Posted on 02/07/2014 9:00:43 AM PST by 12th_Monkey
Shooters armed with assault rifles and some knowledge of electrical utilities have prompted new worries on the vulnerability of California's vast power grid.
A 2013 attack on an electric substation near San Jose that nearly knocked out Silicon Valley's power supply was initially downplayed as vandalism by Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the facility's owner. Gunfire from semiautomatic weapons did extensive damage to 17 transformers that sent grid operators scrambling to avoid a blackout.
But this week, a former top power regulator offered a far more ominous interpretation: The attack was terrorism, he said, and if circumstances had been just a little different, it could have been disastrous.
Jon Wellinghoff, who was chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission when the shooting took place, said that attack was clearly executed by well-trained individuals seeking to do significant damage to the area, and he fears it was a test run for an even larger assault.
"It would not be that hard to bring down the entire region west of the Rockies if you, in fact, had a coordinated attack like this against a number of substations," Wellinghoff said Thursday. "This [shooting] event shows there are people out there capable of such an attack."
Wellinghoff's warning about the incident at PG&E's Metcalf substation was reported this week by the Wall Street Journal, expanding on a December report by Foreign Policy magazine.
FBI officials said they are taking the shooting very seriously.
"Based on the information we have right now, we don't believe it's related to terrorism," said Peter Lee, an FBI spokesman in San Francisco. But, he added, "Until we understand the motives, we won't be 100% sure it's not terrorism."
Months after the shooting, the bureau has named no suspects.
Article at the link
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Where there’s a will, there’s a way
Probably, but this is about all the “how to” speculation that I want to do now. I’m not especially interested in getting a visit from DHS via an alert from the NSA.
I almost have to laugh, at these fools who don’t relize what a threat this is and especially those who don’t take it seriously because of its simplicity. Seems so many of you forgot what was accomplished with a few box knives and so plane tickets just not that long ago.
I’m more interested in figuring out how to make the GIF in post 8 my screen saver - but not a static jpg...the full-mo video....anybody know if that can be done?
The timing makes me think it was “youths.” They like high profile stuff, and knocking out silicon valley would be high profile.
Looking at that substation in more detail on Google maps, the upper part of the substation is the 500kV input section, the lower part is for local 230kV and less distribution. The 500/230kV step down transformers are just to the left of the “4” in the picture. The bad guys certainly picked the right one to do some real damage.
Could not have been an assault rifle! They found Russian short cases so just assumed it was an AK-47. It could have been a SKS or even one of those rare RUGER bolt action rifles in that caliber (I held one of those 24 years ago. Should have bought it).
Besides. AKs and SKS are illegal in Cali. They have a gun law!
“at least 5 minutes....”
I think I can do better than that.
See #44
.22 caliber would have been a better choice, quieter, and gives you more time to escape. You just need to make about twice as many holes for the same result.
Thank God this was done in April, when electricity usage is low.
Had it been done on a hot day in the summer, or a cold day in the winter, either early morning or late afternoon, when usage generally peaks, the transformers would have been running a lot hotter, and probably have blown.
The switch gear to turn them on and off generally receive their commands via telephone lines or microwave.
Knocking out this made it impossible for the control center to shut down the power to the transformers, it had to be done manually.
The alternative was to open the switches feeding the lines into the substation at the other end, which, not knowing the total situation, the control center operators may not want to do.
A roll of aluminum foil takes care of the microwave. Crooks have been doing that recently at convenience stores to take down the credit card verification system so they can make fraudulent purchases.
What I fear most, is that a few hundred of an enemy draining the cooling systems of transformers around the country simultaneously could put us in pre - electricity days in a few hours.
We would remain in that situation probably for several years.
Have you ever shot an AK?
Sure, an expert marksman wouldn't choose one for really long shots, like 600 yards or more.
They are very accurate out to 200 or so, which is more than enough for this purpose.
It could have been a Ruger Mini 30 which is legal in cali. They have no clue what firearm was used but they are still telling lies as if they have that knowledge.
LOL
Good point!
“HEY, NSA! I was simply attempting to tell you guys how to keep the bad guys from hurting us! I’m a good guy!”
Think that will work?
What I said was and is true. I have no intention of doing any damage to any of the power or water delivery systems. I am sure that I am not the only one, or even one of a very few who see this soft spot. If you add to that collapsing a couple of interstate bridges and rail bridges to slow way down the food/fuel supply and punch a hole in the natural gas pipeline you have just crippled a large city. With no water to drink or to flush your toilet, no power, very little fuel and food things will quickly be a big and potentially violent mess. Within two-three days many tens of thousands of people will be fleeing that mess in every direction they can causing cascading problems that will ripple out at least a hundred miles.
If you backtrack this story to when it first happened one of the reporting news agencies did some interviews that showed the Transformers that were damaged and explained that they were the ones that were readily accessible and easily/quickly replaceable. They then went on to pan the camera and show which other, larger, transformers on site would have taken the grid down for many weeks if the shooters had targeted them. I actually laughed. They showed them the proper targets to hit so there would be a much bigger and longer outage next time. How stupid can you get.
Anyone who understands Unconventional Warfare realized instantly that this was a terrorist act. I don't believe for an instant that our government LE agencies ever had any doubt. I find it interesting that about the same time that they finally admit it that the government is pushing out the seven Hubs that are said to be there to deal with the Glo bull warming situation. Since Glo Bull does not exist I'm wondering what and who they intend to control with these new, and I'm sure heavily armed, government installations. I also want to know exactly who will control this hub and who makes all the rules as to what they are allowed to do.
As matter of fact I have. Several, as well as many other rifle calibers including .223 ARs 308s, 260, 6.5 7MM, etc. However, at my current stage in life I now prefer bolt guns that do sub minute of angle at 100 yards. I have a few that can routinely do same hole at 100 yards and an inch to an inch and a half at 200. I am no marksman but I enjoy prairie dog shooting and no longer take a shot less than 300 yards.
In my personal experience, off all the semi auto rifles I have shot over the years the 7.62X39 AKs seemed to be the least accurate. I liked the SKS's better. If the perps were really into precision shooting they would not have used and AK. More likely they were ragheads on a budget or home grown idiots out to create an event, or perhaps someone with an agenda hoping to stir up the assault rifle hysteria again.
absolutely. Requires almost no training, point and click interface
Pointing out weaknesses rips the cozy feeling from some. It’s would take very little planning to induce a collapse in even a medium sized city. The “better angels of our nature” would soon fly away as survival of the fittest takes over.
Thank you for your explanation re ordinance.
What concerns me is the date this happened is over 10 months ago and if there were an article in the paper or on the telly, I missed it.
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