A Call to Regulators: Do More to Protect Electricity Infrastructure

America’s electricity infrastructure is vulnerable to physical attack. And while federal regulators have known this for years, they’ve been slow to compel security upgrades.

1 minute read

March 17, 2014, 12:00 PM PDT

By Anna Bergren Miller @abergrenmiller

A confidential Federal Energy Regulatory Commission report disclosed in the Wall Street Journal last week revealed that a coordinated attack on as few as nine specific substations could cause coast-to-coast blackouts. Yet FERC hadn’t updated its rules concerning physical security until last month, when the news media reported on an April 2013 shooting attack on 17 California substations.

“[T]he commission’s efforts to improve security is a welcome development,” the Los Angeles Times editorial board writes. “but as part of that work, FERC should also address the frightening challenges posed by the grid’s reliance on custom-fitted equipment that can take months, if not years, to replace.”

FULL STORY: What if all the lights go out?

Sunday, March 16, 2014 in Los Angeles Times

Infrastructure Technology United States Electricity Substations Transformers FERC Regulation Federal Government Power Grid Blackouts View More

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.