What most people fail to remember is that most of our electrical power transformers are no longer manufactured in quantity in this country.
Our own domestic production of electrical transformers is woefully inadequate to our needs.
ONLY seven percent (7%) are manufactured domestically :
(source: U.S Dept. of Energy (https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/04/f15/LPTStudyUpdate-040914.pdf)
Most of our electrical transformers are manufactured in China (the industry exported to China years ago due to lower manufacturing and fabrication expenses).
Even then, most transformers are pre-ordered prior to 'need', and they are already on "back order" lists.
And now, consider which country props up the Norks economically, food supplies, transportation, and fuel (oil and coal).
When Washington talks about imposing a duty tax on all Chinese goods due to a trade debt/imbalance, how do you think China will respond ?
Unfortunately, we are more dependent on China to maintain our electrical supply than we should be.
This is part of the national conundrum regarding North Korea.
William R Forstchen's book :" One Second After ", and the subsequent book, "One Year After" should be in every preppers library for what might/ could occur.
So many offshoots to this scenario. None of them good.
“What most people fail to remember is that most of our electrical power transformers are no longer manufactured in quantity in this country.”
Not only is the transformer manufacturing base limited in the US; but they are built to order for size requirements, and take forever to get manufactured, shipped, and installed.
“LARGE POWER TRANSFORMERS AND THE U.S. ELECTRIC GRID”
https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/Large%20Power%20Transformer%20Study%20-%20June%202012_0.pdf
Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration
Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability
U.S. Department of Energy
“this lead time could extend beyond 20 months and up to five years in extreme cases if the manufacturer has difficulties obtaining any key inputs, such as bushings and other key raw materials, or if considerable new engineering is needed.”