggests that the average cost to the U.S. economy of non-catastrophic grid disturbances in which space weather conditions are a contributing factor exceeds $3 billion per year. The magnitude of this apparent economic impact warrants extensive follow-up studies to validate, understand, and mitigate against the weak but significant contribution of space weather in power grid disturbances.