"... new satellites are now watching solar activity and would provide a warning of a major storm."
Okay, there's a major solar flare and scientists estimate we've got half a day to do something... So, what might that 'something' be? (Besides taking off the tinfoil hat)
And, what happens if it happens on a Sunday at 10 a.m.?
Sue
adam2's post is pretty spot on for what is going to happen.
This is why I don't like everything being digital. You're going to have to protect the grid by shutting it completely down. You'll have to start with all of the nuclear plants, because they require the grid to operate their safety systems. They have diesel generators, but once those are turned on, the reactor is scrammed from what I understand. So, in order to shut down the grid, you are going to have to have a coordinated power down otherwise someone is going to burn something out. Not sure how long that will take. You would also have to make sure everyone that relied on electricity (i.e. hospitals, people on ventilators, etc. ) are taken care of. You _will not_ have the benefit of satellite or HF communication during and after the event, so gonna have to fall back to the "sneaker net".
Regarding the transformers (maybe it's been mentioned here) but from my understanding the worldwide production is 35 to 70 transformers A YEAR. There are 100,000's of these larger transformers in the world. From my understanding (I didn't look today), we do not have any domestic (U.S.) production of these transformers. We'll have to buy them, or take them my force, from somebody else. Not even sure that will work with our 60Hz, 120VAC system. Doesn't everyone else have 220VAC, 70Hz or something?
You have it about right.
Worldwide production is 1) mostly offshore to the us, 2) limited to schedule production of about 30 or 40 units worldwide.
All of these transmission line type transformers are essentially custom made to an application.
In other words we don't use "off the self" transformers, they are designed for a specific location/application.
Power around the world varies from 50 to 60 HZ (cycles per second) with some legacy systems using 25 HZ.
Voltages are from 60KV (kilo volts) to 1 MV (Mega Volt) primaries and secondaries from 69KV to 13.2KV, but again of
the 100,000 installed base vary few would match even if the frequency and voltage match, the sizes (capacity) vary just as much or more and have to match the impedances of the circuits involved a custom designed application.
We can repair these, but not in place, they have to be R&R to a shop, and these have capacity of 1 or 2 per month.
Even the distribution transformers we use in industry are typically 13.2KV or 35KV are 90 day lead time.
The plant where I am the chief electrical engineer has one spare for it's 14 substations.
And by the way, lots of other things like circuit breakers, switches, power factor correctors etc. are also custom and in short supply.
They also cost a fortune to have sitting around collecting dust, so the accountants will not let you have plenty of spares.
Also maintenance staff are routinely working 60+ hours a week.
We have a very thin line.
Most people have no idea just how thin the technical staffs are; I went to LSU, we had 30K (thousand) students, just 1200 in all engineering disciplines.
My step son has a tee shirt typically of the students these days, it says "liberal arts major, you do the math".
We are in deep do do as the existing people are mostly about to retire (or so they think).
stock up on batteries, generators and fuel, oil, etc.
Our power infrastructure is pretty bad, even broken bridges can by bypassed.
Good luck.