Transpower is brushing up plans to avoid South Island power cuts caused by massive storms on the Sun.As the Sun heads towards its 11-year sunspot maximum - a result of its magnetic field switching between north and south - solar-storm activity is increasing.
Solar flares from sunspots eject radiation towards Earth in the form of X-rays and other charged particles, which can cause havoc with power and telecommunication systems and produce stunning auroral displays.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the United States says solar activity will peak this year and could be the most intense for 50 years.
National grid companies around the world are swinging into action to prepare for the worst.
In New Zealand, power networks in South Canterbury, Otago and Southland are most likely to be in the firing line.
The Spaceweather.com website says solar-storm activity in the past few days has been "quiet" to "unsettled", with a maximum of magnitude four.
A huge sunspot, AR1429, which caused flares and storms this month, generated a massive flare two days ago but it has missed Earth.
However, the Sun and sunspot AR1429 will start turning back towards Earth next week, raising the potential for solar storms directed this way. Read More
