The Case for EMP Hardening

Image courtesy of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center under Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic Deed, resized to 700 x 391 pixels.

Thanks to our increasingly digitized and connected world, the risk of infrastructure damage from an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) has increased dramatically, which is why electric utilities should be weighing the pros and cons of deploying EMP hardening strategies and tactics.

What Utilities Need to Know About EMP Hardening

EMPs are basically surges of electromagnetic radiation that can be generated by both natural (i.e., solar flares) and manmade (i.e., high-altitude nuclear explosions) events, and they can create a cascading effect that could quickly cripple the power grid.

The timing for implementing EMP hardening should be proactive, not reactive.  Utilities should integrate EMP protection into their long-term grid modernization and resilience plans.  Here are some categories to consider:

• New substation construction: Incorporating EMP-resistant design principles during the construction of new substations is more cost-effective than retrofitting later.
• Equipment upgrades: Replacing or upgrading transformers, circuit breakers, and other critical equipment is a great time to look into EMP-hardened alternatives.
• Cybersecurity enhancements: EMP protection should be integrated with cybersecurity measures, as both threats can disrupt grid operations.
• Regular assessments: Periodic vulnerability assessments can identify weaknesses in the grid’s EMP resilience and guide hardening efforts.

Generally speaking, the implementation of EMP hardening typically involves the following principles:

• Shielding: Protecting critical equipment with conductive enclosures can block EMP energy.
• Grounding: Robust grounding systems can divert EMP-induced currents away from sensitive components.
• Surge blocking: Installing surge arresters at strategic points can clamp voltage spikes and prevent damage.
• Filtering: Using filters on power and communication lines can block high-frequency EMP signals.
• Redundancy: Implementing redundant systems and backup power supplies can ensure continued operation during and after an EMP event.
• Isolation: Optical fiber communication is immune to EMP and can isolate critical network segments.

By strategically timing and implementing these measures, it’s possible to significantly enhance reliability and minimize or even eliminate outages stemming from EMP damage.  EMP hardening may be optional right now, but the risk is destined to only go up from here.