Terrorist Threat To U.S. Power Grid Grows

Investor's Business Daily ^ | Feb. 7, 2014 | IBD

[raptor22]

War On Terror: New information about a sniper assault on Silicon Valley's phone lines and power grid has raised fears that the nation's power grid is vulnerable to terrorism.

The prospect that the unsolved attack on an electrical substation near San Jose just hours after the Boston Marathon bombing in April could have been a terrorist act was raised anew last week by Jon Wellinghoff, former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

"This is the most sophisticated and extensive attack that's ever occurred on the grid to my knowledge," he told the Associated Press, contradicting FBI denials that terrorism was involved. "I don't know what the definition of terrorism is other than when an extremely well-trained group attacks a major piece of infrastructure in an expertly planned attack."

Wellinghoff also mused recently that the attack might have been a dress rehearsal for a more widespread attack on a national grid vulnerable to disruption. "There are ways that a very few number of actors with very rudimentary equipment could take down large portions of our grid," he told Foreign Policy. "I don't think we have the level of physical security we need."

An attack by intruders with guns and rifles could be just as devastating as any cyberattack, he said.

The April 16, 2013, attack on Pacific Gas & Electric's Metcalf transmission substation attack began when intruders lifted heavy manhole covers at about 1:30 a.m. in two places on Monterey Highway, south of San Jose, climbed under the road and cut AT&T fiber-optic cables, temporarily knocking out phone service.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that in just 19 minutes, gunmen fired more than 100 rounds into substation equipment, disabling 17 of 20 big transformers, causing about $16 million in damage.

[Dick Bachert]

It’s a low tech/high value action just like the TORCHINGS of the tinder dry, Santa Ana wind driven fires on the left coast.
I just hope the bastards confine their activities to the areas of the country that have EARNED the honor by electing progs and p*****s to office!

[evaporation-plus]

I read that they found AK 47 shell casings. It seems they hit the targets they were aiming for and left. They knew what they were doing.

[digger48]

Does plinking at 500 foot tall Wind Turbines with a 30-06 count?

[McGruff]

Electicity is the devils work.

[Steely Tom]

It seems they hit the targets they were aiming for and left.

Yeah, and I would imagine it's a little hard to get ballistics info off a round that's gone through a piece of steel.

[Dick Bachert]

Not if it saves ONE EAGLE!

This message brought to you by PETA.

[digger48]

We just recorded the first 2 pairs of nesting Bald Eagles in our area in a century. Also in the migration path of Sandhill and Whooping Cranes.

And the Greenies from Big Blow want to build thousands of Avian Cuisinarts around here.

[goodnesswins]

Oh, but we must “invest” in Welfare, EITC, food stamps, unemployment, disability payments, etc!!! FIRST.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Jumper cables leading from the 20,000 volt transformer to the doorknob of the facility should secure it quite nicely.

[Socon-Econ]

There is no excuse for the media’s having kept this event out of the news for so long.

[Polynikes]

” how would they know that's where the power station's phone service was located? Is that just public domain information?”

Not generally. The shooter/shooters exhibited detailed knowledge of the stations communications and surveillance network. That would be more indicative of an ex-PGE or a PO’ed current employee with a grievance than a “terrorist” action.

Think “Cui Bono” regarding beating the terrorism drum. It sells papers,helps grant writing for surplus DOD equipment etc.

[BenLurkin]

I wonder how things would go if 100 attacks like that occurred simultaneously.

Hopefully that will take place -- if for some reason the statists finally decide to use their much longed-for phone/net "kill switch."

[sten]

100x 2-man teams could take out all our power stations in a single 20 minute coordinated attack. replacing those quicky would be near impossible. the net effect would be similar to an emp strike

thx 0bama

[GOPJ]

...has raised fears that the nation's power grid is vulnerable to terrorism.

Doesn't matter.

"Homeland Insecurity" cares about real things - like are the illegals who break into our country being treated with great kindness. And is the welcome mat for drug gangs large enough. You know the important stuff...

[Buckeye McFrog]

I read somewhere that 80% of these transformers are made in Germany and it would take many months just to build enough replacements.

[raptor22]

WAR ON TERROR PING

[sten]

yup. that’s the issue

[muleskinner]

1/4" High Hard steel plate mounted properly will protect the electrical equipment from 7.62mm and .308 cartridges and below at close range....the same plate used on MRAPs and Hummers.

This is a cheap and easy fix.

There are many simple, cheap ballistic solutions available to defeat guys taking pot shots at transformers with anything up to an including Barrett .50's. Beyond that, it begins to get somewhat more involved.

[muleskinner]

After 911, the F.B.I. released information on the location of the various Muslim terror groups in the U.S.

There are several terrorist affiliated groups known to exist in the San Jose/Santa Clara/Silicon Valley area.

[telstar12.5]

it’s the transformer cooling fins that are the vulnerable part, not the transformer shell

(oooppps, DHS, can I say that? it’s o.k.? thanks!!)