How would an EMP attack affect the power grid?

[TM7]

3 stages of an EMP strike.
17 minute video.......

https://practical.engineering/blog/2022/11/7/how-would-a-nuclear-emp-affect-the-power-grid

.

[ironglow]

..And it would only take 3 such devices to throw the 48 contiguous states into freezing darkness. That would include anything with vulnerable electronics...to include cars, trucks and communications.

  Here is a novel describing the aftermath of just such an attack.  Written by a North Carolina college professor and foreword by Newt Gingerich..

 https://www.amazon.com/Second-After-John-Matherson-Novel/dp/0765317583/ref=asc_df_0765317583/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312178241251&hvpos=&hvn

  Also, a great "survivalist" story..

[ironglow]

Maybe.3 if detonated at 200km, not 60,000ft, or left to the inaccuracies of balloon flight.

Watch video.
.

  Yes; but it appears that the spy balloon was directed.  It started out eastward, then looped northward to fly over the Aleutians and Alaska.
   Then it veered right and headed south, to arrive at Montana.
 
   Then it steered south to go to Missouri...hovering over military installations.

  Then it ran due east, likely passing over Ft Jackson and Parris Island, and who knows what else..before Joe had it shot down where he can ignore calls for recovery.

[Bob Riebe]

It had been too long and I thought it was part of the West Coast but here is what the professionals said:

 In 1962 the United States conducted a test named STARFISH PRIME,
where the military detonated a 1.4 megaton thermonuclear bomb about 25
miles above Johnston Atoll in the Pacific. In space, six American,
British, and Soviet satellites suffered damage and 800 miles away in
Hawaii, burglar alarms sounded, street lights blinked out, and phones,
radios, and televisions went dead. While only 1% of the existing street
lights were affected, it became clear that electromagnetic pulse, or
EMP, could cause significant damage.


https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-113hhrg89763/html/CHRG-113hhrg89763.htm

That one went off 800 miles from the affected area, and in 1962 digital systems were not in consumer use.
Now it would shut down 90 plus percent of the countires transportation and communications.

If you have an old car like I do with a distributor that can take points, put an extra set in the glove box wrapped in lead, or one of those modules that replaced points.
You will be driving unlike the rest of the new car owners.

[gene_225]

Read all the 4 books cited above(One Second After, etc). What they are good for is making you think about what kinds of prep you might want to think about. Another really good one is Alas Babylon, written in 58. I personally found it to be much more thought provoking.

[phalanx]

It was found that some of the old tube type devices like radios could survive this pulse. That Russian MIG in the 50s, that landed in Cuba and the pilot defected, only was using tubes. Its in the SAMS Radio Handbook, Twenty third edition.
Tells it all, even all about Morse Code from primitive devices that you can build at home. A simple 9volt battery would do the trick nicely for sending. I was in a Radio and Telegraph league a few years ago.

[phalanx]

Read all the 4 books cited above(One Second After, etc). What they are good for is making you think about what kinds of prep you might want to think about. Another really good one is Alas Babylon, written in 58. I personally found it to be much more thought provoking.

Gene, how about the late 50s book named ( Power Play). It’s all about dealing with this also. And a remote family in Kansas trying to survive. Mother dies first from diabetes and no insulin is to be found. Watch out for that stored canned food it might be radioactive. And don't even try to go outside.

And don't even look at the initial blast, you will burn your retinas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n28NoLNarNs

[wtxbadger]

According to the Pentagon in this Reuters article the balloon had the capability to maneuver and change its course.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/chinese-spy-balloon-changes-course-floating-over-central-united-states-pentagon-2023-02-03/

[Ranger99]

The way I understand it, is that the
electromagnetism will draw toward
whatever will act as an antenna and
run through it and fry it instantaneously.
That's any electrical wiring in buildings
and wiring harnesses in vehicles, and
any solenoids and motor windings,
all the electrical supply lines across the
land, etc. etc.

Of course,  since we've never had a
real one, it's all theory until it happens

[Bob Riebe]

Nope.
Balloons are not directed.
They are at the whimsy of air currents given their elevation. I sure would like to know how this a helium balloon changed elevation. 
To think it flew from central China directed to fly over missile sites in the USA is far fetched.. I am open to learning how they did this and how they knew what elevation to 'direct' the balloon to be at; but they downed the contraption into the sea, probably rabbit holding it. And an EMP strike would likely be more precisely engineered, not left to chances.

Other Chinese balloons flew willy nilly to South America.
.

Balloon are steered by changing altitude and using the winds.
Communication is simple using a satellite link, as would transmission of photographs.

Unless gas is released to stop it , a Helum balloon will contiue to rise until it bursts from lack of outside air pressure.

Self professed experts view 9 years ago on EMP problems: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-113hhrg89763/html/CHRG-113hhrg89763.htm     

[gene_225]

Of course,  since we've never had a
real one, it's all theory until it happens

I have read that there was one that melted a bunch of telegraph wires some time ago caused by sunspots, but essentially the same thing, so I guess that does mean we have had a real one.

