Posted on 08/31/2013 12:44:22 PM PDT by LucyT
Power grid vulnerabilities are finally garnering some attention by government officials.
An electrical grid joint drill simulation is being planned in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Thousands of utility workers, FBI agents, anti-terrorism experts, governmental agencies, and more than 150 private businesses are involved in the November power grid drill.
The SHIELD Act, which is stalled in Congress, is the first serious piece of legislation in many years to attempt to address the vulnerabilities of the power grid in.
(Excerpt) Read more at offthegridnews.com ...
Just last week, Aunt Janet warned us in her farewell address that A massive and “serious” cyber attack on the U.S. homeland is coming, and a natural disaster — the likes of which the nation has never seen — is also likely on its way.
Come autumn, we may be in for a wild ride.
Was the outgoing Reich Security auntie knowingly warning us OR channeling her inner-Edgar Cayce?
These psy ops...er...I mean "stress-tests" are scheduled in order to create...er...I mean gauge panic.
*shock*
Wish we were wrong, Sarge.
You said: “This is a “drill” designed to: a) gauge the degree of panic of the general AND specific demos of the populace b) gauge the degree of murder, mayhem, and chaos c) gauge the ability of the Reich Forces to organize and contain the sheeple and chaos d) tag “hot-spots” of independent power sources and “rebel opposition” e) play Psy Op with the serfs. f) declare ‘Martial Law’ in certain places.”
USS Johnston, when they did the TV/radio test is when I bought a good Ham Radio receiver since Hussein can't control those.
As for the rest, I've been prepared to live without utility company power for a long time. I'm sorry other people are not prepared. I've done my best to alert them and provide information how to do it and not break the bank.
How many years did it take to stop Hitler? That took a war - will our country go to war against Hussein and his army - whatever he thinks his army is?
I'm not looking forward to his November drill. We are in uncharted waters - no one except Hussein and his close cult knows what is coming.
Not quite, Sailor.
I wish I was MORE RIGHT.
I wish I had a better crystal ball with which to see what is about to come to pass, and warn others about how much time they have left.
As it is, I’m looking through a glass darkly.
Good observations. But are you suggesting this drill is necessary? How does a continental "drill" including the participation of Feebs and Reich Security remedy our shortcomings?
Since the beginning of this year alone, my power has gone out several times, probably about 6 to 8 times, anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours at a time. And none of these power outages have been as a result of wind or lightning strikes but from transformer and other local utility company equipment failures.
One morning earlier in the year I heard the bang of the transformer exploding nearby and was without power for several hours, then the power came back on for about 20 minutes and then went back out for a couple of more hours. According to MetEd, the cause of the first outage was that a transformer failed and the cause of the second was that another transform up the line got overheated and caught fire because of the re-routing of power due to the 1st outage and also set a nearby tree on fire closing the road for about an hour.
During the last big 100 degree heat wave, a transformer, I think at the very same place as the one before, exploded, I heard the bang. The power came back on a few minutes later but only minimally, i.e. it was a brown out and even worse, it kept surging up and down, and with barely enough electricity to power the light bulbs and not enough power to keep my fridge or AC running – I unplugged the TV and computer and the AC unit off to prevent any damage due to the power fluctuations. Then a few days later, without the power ever going completely out, the same thing happened – brown out – no TV, no AC, no microwave, compressor in the fridge wouldn’t come on, heck even the little table top fan wasn’t getting enough juice to turn the blades and the lights were so dim that I got more light from burning candles. This lasted about five hours.
Just last Wednesday morning I lost power again for about four hours, the cause according to MetEd; “an equipment switching failure”.
I agree with bigbob in that our power grid infrastructure is aging and becoming increasing fragile. And when you look at what happened in Quebec in 1989, our power grid is vulnerable to solar storms. While such events are rare and the power grid failure in Quebec was mostly isolated to that area, it put a huge strain on the US power grid as it is interconnected.
In a cascade effect, U.S. utility companies found themselves dealing with problems of their own. Across the United States more than 200 power grid problems erupted within minutes of the start of the outage, although fortunately none caused a blackout.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2012/07/15/SciTechTalk-When-the-sun-brought-darkness/UPI-62461342348260/#ixzz2dg37TXkS
Our power system is also increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks along with some commercial HVAC systems that depend on computer controls that allow remote access over unsecured networks.
