What is the main risk associated with ignoring GMD warnings?

The main risk associated with ignoring geomagnetic disturbance (GMD) warnings is potential system outages. GMDs can induce electric currents in power lines and transformers, potentially causing voltage instability, damaging equipment, and leading to widespread outages. When operators fail to heed GMD warnings, the vulnerability of the electrical grid to these disturbances increases significantly. This can result in cascading failures across various parts of the grid, creating outages that could affect a large number of customers.

Furthermore, the consequences of system outages can be severe, affecting not just the electric supply but also related services across multiple sectors such as healthcare, transportation, and communications. Therefore, it is crucial for utilities to respond appropriately and take preventive measures based on GMD warnings to maintain grid reliability and prevent these significant power outages.