U.S. Risks National Blackout From Small-Scale Attack

[Capt Worley PE]

The U.S. could suffer a coast-to-coast blackout if saboteurs knocked out just nine of the country's 55,000 electric-transmission substations on a scorching summer day, according to a previously unreported federal analysis.

The study by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission concluded that coordinated attacks in each of the nation's three separate electric systems could cause the entire power network to collapse, people familiar with the research said.

A small number of the country's substations play an outsize role in keeping power flowing across large regions. The FERC analysis indicates that knocking out nine of those key substations could plunge the country into darkness for weeks, if not months.

The study's results have been known for months by people at federal agencies, Congress and the White House, who were briefed by then-FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff and others at the commission. As reported by the Journal last month, Mr. Wellinghoff was concerned about a shooting attack on a California substation last April, which he said could be a dress rehearsal for additional assaults.

IIRC, NJ had some substation sniping incidents recently.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304020104579433670284061220?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304020104579433670284061220.html

Any power guys care to comment on this article's validity?

 

[snickerd3]

this sort of reporting always bugs the hell out of me...WhyTF would you broadcast how to take us down.

just like those special news reports that show you how the thief picked your lock or whatever as a public service announcement....now people that weren't so smart know how to do it or it gives them the idea to look into further

 

[Capt Worley PE]

^Note that they didn't tell you which nine....I suspect that's why the report wasn't released to the public.

 

[YMZ PE]

this sort of reporting always bugs the hell out of me...WhyTF would you broadcast how to take us down.

just like those special news reports that show you how the thief picked your lock or whatever as a public service announcement....now people that weren't so smart know how to do it or it gives them the idea to look into further

I feel the same way about sex ed in schools.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

^Note that they didn't tell you which nine....I suspect that's why the report wasn't released to the public.

But now that the report is known, the "freedom of information" act means people can now request a copy.

Sometimes the only safeguard for critical information like this is the fact that no one outside the agency knows it exists...

 

[snickerd3]

this sort of reporting always bugs the hell out of me...WhyTF would you broadcast how to take us down.

just like those special news reports that show you how the thief picked your lock or whatever as a public service announcement....now people that weren't so smart know how to do it or it gives them the idea to look into further

I feel the same way about sex ed in schools.

I have no clue how much or if at all our school district does, but whatever they do doesn't work. Last week at our pre-k fundraiser one of the moms is a volunteer at the local womens crisis center and there were two positive Pregnancy tests for high schoolers that week.

 

[snickerd3]

^Note that they didn't tell you which nine....I suspect that's why the report wasn't released to the public.

But now that the report is known, the "freedom of information" act means people can now request a copy.

Sometimes the only safeguard for critical information like this is the fact that no one outside the agency knows it exists...

I would wager that report as being exempt from FOIA, even if asked for

 

[Capt Worley PE]

^Note that they didn't tell you which nine....I suspect that's why the report wasn't released to the public.

But now that the report is known, the "freedom of information" act means people can now request a copy.

Sometimes the only safeguard for critical information like this is the fact that no one outside the agency knows it exists...

If they got anything, I'm betting whole sections would be redacted. But you never know. In my experience (granted, a loooong time ago) it's a crapshoot, but one I'd place a heavy bet on redacted if playing.

 

[mudpuppy]

I don't think anything in the article is too surprising. Honestly, I've thought that NERC has been remiss in creating and enforcing a lot of cybersecurity standards while totally ignoring physical security. Why would a terrorist bother trying to hack into a SCADA system when they could just go to the substation and plant a bomb? Most people don't want to see substations, so they are typically fairly well hidden and thus easy to access unnoticed. So I'm glad to see they are starting to address the issue.

We've also had shooting incidents at substations (and on lines) but it's usually bored hunters or drunk kids.

Now all that being said, I think it's highly unlikely anyone would be able to figure out which substations they would need to take out to coordinate this kind of damage.

What bothers me more, that the article touches on, is there is no way to source large transformers in a reasonable time--and most of them come from overseas.

(Also, neat to see A.P. "Sakis" Meliopoulos in the article, he organizes a conference I'll be attending next month).

 

[Dark Knight]

I don't think anything in the article is too surprising. Honestly, I've thought that NERC has been remiss in creating and enforcing a lot of cybersecurity standards while totally ignoring physical security. Why would a terrorist bother trying to hack into a SCADA system when they could just go to the substation and plant a bomb? Most people don't want to see substations, so they are typically fairly well hidden and thus easy to access unnoticed. So I'm glad to see they are starting to address the issue.

We've also had shooting incidents at substations (and on lines) but it's usually bored hunters or drunk kids.

Now all that being said, I think it's highly unlikely anyone would be able to figure out which substations they would need to take out to coordinate this kind of damage.

