[null and void]

The pilot attack has already happened.

[wetgundog]

Several ways to destroy a transformer, you don’t have to spend too much time thinking about how.

[Zathras]

I used to ride bicycles around that substation.
Good point.
A 338 Lapua could take out much of Silicon Valley’s power grid.
Its not that strong on a good day.

[Balding_Eagle]

Author Lou Frenzel. Any relation to the inventor of the Frenzel lens?

[nascarnation]

Novice question for the experts.

Everybody talks about how long and painful it would be to procure new transformers.

How difficult is it to repair/reman the ones shot up?

[TheCipher]

Reminds me of an article Gordon Liddy wrote for Omni magazine back in 1989 ( about a quarter of the way down ):

Article

[yarddog]

I remember someone shooting transformers around where we lived back in the 60s. I don’t think they ever found the culprit but some guessed it was a fired supervisor.

[null and void]

Metcalf substation, of particular Silicon Valley interest?

[Jeff Chandler]

Have you ever seen how they transport one of those suckers? It's awesome.

I saw it once in Casa Grande, AZ (not the one in the pic, but it looked just like that with the multiple axles, etc.)

[Jeff Chandler]

This won’t be any big deal once they start printing them with 3D printers.

[onedoug]

Weather does not bother them....

Lightning sure took out the one on a power pole near us a few years back.

[Magnum44]

Huh?

[Red Badger]

It's pretty tough to kill a transformer..................

[Red Badger]

They are big and right out in the open. Weather does not bother them, but bullets do. They are the weak links in our power grid.

They are not the only weak link that's right out in the open.................

[Azeem]

Bring a Galvatron

[Kartographer]

I've been assured by any number of FReepers on other threads about these transformers that such an attack is impossible and wouldn't succeed in do more that knocking out the lights for a few hours at most.

They also go on that anyone who believes that such a attack would cause any serious damage to the grid either are fashion models for tinfoil hats or bed wetters.

[moovova]

You’re not supposed to shoot transformers?

...ruh roh...

[bert]

One tried and true way is to have your squirrel make contact with the uninsulated top wire connection.

A second is to have an osprey place his recently caught fish at the same location.

Snakes have been known to do it but they are much harder to train

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

Tesla wanted to send electricty from Niagara Falls to Europe without wires. Supposedly he knew how to do it. Problem was ‘metering’ so the ‘bankers’ could get paid. Does anyone know how he was going to do this, and why not do it now? Shazam! No Grid!

[Hugin]

I wonder how long before they can make transformers with a 3D printer?

[Cboldt]

I remember reading about this mode of infrastructure attack more than 10 years ago. This is not some bright new revelation.

There are also some vulnerable choke points in our goods transportation networks.