Electrical grid security in the United States involves the physical and

cybersecurity Computer security, cybersecurity (cyber security), or information technology security (IT security) is the protection of computer systems and networks from attack by malicious actors that may result in unauthorized information disclosure, the ...

of the United States

electrical grid An electrical grid is an interconnected network for electricity delivery from producers to consumers. Electrical grids vary in size and can cover whole countries or continents. It consists of:Kaplan, S. M. (2009). Smart Grid. Electrical Power ...

. From the 2000s through to the 2020s, the security of the U.S. electrical grid has come into question. Government officials have expressed concern with the possibility of violent extremists and agents of foreign states attacking the nation's

. Cybersecurity is also an issue for

electric grid security Electric grid security in the US refer to the activities that utilities, regulators, and other stakeholders play in securing the national electricity grid. The American electrical grid is going through one of the largest changes in its history, whic ...

in the United States with financially motivated crimes being more common than terrorist ones.

Overview

In the 2010s and 2020s, attacks to the United States electrical grid have become more frequent, with 2022 being the year with the most attacks. Since 2014, vandalism and confirmed or suspected physical attacks on electrical grid infrastructure have also been the second-largest cause of electrical disturbance events. In 2012, the

National Research Council National Research Council may refer to: * National Research Council (Canada), sponsoring research and development * National Research Council (Italy), scientific and technological research, Rome * National Research Council (United States), part of ...

of the

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (also known as NASEM or the National Academies) are the collective scientific national academy of the United States. The name is used interchangeably in two senses: (1) as an umbrell ...

published a declassified report prepared in 2007 for the

Department of Homeland Security The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...

that highlighted the vulnerability of the national electric grid from damage to high voltage transformers. In October 2022, the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...

published a report that described an increase in reported threats to critical infrastructure from people who espouse "racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist ideology", with an aim of creating civil disorder and inspiring further violence. In a report concerning extremist threats, the Department of Homeland Security made note of a Telegram document that gave instructions for low-tech

sabotage Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. One who engages in sabotage is a ''saboteur''. Saboteurs typically try to conceal their identitie ...

, including attacks on electrical power stations with rifles. The document circulated among online

white nationalist White nationalism is a type of racial nationalism or pan-nationalism which espouses the belief that white people are a raceHeidi Beirich and Kevin Hicks. "Chapter 7: White nationalism in America". In Perry, Barbara. ''Hate Crimes''. Greenwoo ...

communities, which advocate the toppling of the U.S. government. The threat of potential electrical grid cyberattacks by foreign states such as

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

has also been area of concern for electrical grid security.

Incidents

1975

California

In March and April of 1975, a "closely guarded"

Pacific Gas and Electric The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is an American investor-owned utility (IOU). The company is headquartered in the Pacific Gas & Electric Building, in San Francisco, California. PG&E provides natural gas and electricity to 5.2 milli ...

substation was bombed twice in two separate incidents, knocking out power to more than 22,000 customers. The

New World Liberation Front New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

(NWLF) took credit for these attacks.

Washington

On 31 December 1975, an electrical substation in Seattle, Washington was bombed by the

George Jackson Brigade The George Jackson Brigade was a revolutionary group founded in the mid-1970s, based in Seattle, Washington, and named after George Jackson, a dissident prisoner and Black Panther member shot and killed during an alleged escape attempt at San Q ...

2013

Arkansas

Multiple attacks on electrical infrastructure were carried out by Jason Woodring in Central Arkansas between August and October 2013. Woodring attacked power lines and an electrical tower near Cabot, a switching station in Scott, and power lines and poles in Jacksonville.

Metcalf, California

2016

Utah

In 2016 a Utah man attacked a substation with a rifle. He was convicted and sentenced to federal prison. Court document indicated that he had planned to attack other stations as well.

2022

Jones County, NC

On November 11, 2022, an electrical distribution substation belonging to Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative in

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

was damaged by vandals. The damage resulted in the loss of electrical power to more than 12,000 residents.

Washington and Oregon

At least six attacks were carried out against electrical infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest in late November, 2022. Two of the incidents involved firearms.

Moore County, NC

Pierce County, WA

Four power substations in the

Tacoma, Washington Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, Washington, Olympia, and northwest of Mount ...

area were vandalized on the morning of December 25, 2022. At one point, over 14,000 were without power. The damage has been estimated at $3 million to repair, and is expected to take up to three years to complete. Two men with previous criminal records of thefts were arrested on January 3, with the reported motive being to cut the power to serve as part of a wider plan to burglarize several businesses in the area.

References

{{Reflist, refs= {{cite web , url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/02/05/272015606/sniper-attack-on-calif-power-station-raises-terrorism-fears , title=Sniper Attack On Calif. Power Station Raises Terrorism Fears , publisher=NPR , date=February 5, 2014 {{Cite news, url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/hacking-the-electric-grid-is-damned-hard/, title=Hacking The Electric Grid Is Damned Hard, last=Koerth-Baker, first=Maggie, date=2018-08-13, work=FiveThirtyEight, access-date=2018-08-13, language=en-US Attacks on electrical infrastructure in the United States Acts of sabotage Power outages in the United States Unsolved crimes in the United States