From: The Energy Collective
Jared Anderson
The suggestion that ISIS-related militants could team up with Mexican drug cartels to disable the US power grid for an extended period of time seems a bit alarmist, but worth noting, particularly in light of 2 recent substation attacks in California. US power grid vulnerability, be it from cyber attack or direct assault, has been widely reported and it appears steps are being taken to strengthen security, though threats certainly remain.
“Inadequate grid security, a porous U.S.-Mexico border, and fragile transmission systems make the electric grid a target for ISIS,” said Peter Pry, one of the nation’s leading experts on the grid, according to the Washington Examiner.
Experts quoted in the article claim that if the grid were down for a year 9 out of 10 Americans “would likely perish.” The likelihood of the entire power grid being down for a year seems rather low, but probably not impossible. Perhaps this is a case where using fear to spark action is warranted.
Founder and president of the Center for Security Policy Frank Gaffney called the potential crisis the “grid jihad,” during a press conference in Washington DC yesterday.
Leave a Reply