Solar storms behind Northern Lights could be a problem for future N.W.T. power grids

One of the North’s greatest draws and most iconic phenomena could spell trouble for a growing renewable energy sector.

Solar storms that produce vibrant northern lights also create an electrical current in the ground that can cause transformers — a component of traditional energy infrastructure — to overheat. Transformers increase or decrease the voltage of electricity flowing through an energy grid.

Paul Moses, a professor at the University of Oklahoma who studies complicated disturbances to electrical power systems, said transformers can probably handle overheating for a few minutes, but solar storms that may cause the current to flow for hours can be more problematic for the electrical device.

“The insulation inside