Government Agency Warns If 9 Substations Are Destroyed, The Power Grid Could Be Down For 18 Months

ZeroHedge ^ | 03/19/2014 20:49 -0400 | Michael Snyder of The Economic Collapse blog

[aMorePerfectUnion]

What would you do if the Internet or the power grid went down for over a year? Our key infrastructure, including the Internet and the power grid, is far more vulnerable than most people would dare to imagine. These days, most people simply take for granted that the lights will always be on and that the Internet will always function properly. But what if all that changed someday in the blink of an eye? According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's latest report, all it would take to plunge the entire nation into darkness for more than a year would be to knock out a transformer manufacturer and just 9 of our 55,000 electrical substations on a really hot summer day. The reality of the matter is that our power grid is in desperate need of updating, and there is very little or no physical security at most of these substations.

[The Great RJ]

I had a 40 minute power outage in February when temperatures were in the single digits and was amazed how quickly my home became uncomfortably cold. I also realized that all I could do was sit in the dark and listen to my battery radio. I can’t imagine how an extended blackout would bring everything to a halt.

[Vendome]

Camping for 18 months?

Yeah, I could do that.

[Black Agnes]

So, let’s give them a how to...

[Black Agnes]

We no longer have the capability, domestically, to build the largest transformers. Those are made in China with an approximate 18m lead time.

Assuming the Chicoms didn’t arrange our power outage to begin with and are amenable to accepting our dollars at that point. Dollars that might be worthless in the event of a grid down...

[kiryandil]

Down for 18 months?

Well, at least our political Lords & Masters have made sure our petroleum products will only keep stable for 6-12 months, if we're lucky.

If I didn't know better, I'd call their degradation of the general fuel supply intentional.

Oh, wait...

[GeronL]

Was there a helpful map showing which ones

[meatloaf]

That part about the transformer manufacturer doesn't make sense. There was another report that analyzed the effects of an EMP or another Carrington Event. That would likely damage the main transformers at power stations that connect the gernerators to the switch yards. Those are big and long lead items. To my knowledge the only plant in North America that builds them belongs to ABB. that plant is located in Canada. The Westinghouse plant that used to build them in Muncie was closed. There are several plants that build substation sized transformers. Of course, I may be confused. This is a picture of one of the main transformers destined for a power plant. The one shown someplace in Europe is being transported by a Schnabel Car. The same rail cars are used for that in this country. That's another problem. There aren't many of those cars in North America.

[PAR35]

I’m calling BS on the FERC. Some areas might be down for a substantial time, but if the damaged portions of the grid were isolated, the rest of it could be brought back up fairly quickly.

It doesn’t impact me one way or the other, however, since I’m in the part of Texas where the grid isn’t interconnected with the rest of the world.

[TRY ONE]

But.....If Illegals lose power to their Tee-pee, then the Feds will issue portable generators immediately! Don't want the illegals not to be able to keep their HusseinPhones all charged up!

[a fool in paradise]

What would you do if the Internet or the power grid went down for over a year?

I'd use carrier pigeons to tell my friends what I was eating right then and there.

[ansel12]

I had a 40 minute power outage in February when temperatures were in the single digits and was amazed how quickly my home became uncomfortably cold. I also realized that all I could do was sit in the dark and listen to my battery radio.

You read sitting on the couch inside your sleeping bag, with a blanket inside of it to make it easier to stay warm while using your hands and arms to read and adjust things.

The problem with sustained cold, is that eventually you need some outside warmth, and if you are on a poor diet, then man it really starts getting to you.

[Robwin]

This would totally suck. If it happens I would have to post on here in the dark.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Why don't they just draw a map for the terrorists to use?

[ForYourChildren]

I worked in the utility industry and have been in a number of substations. Those transformers are huge. While I am not the transformer expert I remember people saying that they are built to order and take about 9 months or more to build, then there would be the installation and testing.

[aumrl]

#24
are you sure GE in Ny doesn’t still make transf?
And how about Sweden?

[jeffc]

Well why don’t we just tell them (terrorists)what 9 locations would be the best and be done with it!

Exactly my first thought. Then I thought, maybe that's what Obammy is trying to do so he can declare martial law and do away with elections, rule of law... you know, things that hamper his way to the crown.

[jimmyray]

QUOTE: We no longer have the capability, domestically, to build the largest transformers.

Not sure where you got that information, but Hammond Power Systems in Wisconsin does, and exports world wide. There is also GE, Siemens, Alstom, to name a few that have manufacturing capabilities worldwide.

Granted, power might be down for a few days, maybe weeks, which is disastrous no doubt, but 18 months? No way.

[jimmyray]

QUOTE: ...9 months or more to build...

No way. 9 months lead time, perhaps, but a couple of weeks to build. Most of that 9 months is non value added queuing time.

[ForYourChildren]

In some situations, FERC may be correct. Remember the recent rolling blackout in SouthWest. Someone pushed a wrong button in a substation, and the whole Southwest went out. Including the nuclear power plant shutdown, San Onofre.

There are new technologies “wide area measurement” based on synchrophasor technology which are being implemented to help quickly identify and segment off portions of the grid and limit the affected area of a blackout.

[dfwgator]

You hear that, terrorists?