My niece’s husband is a service manager for a commercial HVAC company that services retail stores, retirement communities, hospitals and even a coal power plant. He is able to remotely log into their HVAC control systems in order to monitor issues or make adjustments or assist an on-site technician. One day he showed me how lax some of these controls are. In one customer’s system the default user ID was “HVAC” and the password was “password”. In another system he was with very little trouble, able to gain access to their entire network because the HVAC system was not firewalled. One day while logging into the power plant’s HVAC system, he accidently found himself in their main network and in an area that appeared to contain power grid programs and controls. He immediately logged out and informed the plant manager of the security breech but said that it was scary to him that if he could get into this by accident, that a dedicated and only semi competent hacker could cut through their security like a hot knife through butter.
My understanding of this is a “simulated drill” and that no power systems will be taken off line at any time. But that what they will do is simulate what a massive power grid failure might look like, whether it is because of a solar storm or other natural disaster or a coordinated cyber attack. Power grid operators would benefit from such a simulation as it would help them understand what and what not to do to keep the power on for most and get it restored as quickly as possible and look for vulnerabilities.
While I understand the concern that this might be some sort of “drill for “evil” intents” some of you who are complaining about this drill are the very same ones who would loudly complain after a massive power grid failure, that the power companies and the government ignored the problem for years and didn’t prepare or train how to respond for such an event ahead of time.
As for the rest, I've been prepared to live without utility company power for a long time. I'm sorry other people are not prepared. I've done my best to alert them and provide information how to do it and not break the bank.
Excellent work on your contingency plan...and for helping out those who need a hand. A simple Ham Radio receiver is a great idea and tool. How simple are your independent power sources? I presume you've already rehearsed as a minimalist.
How many years did it take to stop Hitler? That took a war - will our country go to war against Hussein and his army - whatever he thinks his army is?
Point well taken, but patriotism and honor in High Places, and common sense in lower places seems to have been replaced by greed, stupidity and God-less insanity.
I’ve heard that from three sources already.
Someone I met said that after that exceedingly mild winter the year before, that it’s not the winter after (Last winter) but the second winter after that is the one to watch out for.
That will be this winter coming up.
I plan on being prepared. We live too far from stores and other conveniences to not be stocked up on food.
HE my not even be fully aware of what's coming.
I think they've vastly underestimated a good sized chuck of the population.
BTTT!
I wish I had a better crystal ball with which to see what is about to come to pass, and warn others about how much time they have left.
As it is, I’m looking through a glass darkly.
You're in top of the situation more than you think. If your eyes have seen and ears already heard the sentinel bell clanging, the End Game of a One World Government has already begun. I'd considered the glass "murky" yet clear enough to see what was planned during GW Bush's entire admin.
These coming "drills" have made intentions as clear as can be. In our face is how this regime rolls. This is akin to Germany, 1936 when the Nazis were moving the parts and props around and setting the stage. A similar situation could occur rapidly...yes, under the guise of "drills."
More folks than you can imagine are onto the Game (obviously mostly conservatives and libertarians.) Still some work to do if Hussein Inc. must execute The Plan by 2016. Again, the intent of these drills is as a probe to assess timing feasibility.
I presume many on the Left/Dems are more than prepared to accept living under a Totalitarian-lite regime -- just as long as the checks keep coming, TV lights up, the beer remains cold, and the fridge relatively full. The rest...not so much.
"Interesting times," indeed.
Equipment concerns are legit; Why weren't they a concern during GW's Admin? Or Bubba's? Suddenly NOW they're of utmost concern? the fact of the matter is, the motives and claims of a Regime that constantly lies and regards 50% of the citizenry are "domestic terrorists" are quite suspect.
Why can't this probing and testing of the grid be conducted via computerized projections and analyses? Or quietly on a local/regional scale? Why the sudden "emergency" exercises, aided by several fedgov LE that shut down the entire continent's power grid? What have we to do with Mexico? Why coincidentally must the cyber elements/system also be shut down?
While I understand the concern that this might be some sort of “drill for “evil” intents” some of you who are complaining about this drill are the very same ones who would loudly complain after a massive power grid failure, that the power companies and the government ignored the problem for years and didn’t prepare or train how to respond for such an event ahead of time.
No, I don't think you DO understand. Are power companies owned privately OR by the government? "Evil intent" is exactly how Hussein rolls. Neither he OR his minions give a rip about the North American power grid OR cyber elements -- unless it help them manipulate either source.
Ironic that much the same was said in pre-war Germany: "Oh, what has Adolph done? Well, he built the Autobahn, and the trains are running on time again..."
This is a slow boil for the frogs in the pot. I'm waiting to see what they do: will they cook and croak, or will they jump and live?
“How simple are your independent power sources? I presume you’ve already rehearsed as a minimalist.”
