Electrical grid attacks

[Don M.]

I think I've seen a prior thread on this subject, but this issue needs some serious actions by our power companies and government. There have been some attacks against power substations in recent weeks....probably committed by "extremists". As dependent our society is on electrical power, we cannot afford to allow these attacks to continue. If these lunatics continue to act, they could easily destroy the basics of our society, if they manage to bring down the power for millions of people.
Parts of Texas saw what Nature can do, last year, and Russia has the capability to bring our grid to its knees. The collapse of major parts of our grid would make Covid seem like a minor problem. All we need to do is observe what the people of Ukraine are going through.....and recognize that stupid actions by those who attack our grid could put millions of us in a similar situation.
Hopefully, these recent attacks will get the nations attention, before we return to living in the Dark Ages.

 

[hearlady]

Its amazing to me that the grid is so vunerable. Is this 1982?
I see how naive I've been on this subject!

 

[Happyflowerlady]

There were four more substations sabotaged over Christmas weekend in Western Washington. the attacks were near Seattle and Tacoma and put thousands of people out of power at a time when it was already freezing almost everywhere in that area.

https://lynnwoodtimes.com/2022/12/26/power-substations-sabotaged-221226/

 

[SeniorBen]

Perhaps we should bring back public floggings as punishment.

 

[Mike]

Why is this happening and who is doing it?

I thought that the USA has a home guard regiment scattered
all through the country, what are they for, I wonder.

Mike.

 

[jimintoronto]

Why is this happening and who is doing it?

I thought that the USA has a home guard regiment scattered
all through the country, what are they for, I wonder.

Mike.

Mike. You are joking, right ? The United States has more than 18,0000 Police agencies in the 50 States. Some are national in scope, others are limited to one State, and MANY are small local departments with as few as 6 officers in it. There is NO such thing in the USA as a "home guard regiment " . You are mistaken about that. There are part time military units that train 2 week ends a month. The full time US Army is legally prevented from performing Police duties with in the country. The Reserve can be mobilized but that requires special permission to do so.

Local Police in this particular situation in Washington State are the ones who will investigate the sabotage, probably with the assistance of the F B I . The electrical grid is vulnerable to attack. That is a known fact. The electrical grid in your country IS ALSO vulnerable to such attacks. All it takes is one person with a rifle to shoot at the connectors at a main transformer station, to disrupt the system. No need to cut fences or enter the property. Throwing a metal chain across a high power transmission line will do the same thing.

Before anyone on here gets their panties in a bunch......The things that I have mentioned here are NOT secrets, they are commonly known facts/tactics , from what are called "open sources " . JimB.

 

[WhatInThe]

One of the Washington State attacks was to cover up for a burglary to steal a cash register.

https://www.kiro7.com/news/south-so...ility-substations/GPL4RPGKFBGZBGSWPZU37WKGO4/

Not a caper to steal a a couple million dollars in cash or jewels but a cash register. Not a plot to over throw the US but to steal a cash register like a 2 bit junky.

 

[Myrtle]

Maybe these guys will win the dumbest criminals of the year award.

 

[Jean-Paul]

Bonjour à tous, utilities are the easiest points of attack, ground kenetic, air drone, and in cyberspace as they are most neglected for monitoring and defense.

For an easy example, substations can be hardened with 12' high solid walls, rather then easily cut chain link. But, Who will pay for this added security?

Sécurité Responsablltiy rests with your local utility company, not the US gov or police.
(Police protection is not defensive but after an incident).

Finally the repair, design and devices becomes slower, and less and less available. The old experienced utility engineers and workers have retired. Our century old US heavy electrical manufacturers offshored to China or exited the business decades ago.... General Electric, Westinghouse,...long gone.

As utility transformers, breakers, controls, protectors, switches are huge, customized, non stock, and hard to transport, the time to repair or replace stretched 6..36 months ARO.

As a retired EE, I can testify that entire USA (and EU, UK) electrical utility industry is very concerned.

For an idea of the equipment and tools, the excellent T&D World magazine, for transmission and distribution (T&D).

https://www.tdworld.com/

Bon courage
Jon

 

[Disgustedman]

Guess no one heard about the solar farm attack.

Media Blackout Over Terror Incident At Vegas Power Plant

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/media-blackout-over-terror-incident-vegas-power-plant

 

[WhatInThe]

Guess no one heard about the solar farm attack.

Media Blackout Over Terror Incident At Vegas Power Plant

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/media-blackout-over-terror-incident-vegas-power-plant

This wasn't some idiot taking pot shots either he rammed a car through the fence and lit his car on fire. 2 laptops and iphone were also found. Said he did it for the future. Also note this was a solar plant so he can't even claim clean energy.

 

[Jules]

There isn’t much media coverage on any of these events. Fear of copycats maybe?

 

[WhatInThe]

There isn’t much media coverage on any of these events. Fear of copycats maybe?

Partly and until they know otherwise local press will report these as vandalism or an incident.

Transformers do catch fire on occasion especially on polices but these recent 'fires' are on the ground transformers.