Asked by: Lord Harris of Haringey (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the vulnerability of the United Kingdom's electrical and communications systems to extreme space weather; (2) the strength and distribution of geoelectric fields which would be induced across the UK by a Carrington-class geomagnetic storm; and (3) the impact that any resultant induction hazards may have on man-made conductors.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government works with National Energy System Operator (NESO) to assess and prepare for space weather risks to the power grid and telecoms, supported by the Space Weather Impact for Future Electricity System Resilience (SWIFTER) projects will provide an assessment of the probability of impacts. A severe geomagnetic storm could generate uneven geoelectric fields across the UK, with effects possible nationwide depending on geology and grid configuration. Resulting geomagnetically induced currents may disrupt power systems and cause local outages, which could in turn affect telecoms and GNSS based timing.
While no plans exist specifically for a Carrington scale event, any large-scale outage would follow established national arrangements, including public preparedness guidance, Pre-Agreed Written Science (PAWS) scientific advice, and Cabinet Office planning to support access to essential services.