I don’t rehearse - I use my power sources every time a hurricane comes through here and takes out power. That was the reason I began to prepare in the first place. After Ike and power was out, I had a water source that would last, a TV that worked, a phone that worked, radios that worked with one that has TV stations on it to listen to, fans that worked, light to last for years, battery power for at least several years, numbers of ways to cook, food to last for a very long time, and security around my house. I wasn’t unduly inconvenienced.
It just takes an evaluation of what is important and how to reproduce it if outside sources aren’t there.
And, I might add, cans of Brussels Sprouts to spread around the outside of the house in case Zombies showed up. You see, no one likes Brussels Sprouts, not even Zombies, so they will go to another house - remember, you heard it here. Prepare with Brussels Sprouts. :o) :o)
Yep. the same quid pro quo deal that quiets the "noise" down. But what originally broke our back were those who trusted GW Bush by gladly trading freedom for "security" via a police state/Patriot Act and "War of Terror" that never addressed the illegal invasion.
This is a slow boil for the frogs in the pot. I'm waiting to see what they do: will they cook and croak, or will they jump and live?
We're all waiting...and waiting...and waiting for the US Constitution to work, and righteous politicians and patriots to do the right thing; that's part of the problem. ITMT, the water temp is starting to scald us.
Sshhh...ix-nay on the Brussel sprouts! Lol.
I don’t rehearse - I use my power sources every time a hurricane comes through here and takes out power. That was the reason I began to prepare in the first place. After Ike and power was out, I had a water source that would last, a TV that worked, a phone that worked, radios that worked with one that has TV stations on it to listen to...
Nicely done. I coulda/shoulda during Sandy :-(
When Sandy happened, I thought of what I had that could help those people. There was an elderly lady in a high rise and she had no water or food or light and had to go down many flights of stairs just to get water. I so wanted to be there to help her.
Normalcy bias is so strong, one thinks nothing will happen because everything is just fine now. Going through the aftermath of a hurricane will get your attention and many people store vital supplies AFTER their first one. They can't imagine it until they are in it.
That is the same thing that will happen if the grid goes down and it's too late to prepare AFTER it happens.
We are the victims of progress. Our parents and/or grandparents canned food all the time, we don't, we go buy it when we feel like it and it only lasts a few days - no problem, the store is not far away. Our parents/grandparents raised animals, they had hand fans but those were fans. They had a wood stove and a wood pile. We flip a switch for heat and turn on the gas or electric stove.
When I prepared, I took myself back to the days I spent in my grandmother's house with no electric power and they lived well. The majority of our population has never lived in those times so they can't draw from that experience to recreate it.
I hope you are in better condition with preps than you were before Sandy.
Concerns over the power grid and the aging electric infrastructure are nothing new and didn’t just come to “light” during this (as much as I hate it) administration.
The EMP Commission referenced in the article above was established pursuant to title XIV of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (as enacted into law by Public Law 106-398; 114 Stat. 1654A-345).
Accessible, abundant, and affordable electric power is one of the cornerstones of the U.S. economy. On February 6, 2003 President Bush highlighted the need to “...modernize our electric delivery system...for economic security...and for national security.” The U.S. Department of Energy is committed to leading a national effort to do this.
https://www.ferc.gov/eventcalendar/Files/20050608125055-grid-2030.pdf
Why can't this probing and testing of the grid be conducted via computerized projections and analyses? Or quietly on a local/regional scale? Why the sudden "emergency" exercises, aided by several fedgov LE that shut down the entire continent's power grid? What have we to do with Mexico? Why coincidentally must the cyber elements/system also be shut down?
Where are you getting that they are “shutting down the entire continent's power grid” or “that cyber elements/system (are) also being shut down?” A “simulation” is exactly what is being done and a similar drill was conducted by NERC in November of 2011. Do you recall the entire power grid shutting down in November of 2011?
http://www.nerc.com/pa/CI/CIPOutreach/Pages/GridEX.aspx
About NERC*
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation is a not-for-profit entity whose mission is to ensure the reliability of the Bulk-Power System in North America. NERC develops and enforces Reliability Standards; annually assesses seasonal and long-term reliability; monitors the Bulk-Power System through system awareness; and educates, trains and certifies industry personnel. As the electric reliability organization, NERC is subject to oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and is under similar obligations in Canada, as well as a portion of Baja California Norte, Mexico
http://www.nerc.com/AboutNERC/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.nerc.com/AboutNERC/keyplayers/Pages/default.aspx
No, I don't think you DO understand. Are power companies owned privately OR by the government?
