Why The Power Grid Is An ‘Attractive Target’ For Attacks (CNN)...

[bruce bowser]

Why The Power Grid Is An ‘Attractive Target’ For Attacks (CNN)
CNN - Dec 5, 2022
-- https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/05/politics/power-grid-attack-what-matters/index.html

 

[Peter W.]

On Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 10:48:56 AM UTC-5, bruce bowser wrote:

Why The Power Grid Is An ‘Attractive Target’ For Attacks (CNN)
CNN - Dec 5, 2022
-- https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/05/politics/power-grid-attack-what-matters/index.html

Generally, the United States and Canada have been incredibly lucky when it comes to infrastructure terrorism. With the exception of the WTC and Oklahoma City, most incidents have been directed primarily at people vs. building or infrastructure. Within walking distance of our house is a major freight/commuter rail corridor that carries both electrified and diesel-powered equipment. And, any individual is able to walk onto the tracks pretty much at any time. In the other direction is an electrical sub-station with nothing but a 12\' chain-link fence around it. Also within a few miles:
a) A sewer booster station.
b) A water utility deep well station.
Neither with anything other than a locked door on the machine room.

A \'smart\' terrorist will not go after glamor targets, but after targets that cause real disruptions over a long period for relatively little actual effort. Gone are the days when utilities had yards full of spare equipment covering many acres. And long-gone are the days of \'spare\' capacity in any meaningful way.

More scary stuff:
Some 97% of the US electrical power is delivered to the consumer via overhead lines.
About the same for cable/telephone (land-line) and similar.
Cell Towers also need power, and are, typically, right out in the open, often with their feet in a wooded area, with, maybe-but-not-always a fence around the electronics shack and back-up generator. There is a cell tower near (walking distance) our summer house with all the \'gear\' sitting on a concrete pad at the base of the tower, no fence. Just a visible padlock on the generator diesel tank.

However, and writing only for myself - I choose not to lose any sleep over this. I do acknowledge the issue.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA