Serious physical attack on US power grid comes to light

waynefromnscanada
waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭

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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Serious physical attack on US power grid comes to light

    Makes one wonder if it was a trial run.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Serious physical attack on US power grid comes to light
    Makes one wonder if it was a trial run.

    And "which side" did it. :roll:
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Serious physical attack on US power grid comes to light

    From a WSJ article:
    ...The utility industry has been focused on Internet attacks, worrying that hackers could take down the grid by disabling communications and important pieces of equipment. Companies have reported 13 cyber incidents in the past three years, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of emergency reports utilities file with the federal government. There have been no reports of major outages linked to these events, although companies have generally declined to provide details. "A lot of people in the electric industry have been distracted by cybersecurity threats," said Stephen Berberich, chief executive of the California Independent System Operator, which runs much of the high-voltage transmission system for the utilities. He said that physical attacks pose a "big, if not bigger" menace.
    There were 274 significant instances of vandalism or deliberate damage in the three years, and more than 700 weather-related problems, according to the Journal's analysis.

    Until the Metcalf incident, attacks on U.S. utility equipment were mostly linked to metal thieves, disgruntled employees or bored hunters, who sometimes took potshots at small transformers on utility poles to see what happens. (Answer: a small explosion followed by an outage.)

    Last year, an Arkansas man was charged with multiple attacks on the power grid, including setting fire to a switching station. He has pleaded not guilty and is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation, according to federal court records.

    Overseas, terrorist organizations were linked to 2,500 attacks on transmission lines or towers and at least 500 on substations from 1996 to 2006, according to a January report from the Electric Power Research Institute, an industry-funded research group...



    Still don't know what we don't know...

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Serious physical attack on US power grid comes to light

    WOW! That's quite the eye opener from WSJ. Thanks for that BB, always good to be at least partly educated, but like you say, we have no idea what we don't know.
  • CDN_VT
    CDN_VT Solar Expert Posts: 492 ✭✭✭
    Re: Serious physical attack on US power grid comes to light
    Makes one wonder if it was a trial run.
    Yes & this was in the underground news last week . Now it hits the MSM ..
  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    Re: Serious physical attack on US power grid comes to light

    Unfortunately this is very old news, scarily it is only just making headlines on the major news outlets. This is where I read about it back in December.

    http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/12/29/Military-Style-Attack-On-California-Power-Substation

    Definitely a test run and we'll see something much bigger eventually. However, for years I've been more worried about the vulnerability of the long-distance towers. Thousands of miles of hidden and unprotected towers makes for a much bigger target. Take out a half-dozen major transmission lines at one time and you have a month+ of major problems.
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Serious physical attack on US power grid comes to light

    they don't know if it was terrorism? right, i suppose it was a herd of bunny rabbits that accidentally took out a bunch of substations all at once. this story is no surprise to me as we can't seem to keep our grid up for minor weather episodes let alone anything major. the weather system that went through the south and up the coast recently is typical of many winter type systems and there was over 1/2 million without power. it is too easy to take out power on smaller scales and just a bit more effort for larger scales and one would not have to have great training or know-how to cause a disruption. this power distribution system needs to be rethought out and redone. no doubt the consumer will be gouged for these updates that power companies should've been working on all along, but they instead decided to place those monies into their own pockets. it's best to not have 100% gt dependence be it battery backed hybrid solar or generators or both. no utility is dependable or immune.
  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Serious physical attack on US power grid comes to light
    niel wrote: »
    it's best to not have 100% gt dependence be it battery backed hybrid solar or generators or both. no utility is dependable or immune.

    Totally agree. I know its a lot of money, but for those who can afford it and have the ability, both mentally and physically to look after a system that doesn't back them into a corner with all their eggs in one basket, I believe they should do so.
    My hobby isn't drinking beer or trying to impress the neighbors with man toys, it's my off grid system. It gives me great satisfaction and great peace of mind. Wouldn't want it any other way.