No, I think you do not understand. While many local power generation and deliver companies are privately owned, they all feed into the larger grid. A large enough failure in one part of the grid, even if initially a localized event, can have a cascading effect on the rest of the grid. The 1989 solar storm that knocked out power in Quebec Canada per the article I posted, put a strain on the NE American power grid:
New York Power lost 150 megawatts the moment the Quebec power grid went down. The New England Power Pool lost 1,410 megawatts at about the same time. Service to 96 electrical utilities in New England was interrupted while other reserves of electrical power were brought online. Luckily, the U.S. had the power to spare at the time…but just barely. Across the United States from coast to coast, over 200 power grid problems erupted within minutes of the start of the March 13 storm. Fortunately none of these caused a blackout.
Like it or not, our power grid is interconnected to parts of Canada and parts of northern Mexico.
Also:
Q: Who owns the electric system?
A: Investor-owned utilities account for ownership of over 50% of net generation and almost 80% of transmission. Public-owned utilities and cooperatives, along with the Federal power agencies, account for approximately 25% of net generation and almost all of the remaining transmission. Independent power producers account for the remaining 25% of net generation.
Q: Who runs the grid?
A: There are many individuals involved in running the grid. There are generator operators and transmission owners. But from a system perspective, one of the most critical entities is the independent system operator or regional transmission organizations (ISOs and RTOs *). They monitor system loads and voltage profiles; operate transmission facilities and direct generation; define operating limits and develop contingency plans; and implement emergency procedures.
Reliability coordinators also play an essential role. For instance, NERC* (North American Electric Reliability Corporation) develops and enforces reliability standards; monitors the bulk power system; assesses future adequacy; audits owners, operators, and users for preparedness; and educates and trains industry personnel.
Q: How is electricity regulated?
A: The Federal government, through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, regulates interstate power sales and service. State governments, through their public utility commissions or equivalent, regulate retail electric service as well as facility planning and siting.
Q: What is a national corridor?
A: The Department of Energy has designated two National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (National Corridors) – the Mid-Atlantic Area National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor, and the Southwest Area National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor. These corridors include areas in two of the Nation's most populous regions with growing electricity congestion problems. The Department based its designations on data and analysis showing that persistent transmission congestion exists in these two areas.
Q: Are we connected to other countries?
A: The Northeast blackout of August 14, 2003 made the point clear – the North American electric system is interconnected. 8 U.S. states and 1 Canadian province were affected by this reliability event, with 50 million people without power and between $5-12 billion in lost economic activity.
U.S. trade in electric energy with Canada and Mexico is rising, bringing economic and reliability benefits to the United States and its trading partners. Within the Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability the electricity import/export team is responsible for authorizing the export of electric energy and the issuance of permits for the construction, connection, operation, and/or maintenance of electric transmission facilities at the international border.
http://energy.gov/oe/information-center/educational-resources/electricity-101#ppl1
(ISOs and RTOs *) http://www.isorto.org/site/c.jhKQIZPBImE/b.2604471/
http://www.isorto.org/site/c.jhKQIZPBImE/b.2603917/k.B00F/About.htm
"Evil intent" is exactly how Hussein rolls. Neither he OR his minions give a rip about the North American power grid OR cyber elements -- unless it help them manipulate either source.
While I do not trust Obama or his “minions” one wit I don’t think this drill is cause for any great concern or cause for large investments in bulk tin foil. For this to be a coordinated effort by Obama to shut down the power grid in order to, I don’t know – establish marshal law (?), there would have to be thousands of other people involved including employees of the local power companies, the regional transmission providers, and all LEO agencies and all the people involved in this drill. I’m justifiably paranoid at times but only when for justifiable reasons. This IMO is not one of them.
Again, if a solar storm or EMP attack or a coordinated cyber attack by Iran for instance, managed to shut down large portions or the entire power grid and the local power companies, the regional ISOs and RTOs, the local and the federal government were all left with their pants down around their ankles and totally unprepared for such an event, we’d all be screaming – “WHY NOT!” “Why didn’t they test systems for vulnerabilities and conduct simulations and drills to prepare for such?”
(link to the Free Republic thread)
There is NO reason for several fedgov LE agencies to be involved -- unless you find their participation in the "drill" benign as well?
As has been stated elsewhere:
"Whenever the government plans a 'drill' it means something 'totally unplanned and catastrophic' will occur. Boston Marathon Bombing happened during a 'drill,' 7/7 London bombing happened during a 'drill' and 9/11 happened during a nationwide 'drill.'”
The one has "Ooops, sorry for the chaos and anarchy" written all over it.
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