WHAT IF THERE WAS NO ELECTRICITY?

Sal, our energy needs are increasing exponentially... with electricity ultimately becoming our primary source of power... 

BUT... 

What steps can we take to guarantee the power grid doesn't collapse from solar disturbances or any other calamity... since that would probably mean the end of human civilization?

Hello, Allan.

You’re thinking about grid resilience... making sure electricity stays available even when nature (solar storms), accidents, or attacks try to knock it out. 

The good news is: We can design for this. 

The key is to avoid “one big fragile machine” and instead build a grid that absorbs shocks, isolates damage, and restarts fast!

1) Harden the grid against solar storms! (geomagnetic disturbances)

Solar storms mainly threaten high-voltage transformers and long transmission lines by inducing geomagnetically induced currents. (GICs)

• Block or limit GICs: Install GIC monitoring and mitigation. (neutral blocking devices where appropriate, series capacitors, improved grounding practices)

• Operational “storm mode”: when space-weather alerts hit, temporarily reduce loading, change power flows, and take vulnerable equipment out of the most stressful configurations.

• Transformer protection upgrades: Better relays/settings, thermal monitoring, and procedures to prevent cascading damage.

• Spare transformer strategy: Big transformers are long-lead items. Build a strategic reserve (regional spares), “rapid transport” plans, and designs that are more interchangeable.

2) Make the grid “fail smaller” with segmentation!

A civilization-scale outage usually happens when problems cascade faster than operators can contain them.

• Intentional islanding: Design the grid so sections can disconnect automatically and keep running locally instead of collapsing together.

• More microgrids: Critical loads (hospitals, water treatment, telecom hubs, fuel pipelines, food cold-chain, emergency services) should be able to run as microgrids with local generation + storage.

• Upgrade protection coordination: modern relays and settings so faults clear locally, not by tripping half a region.

3) Build lots of “black start” capability! (If the grid goes down, restarting is hard without generators that can start without external power.)

• Increase black-start resources: More black-start-capable plants plus battery systems and hydro where available.

• Regular black-start drills: Treat restoration like a fire drill... practice, measure, improve.

• Local restart pathways: Don’t depend on one or two giant restart routes.

4) Diversify energy sources and add storage. (not just for climate, also for survival)

Diversity makes it harder for any one failure mode to wipe everything out!

• Distributed generation: Solar/wind plus storage, small gas turbines, hydro, geothermal, etc.

• Grid-scale storage: Batteries for fast stabilization; longer-duration storage (pumped hydro, thermal, hydrogen, etc.) for multi-day resilience.

• Inertia and stability services: as grids add inverter-based resources, require “grid-forming” capabilities so they can stabilize frequency/voltage during disturbances.

5) Modernize transmission and control systems:

• More sensors and visibility: Synchrophasors (PMUs), real-time line monitoring, transformer health diagnostics.

• Dynamic line ratings: Safely push power where you need it, reducing overload risk.

• HVDC where it makes sense: HVDC links can act like controllable “firebreaks” between regions and help prevent cascades.

6) Treat cyber + physical security as grid reliability issues!

“Other calamity” often means cyberattack, insider risk, sabotage, or supply-chain compromise.

• Zero-trust architecture for control networks; strong segmentation between IT and OT.

• Manual fallback modes: Operators must be able to run essential functions safely if digital systems are degraded.

• Critical substation hardening: Physical barriers, cameras, rapid response, and redundancy for key nodes.

• Secure supply chains: Verify hardware/firmware, reduce single-vendor lock-in where feasible.

7) Plan for the uncomfortable scenario: long restoration!

This isn’t doom... this is engineering realism.

• Prioritized load-shedding plans: Keep water, heat, food logistics, and communications alive first.

• Fuel logistics resilience: Backup power for fuel pumping/refining and key pipelines.

• Public preparedness protocols: Clear “what to do” guidance reduces chaos and speeds recovery.

8) Governance: Require resilience, don’t just recommend it!

The grid is partly a technical system... and partly a policy system.

• Resilience standards with teeth: Set mandatory benchmarks for GMD preparedness, black start, spares, and cyber hygiene.

• Stress tests: Like banking stress tests... simulate extreme solar storms, coordinated attacks, and major equipment loss.

• Incentives aligned with resilience: Utilities should be rewarded for investments that reduce systemic risk, not just cheapest short-term power.

The simplest way to summarize the strategy:

Harden critical hardware + segment the grid + add local self-sufficiency + practice restart + secure against cyber/physical threats... (And keep a spare “unobtainium” transformer ready!)

Canadian resources America can’t function without!

Donald Drumpf keeps saying that the United States doesn't need anything from Canada... eh!

***

Allan:

America and Canada share more than just the world’s longest international border. Every single day, essential resources flow south across that border, powering homes, building cities, and keeping industries running across the United States. 

These aren’t luxury items. They’re the backbone of American infrastructure, energy systems, and manufacturing that millions of people depend on without even realizing it.

When you flip on a light switch, drive to work, or walk into a newly built home, there’s a good chance Canadian resources played a role in making it happen. 

This northern neighbour supplies critical materials that would be extremely difficult and expensive to replace! 

