Today, Explained Pow pow power grid
Feb 13, 2023
Catherine Morehouse, a reporter at Politico, and Jonathan Munkett, a principal at Converge Strategies, dive into the alarming rise of attacks on the U.S. power grid. They discuss incidents of vandalism and extremism targeting substations, highlighting vulnerabilities in the infrastructure. The guests emphasize the tension between upgrading security measures and the financial burden on ratepayers. They advocate for improved physical security alongside advancements in cybersecurity to protect critical energy resources from growing threats.
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Rising Grid Attacks
- Attacks on the U.S. power grid are increasing, with 169 incidents reported last year.
- This represents a 74% rise and includes vandalism, sabotage, and copper theft.
Baltimore Plot
- A Maryland woman and Florida neo-Nazi plotted to attack Baltimore's power grid.
- They aimed to cause cascading failures and sow chaos, believing a few substation attacks would cripple the grid.
North Carolina Attack
- In North Carolina, 45,000 customers lost power after two substations were shot, requiring complete part replacements.
- No arrests have been made, and the motive remains unknown.