To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the National Grid of an electromagnetic pulse strike caused (a) deliberately and (b) through solar activity. (322100)

We are not aware recent work has been done on the risk of a deliberately generated electromagnetic pulse adversely impacting the National Grid.

In 2009 National Grid used modelling techniques to study the impact of solar storms on the UK transmission system. The modelling has identified the reasonable worst scenario for the transmission network could lead to short term, localised disturbances at the extremities of the network. National Grid does not anticipate any significant disruption to supplies to electricity customers.