Here’s a closer look at the Canadian resources that keep America running smoothly.

1. Crude oil:

Image Credit: Documerica/Unsplash

Canada is America’s largest foreign oil supplier, sending roughly 4.9 million barrels across the border every single day in 2023. This oil keeps gas stations stocked, planes flying, and delivery trucks moving across the country. The majority comes from Alberta’s oil sands, which contain one of the world’s largest petroleum reserves.

American refineries are specifically designed to process the heavy crude that Canada produces. Switching to other suppliers would require massive infrastructure changes costing billions of dollars. 

Without this steady flow, gas prices would spike and energy security would take a serious hit.

2. Natural gas:

Image Credit: Alex Gagareen/Unsplash

Millions of American homes stay warm thanks to Canadian natural gas that also powers electrical plants across the country. Nearly 9% of America’s natural gas consumption comes directly from Canadian wells and processing facilities. During harsh winter months, this percentage jumps even higher as demand for heating fuel skyrockets.

The pipeline infrastructure connecting Canadian gas fields to American cities is massive and irreplaceable in the short term. Many American utility companies have built their entire business models around a reliable Canadian supply. This energy partnership helps keep heating bills manageable while reducing reliance on more distant suppliers.

3. Electricity:

Image Credit: Matthew Henry/Unsplash

Canada exports enough electricity to power about 3.3 million American homes each year. Hydroelectric dams in Quebec, Manitoba, and British Columbia generate massive amounts of clean, renewable power that flows across the border. 

This electricity helps states meet their renewable energy goals without building their own expensive infrastructure.

The grid connection between the two countries is so integrated that power flows back and forth based on real-time demand. States like New York, Vermont, Maine, and Washington rely heavily on Canadian imports to meet peak demand periods. 

Building equivalent domestic capacity would take decades and cost hundreds of billions of dollars.

4. Uranium:

Image Credit: IAEA Imagebank/Flickr/Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Canada produces about 24% of the world’s uranium supply, and much of it powers American nuclear reactors. This element is essential for generating clean, carbon-free electricity at the 93 nuclear power plants operating across the United States. 

Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin contains some of the richest uranium deposits on the planet.

Nuclear power provides about 20% of America’s total electricity, running continuously as baseload power. Having a reliable, politically stable supplier right next door is crucial for energy security. 

Without Canadian uranium, America would need to turn to less reliable suppliers or dramatically reduce its nuclear power capacity.

5. Potash:

Image Credit: Nelson Minar/FlickrLicensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Farmers across America depend on Canadian potash fertilizer to grow the food that feeds hundreds of millions of people. Saskatchewan alone contains about 40% of the world’s potash reserves. 

American farmers spread Canadian potash on millions of acres of cropland every single year to maximize yields.

Modern agriculture cannot sustain current production levels without synthetic fertilizers like potash. This mineral provides essential potassium that plants need to develop strong roots and produce abundant harvests. 

Alternative sources exist but would be more expensive to extract and transport, potentially raising food prices.

6. Softwood lumber:

Image Credit: lepterm/Unsplash

About 30% of the lumber used in the United States comes from Canadian forests for residential construction projects. These supplies provide the wooden frames, floors, and roofs that builders need for new American homes. 

British Columbia and Quebec produce high-quality softwood species that are perfect for construction.

The American housing market would struggle without steady Canadian lumber supplies flowing south. Building enough domestic lumber production to replace Canadian imports would require decades of forest growth and substantial new sawmill capacity. 

The lumber trade between these countries has persisted for over a century because it makes economic sense for both sides.

7. Aluminum

Image Credit: Julia Maior/Unsplash

Everything from soda cans to aircraft parts contains Canadian aluminum that smelters produce using abundant hydroelectric power. Quebec’s cheap electricity makes it an ideal location for energy-intensive aluminum production. 

The lightweight metal is essential for modern transportation, construction, and packaging industries.

Aluminum smelting requires enormous amounts of electricity, making Canada’s cheap hydro power a massive competitive advantage. American manufacturers have grown dependent on this steady supply for products ranging from car bodies to smartphone cases. 

Without Canadian aluminum, American manufacturers would face higher costs and potential supply disruptions.

8. Wood pulp and paper products:

Image Credit: Christa Dodoo/Unsplash

Paper products that Americans use every single day come from raw materials supplied by Canadian forests. The country’s massive pulp and paper industry processes millions of tons of wood fiber annually, much of which gets exported to American customers. 

Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia operate large-scale mills that produce everything from newsprint to packaging materials.

The e-commerce boom has dramatically increased demand for cardboard shipping boxes, making Canadian pulp even more critical. Paper mills require specific tree species and enormous capital investments that are difficult to replicate quickly. 

This wood pulp also makes hygiene products like tissues and toilet paper that fill store shelves.

9. Nickel:

Image Credit: Kumpan Electric/Unsplash.

Stainless steel production and electric vehicle batteries both require nickel that Canadian mines produce in substantial quantities. Ontario and Manitoba contain deposits that supply both American manufacturing and the global market. 

