Free Republic

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) — The former head of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission believes the attack on a PG&E substation in South San Jose last spring was not an act of vandalism, but instead a terrorist attack. In April of last year, someone shot numerous rounds that damaged equipment at the Metcalf Road substation and also severed underground fiber optic cables nearby. In an interview Wednesday in the Wall Street Journal, former FERC chief Jon Wellinghoff called the attack ”the most significant incident of domestic terrorism involving the grid that has ever occurred.” Wellinghoff told the newspaper he’s going...

Damage to South Bay substation triggers power alert About 10,000 gallons of oil began leaking Tuesday morning from a transformer at a San Jose PG&E substation, which authorities said was vandalized, possibly damaged by gunfire. The damage prompted the California Independent Service Operator to issue a "Flex Alert" Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. for Silicon Valley because of the heavy damage at the substation on Metcalf Road. The agency asked everyone in Northern California, but especially in Silicon Valley, to conserve energy as crews are working to fix the substation's damaged equipment. Power is being rerouted as the work is being...

Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz County‘Suspicious’ men seen near PG&E substationPolice Sunday afternoon investigated a report of "suspicious" males, possibly of Middle Eastern descent, peering over the fence at a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. substation from the parking lot of Scotts Valley Fitness on Mount Hermon Road, officials said, but police found nothing suspicious upon their arrival.