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by tigerlily 764 days ago
Probably the cost of a gadget that detects the extra d.c. and injects and equal and opposite current to null it out, for every major power transformer in the land.
2 comments

The typical protective device blocks the induced current from entering the transformer. "neutral-current-blocking capacitors".

Apparently more cautious operators have been busy installing them since at least 1989.

https://assets.lloyds.com/assets/pdf-solar-storm-risk-to-the...

Or just breaks the circuit, like a fuse. Better for the grid to fail in a way that can be recovered from quickly than for it to fail and burn itself to the point that recovery takes years.
Starting a grid is complicated.