Electromagnetic Pulse

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Kathy Landing

SCEMD should incorporate EMP/solar storm hardening and backup energy planning into its emergency plan, and share updates with all SC municipalities if revised.

Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions

Bill Overview

Type: House Resolution

Purpose: Recognize society’s reliance on the electrical grid and highlight potential harm from an extended disruption caused by an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) or solar storm. Encourage the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) to incorporate planning for hardening critical infrastructure and identifying alternative energy sources into its emergency preparedness plan, with dissemination to municipalities if updates occur.

Sponsor: Primary sponsor (unlisted in text); Co-sponsor: Kathy Landing

Status: Introduced April 16, 2026; referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions

Main Purpose and Intent

Acknowledges the critical role of the electrical grid in modern South Carolina life (transportation, utilities, communication, food preservation, healthcare, and daily living).

Warns of potential severe consequences from an extended grid outage caused by an EMP (natural solar storms or intentional adversarial actions).

Encourages proactive state planning to mitigate such risks by:

Hardening critical infrastructure against EMP/solar storm impacts.
Identifying and developing alternative energy sources to maintain essential functions during a prolonged outage.

Key Provisions and Changes Proposed

As a resolution (non-binding), it directs and encourages actions rather than establishing new law or mandates. The substantive elements are:
- Encouragement for SCEMD to Develop a Detailed Plan:
- Integrate steps to harden critical infrastructure against EMP or solar storms into SCEMD’s current emergency preparedness plan.
- Include identification and deployment of alternative energy sources to ensure some level of independence during an extended grid outage.
- Communication and Outreach if Plan Updates Occur:
- If SCEMD updates the emergency preparedness plan to address EMP/solar storm factors, the resolution encourages SCEMD to distribute the updated plan to all municipalities within South Carolina.

Who/What Would Be Affected

Primary Beneficiary/Focus: South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) and, by extension, the state’s municipalities and residents.

Indirect Impacts: Municipal governments and critical infrastructure entities that would implement hardening measures and consider alternative energy sources as part of resilience planning.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Action History: Introduced and referred to the Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions on April 16, 2026.

Timeline Implications: The resolution urges consideration and potential updates in SCEMD’s emergency preparedness planning process; however, as a resolution, it does not create enforceable statutory requirements or funding provisions. Any implementation would depend on SCEMD’s initiative and subsequent legislative or administrative actions.

Practical Takeaways

The bill aims to raise awareness of EMP/solar storm risks and to catalyze planning efforts without imposing new legal obligations or funding.

It signals legislative support for resilience measures and intergovernmental coordination, emphasizing dissemination of updated plans to all municipalities if updates are made.

Bill