I dont like it when folks compare solar flares to EMPs. Because while the physics are similar, its just two totally different animals to prepare against.

We have had the transmission grid running since 1950's and other than a single incident in 1989, where 6 million canadians lost power for 9 hours due to a solar flare, the rest have basically been dealt with without much issue. They dont even make the news. I am pretty sure 2022 was one of the worst solar events in US history and nothing really happened (except a bunch of Starlinks satelites got crispy, planes were grounded for a couple hours, and GPS was down for a few minutes.)

It’s essential to understand how EMPs (electromagnetic pulses) and solar flares can impact the electrical grid. Electricity is generated by moving a conductor through a magnetic field: either spinning a conductor within a stable magnetic field or spinning a magnetic field around a conductor.