Solar storm prompts an emergency power notice in New Zealand

New Zealand's state-owned power transmission enterprise Transpower has issued a grid emergency notice due to a solar storm. The space weather event has been upgraded from severe to extreme, the highest category scientists use to measure galactic weather. Transpower says it is removing some transmission lines from its service on the South Island as a precaution. The storm could potentially produce northern lights in the US and disrupt communications over the weekend.