Possibly. Or actual security concerns, though I would think that there are some obvious weaknesses that a bad guy with explosives could exploit at this or many other dams.
I vote “cover up” until shown otherwise.
Coverup. Total. Absolute. No other explanation.
I know these people like cornbread. In another life, I cover local government for my own newsblog. I do my own “citizen reporting.” I know how they act.
If it were a security concern, they would have instituted the blackout back in February. Now, when the fault reports start coming in, its a big secret.
I don’t buy it for a minute, and no other reporter (there are still a few out there) will believe it either.