This silvery metal resists corrosion and adds strength to steel alloys used in everything from kitchen sinks to jet engines.

The electric vehicle revolution has made nickel even more valuable because lithium-ion batteries require it. Canadian nickel helps American automakers meet ambitious EV production targets while reducing dependence on less reliable foreign suppliers. 

As battery demand explodes, Canadian nickel will become increasingly important for American energy independence.

10. Copper:

Image Credit: Ra Dragon/Unsplash

Modern electrical systems wouldn’t be possible without the highly conductive copper that Canadian mines produce. British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec all have significant copper production that feeds American manufacturing demand. 

This metal conducts electricity better than almost any other affordable material.

Every home, car, and electronic device in America contains copper components that conduct electricity safely and efficiently. The renewable energy transition requires even more copper for wind turbines, solar panels, and EV charging infrastructure. 

As electrification accelerates across the economy, copper demand will keep climbing, and Canadian supplies will remain crucial.

11. Zinc:

Image Credit: Ries Bosch/Unsplash

Steel structures across America stay protected from rust thanks to Canadian zinc production that supplies galvanizing operations. This bluish-gray metal gets applied as a coating to everything from highway guardrails to roofing materials. 

New Brunswick, Manitoba, and Ontario all produce significant quantities of zinc.

Galvanized steel infrastructure lasts decades longer than unprotected steel, saving massive amounts of money over time. American construction and infrastructure projects rely heavily on zinc-coated products to withstand harsh weather. 

Canadian zinc mines operate under strict environmental standards while maintaining competitive production costs that benefit American buyers.

12. Canola oil:

Image Credit: adpowers/Flickr/Licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Grocery store shelves across America are stocked with Canadian canola oil that provides a healthy cooking option. The country grows vast fields of canola across the prairies, producing oil that’s low in saturated fat. 

Food manufacturers also use canola oil in countless processed foods, from salad dressings to baked goods.

This versatile oil has become a kitchen staple because it has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point. Canadian farmers have perfected canola cultivation, making it one of their most important crops. 

American consumers benefit from reliable supplies of affordable, healthy cooking oil that Canadian agriculture provides year after year.

13. Fresh water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Image Credit: Haydn/Unsplash

The Great Lakes and various cross-border waterways provide shared freshwater resources that both countries depend on. While water doesn’t flow south like other resources, the shared management of these water bodies is critical for American cities. Millions of Americans living near the border rely on water systems that Canada helps maintain through international agreements.

These freshwater resources support agriculture, manufacturing, power generation, and municipal water supplies across multiple states. The Great Lakes alone contain about 20% of the world’s surface freshwater and border eight American states. 

Canadian cooperation in managing water quality and quantity ensures that American communities have access to clean, abundant water.

By Diana Tablan:

***

Diana Tablan is a seasoned writer who loves to explore fun lifestyle topics and various human interest stories. During her free time, she enjoys reading, painting, and cooking. Diana’s writings can be found in several popular online magazines in Canada and the US.

THESE ARE JUST THE MINERALS AND ENERGY WE SEND TO THE STATES... AND IF THEY STOPPED... THE U.S. ECONOMY WOULD TANK! (Unfortunately... so would ours!)

DUMP TRUMP!

Q:  To what extent is the United States dependent on Canadian products? 

A:  Are there any comparable American alternatives to these products?

• America imports 60% of its crude oil from Canada, at an average **discount** of 15%. That discount has applied for close to 4 decades, minimum. Roughly 80% of vehicle fuels used in the US are derived from this CANADIAN-SUBISIDIZED oil. The closest substitute your refineries can handle comes from Venezuela. I’m sure the orange stain won’t mind buying from them at all.
• 50% of aluminum consumed in the US comes from Canada. There are few alternatives as aluminum takes a god-awful amount of electricity to produce. Canada has shit-tons of hydroelectric power that we use to make aluminum.
• That same hydroelectric power generation is so plentiful, that we export most of the rest to the US, which keeps the grids along the east coast and into the mid-west humming. No Canadian hydro means rolling blackouts across a third of the US.
• 80% of potash used in fertilizer is sourced from Canada. Canada is the world’s largest producer, having a full third of global production. The next two largest producers are russia and China, and put together, they produce ALMOST as much as Canada does by itself. You could try and buy half the output from both of them, or all the output from one, I guess.
• Canada exported almost 3–trillion cubic feet of natural gas, which helps keep the Midwest and Northeast states warm and generates a significant amount of electricity. According to your own sources, natural gas accounted for 43.1% of your total generating capacity last year.
• A full quarter of the uranium you use annually comes from Canada. The ore is of unusually high purity too. That’s another quarter of your generating capacity going down, and 18.6% of electricity is produced by nuclear.

In order to replace any of these would require a huge amount of work. 

You could build a dozen aluminum smelters to pick up the slack from Canada alone, but you still need electricity to run them. And you can see the problems with that. 

More pressing is finding new ways to heat your houses, fertilize your fields and afford to drive anywhere. 

The “good guy” discount Canada has been giving the US for five decades is going to end... so you can expect your local gas prices to rise by an average of 15%, regardless of what the orange-stain does now.

M Spicer.