[gene_225]

Read all the 4 books cited above(One Second After, etc). What they are good for is making you think about what kinds of prep you might want to think about. Another really good one is Alas Babylon, written in 58. I personally found it to be much more thought provoking.

Gene, how about the late 50s book named ( Power Play). It’s all about dealing with this also. And a remote family in Kansas trying to survive. Mother dies first from diabetes and no insulin is to be found. Watch out for that stored canned food it might be radioactive. And don't even try to go outside.

And don't even look at the initial blast, you will burn your retinas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n28NoLNarNs

Who wrote it? I looked on the library website and there were so many by the name "Power Play" with no discription that I can't guess which one it might be. The answer to you question is "No" I haven't heard about it, but if I can find it, I'll read it.

[ironglow]

Nope.
Balloons are not directed.
They are at the whimsy of air currents given their elevation. I sure would like to know how this a helium balloon changed elevation. 
To think it flew from central China directed to fly over missile sites in the USA is far fetched.. I am open to learning how they did this and how they knew what elevation to 'direct' the balloon to be at; but they downed the contraption into the sea, probably rabbit holding it. And an EMP strike would likely be more precisely engineered, not left to chances.


Other Chinese balloons flew willy nilly to South America.
.

  Yes, normally balloons do act that way, but tracing t e trail of that  one, it doesn't look like it is just floating.
  The goodyear blimp is a directed balloon.
   Sure it's propulsion unit is quite obvious, but it was designed many decades ago..and was not designed as spyware.
  ..But we  may never know, since it was shot down over the ocean.

  See reply #9 above...

[ironglow]

Read all the 4 books cited above(One Second After, etc). What they are good for is making you think about what kinds of prep you might want to think about. Another really good one is Alas Babylon, written in 58. I personally found it to be much more thought provoking.

  Yes; I also read Alas Babylon, after you mention of it years ago, here on GBO.

[Ranger99]

Of course,  since we've never had a
real one, it's all theory until it happens

I have read that there was one that melted a bunch of telegraph wires some time ago caused by sunspots, but essentially the same thing, so I guess that does mean we have had a real one.

I was meaning a man made EMP from a
nuclear detonation
I was thinking that was the direction of
the topic

Either way, IMO there's no layman's
defense against it

[Bob Riebe]

The video in op#1 seems to suggest an EMP may not be as bad as many believe. Nonetheless, since EMP phenomena have been known since the late 1950's one would ask why hasn't our government and corporate partners done something to harden and protect the grid and nuclear power plant electronics specifically. They tell us how bad and EMP might be and scare the bejaysus out of everyone; but what have they done to protect assets.? Not much apparently.

The bomb that caused the EMP that shut down part of Hawaii was 800 miles ; Even military people who were supposed to know were totally surprised that, that happened.

A megaton bomb detonated above the U.S. would fry every not shielded, most transportation and Electric power supplys.
An EMP does not affect humans but you would here transformers blowing like fireworks.
I did find out there is a special cement for construction which is designed to shield against EMPs, so those using it , if they had a back up generator, shielded, could use that to keep their building running.

EMPs were the reason the U.S. found that the Mig-25 had a full manual back system for controlling the aircraft.

Non-nuke EMPs, this is an interesting reading from decades back already.
https://irp.fas.org/agency/army/mipb/1997-1/merkle.htm

I just though , the wonder tool air craft carriers without a steam catapult, China would fully enjoy the largest aircraft carrier in the world floating around without functioning catapults.
They would not sink it, they would not have to.

[Dixie-Dude]

All computer chips and devices operate at very low voltage, like 1.5 or 3 volts.  An EMP can overload these devices and fry the chips.  An EMP could knock out the power to the entire United States.  If it did so, Newt Gingrich said it would take 6 months to a year to get power back on.  It would take every powerline person to flip all the switches.  They estimated it would kill around 100 million Americans.  Why, is because all canning, freezing, and refrigerated equipment handling food would go down.  Sewage and water treatment facilities would be off line.  Now some have back up generators, if the generators can come on, but getting fuel, natural gas, propane, gasoline, would require pumping stations along the pipeline if they can get power.  About half the vehicles wouldn't run, including newer diesels.  Trains might still be able to operate, but getting diesel could be a problem.  Hospitals would run out of emergency power fuel.  Life support, and anything that requires power would go down. 

Newt Gingrich wanted the government to spend the money to fortify the grid against EMP's.  But no, congress ignored it and kicked the can down the road.  Oh, even a solar flare aimed directly at earth would knock the power out.  Only a matter of time. 

I've read you need to stockpile at least 1-2 year supply of food, ground all your equipment or put it in Faraday cages.  Some survivalists use metal roofs and put screen wire under their outside walls and ground their roofs and walls to protect their equipment inside.  Problem is even if you protect your freezer, refrigerator, or computer equipment, you still have to have a protected generator and enough fuel to last a year or two.