What bothers me more, that the article touches on, is there is no way to source large transformers in a reasonable time--and most of them come from overseas.

(Also, neat to see A.P. "Sakis" Meliopoulos in the article, he organizes a conference I'll be attending next month).

So you are going to Atlanta?

I wanted to go too. My boss sent me to a local training instead. Good thing it is in a hotel at the beach. Taking wifey with me.

 

[mudpuppy]

I don't think anything in the article is too surprising. Honestly, I've thought that NERC has been remiss in creating and enforcing a lot of cybersecurity standards while totally ignoring physical security. Why would a terrorist bother trying to hack into a SCADA system when they could just go to the substation and plant a bomb? Most people don't want to see substations, so they are typically fairly well hidden and thus easy to access unnoticed. So I'm glad to see they are starting to address the issue.

We've also had shooting incidents at substations (and on lines) but it's usually bored hunters or drunk kids.

Now all that being said, I think it's highly unlikely anyone would be able to figure out which substations they would need to take out to coordinate this kind of damage.

What bothers me more, that the article touches on, is there is no way to source large transformers in a reasonable time--and most of them come from overseas.

(Also, neat to see A.P. "Sakis" Meliopoulos in the article, he organizes a conference I'll be attending next month).

So you are going to Atlanta?

I wanted to go too. My boss sent me to a local training instead. Good thing it is in a hotel at the beach. Taking wifey with me.

Yes, this will be my third year in a row (I have an ulterior motive for wanting to go to Atlanta). Beach hotel sounds nice too, though.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

What bothers me more, that the article touches on, is there is no way to source large transformers in a reasonable time--and most of them come from overseas.

I have heard that a lot.

Can you imagine what this country would be like after a month with no power?

 

[YMZ PE]

What bothers me more, that the article touches on, is there is no way to source large transformers in a reasonable time--and most of them come from overseas.

I have heard that a lot.

Can you imagine what this country would be like after a month with no power?

Chinese-style smoggy from all the diesel generator emissions, I imagine.

 

[engineergurl]

What bothers me more, that the article touches on, is there is no way to source large transformers in a reasonable time--and most of them come from overseas.

I have heard that a lot.

Can you imagine what this country would be like after a month with no power?

Chinese-style smoggy from all the diesel generator emissions, I imagine.

I think it would depend on where in the country you were and at what time of year it occurred.

 

[YMZ PE]

^Note that they didn't tell you which nine....I suspect that's why the report wasn't released to the public.

But now that the report is known, the "freedom of information" act means people can now request a copy.

Sometimes the only safeguard for critical information like this is the fact that no one outside the agency knows it exists...

If they got anything, I'm betting whole sections would be redacted. But you never know. In my experience (granted, a loooong time ago) it's a crapshoot, but one I'd place a heavy bet on redacted if playing.

Perhaps the greater vulnerability in our national security that can be targeted is our vast network of lonely, insecure older men with high-level security clearance:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/12/benjamin-bishop-plead-guilty_n_4946025.html

 

[Capt Worley PE]

^Note that they didn't tell you which nine....I suspect that's why the report wasn't released to the public.

But now that the report is known, the "freedom of information" act means people can now request a copy.

Sometimes the only safeguard for critical information like this is the fact that no one outside the agency knows it exists...

If they got anything, I'm betting whole sections would be redacted. But you never know. In my experience (granted, a loooong time ago) it's a crapshoot, but one I'd place a heavy bet on redacted if playing.

Perhaps the greater vulnerability in our national security that can be targeted is our vast network of lonely, insecure older men with high-level security clearance:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/12/benjamin-bishop-plead-guilty_n_4946025.html

That used to be something they checked for, but in these PC days.....

 

[mudpuppy]

We should provide all those old lonely men with hookers and blow.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

^If we don't it looks like the Chinese will.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

A gov report on large transformers and grid.

http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/Large%20Power%20Transformer%20Study%20-%20June%202012_0.pdf

 

[Capt Worley PE]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/02/12/how-has-the-most-significant-incident-of-domestic-terrorism-involving-the-enery-grid-gone-largely-unreported-for-10-months/

One week ago, a former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission told the Wall Street Journal the sabotage of a California transformer substation was “the most significant incident of domestic terrorism involving the grid that has ever occurred.” The words of warning ignited a flurry of news reports across the nation about the potential terrorism dry run.

The shocking details of the event — in the middle of the night six men fired hundreds of AK-47 rounds at critical energy grid components after purposely disabling emergency call systems — rightly piqued the collective curiosity.

But the concerned coverage is dangerously delayed. While TheBlaze reported on it last December, only last week did the brazen Silicon Valley attack gain more attention because of the WSJ story — nearly ten months later.