There are 9 substations around the region that if all taken out simultaneously would take down the entire NE grid. Substations like the one in LA are basically totally accessible so it could be done with firepower but cyber hacking is likely the way it will happen. Our power grid is very vulnerable. Anytime somebody tells you it cannot be hacked it just hasn’t happened yet.
Way more than 9 substations. My utility alone has almost double that.
As far as hacking a way into the grid, my utility has nothing in scada land connected to the internet. Even with the access I have it’s damn near impossible to get into the systems for scheduled maintenance.
I’m not going to disclose how we hardened the systems on an open forum, sufficed to say we get both state and federal audits frequently that are no joke.
I agree however, I can’t speak of other utilities and their current progress on becoming CIP compliant. Until they are CIP compliant they are at risk.