Lights out: House plan would protect nation's electricity from solar flare, nuclear bomb

Washington Examiner ^ | JUNE 17, 2013 | 6:45 PM | PAUL BEDARD

[BenLurkin]

Amid growing fears of a massive electromagnetic pulse hit from either a solar flare or a terrorist nuclear bomb, House Republicans on Tuesday will unveil a plan to save the nation's electric grid from an attack that could mean lights out for 300 million Americans.

Dubbed the Secure High-voltage Infrastructure for Electricity from Lethal Damage Act, the legislation would push the federal government to install grid-saving devices such as surge protectors to protect against an attack.

"It is critical that we protect our major transformers from cascading destruction. The Shield Act encourages industry to develop standards necessary to protect our electric infrastructure against both natural and man-made EMP events," said Rep. Trent Franks, the Arizona Republican who is offering up the bipartisan bill.

Electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, has come into focus because of fears the sun is pushing out unusually big solar flares that can disrupt the electric grid. Defense officials are also worried about a terrorist attack, possibly in the form of a small nuclear bomb exploded overhead.

[CodeToad]

Hunch? That’s a straight up conclusion, my FRiend. Someone has figured out how to capitalize on this EMP nonsense and has the ear of a congress critters.

[Black Agnes]

Fortunately, based on past performance we can conclude that this equipment will not only not work as designed, may in fact cause fires (Karmas burning in newark parking lot were spectacular addition to Sandy damage!) and other unforseen injuries and damages.

Joy. Bliss.

(Hide!)

[upchuck]

More info on EMP:

Check this on Wikipedia.

Read this book: One Second After. Chilling.

This is a war that will be over, literally, in one second. And we'll be the losers.

[NVDave]

I dunno about you, but I have that pained, constipated look on my face as I mouth the words:

“Aw Jeez... not this *&^^ again!”

I’m starting to think of running for Congress, just so I can be the only engineer in the House.

When legislation like this would come up, I’d have a pre-planned minute speech to give:

“All of you with liberal arts degrees... shut the *&*&^ up. Sit down. You’re too stupid to do anything constructive about this issue, or even understand this issue. Please, in the name of all that does not suck, shut up.”

How do you think that would look on C-SPAN?

[Steve_Seattle]

This is long overdue, and I hope it gets some legs and passes. But I’m afraid that too many legislators don’t take this issue seriously, just like they don’t take any security issue seriously until something horrible happens.

[Steve_Seattle]

"To be bought and paid for by your “skyrocketing” utility bills."

This is something worth paying for. Actually, my water and electric bills are very reasonable. The two combined are about half as much as my Comcast bill for my TV and computer.

[thackney]

This is long overdue, and I hope it gets some legs and passes.

This bill would help strengthen the grid in the same way Obamacare improved our health care.

Don't encourage politicians to make technology decision about which they don't understand. All it will do is cost money, make no improvements and likely cause more problems.

All significant High-Voltage Transmission Lines, High Voltage Transformers and associate Substation ALREADY have surge suppressors on them.

[Steve_Seattle]

"They, who? And what, exactly, needs to be done?"

This is a legitimate national security issue - the power grid needs to be protected. I don't know the details of the legislation, but I'm guessing it provides some federal funds to assist local governments in hardening the electric grid. This is a real governmental responsibility, not some unwarranted intrusion into our privacy or some nanny-state scheme. An EMP attack or powerful solar flare could send this country back to the 18th century for more than a decade, and very few are prepared for that. And those who think they are prepared probably aren't nearly as prepared as they think they are.

[Steve_Seattle]

"This is a war that will be over, literally, in one second. And we'll be the losers."

I'm glad that at least someone on this thread is taking this seriously.

[Zathras]

Can we please stop wasting $$$ on pointless efforts.
Only a high yield nuclear warhead detonated high in the atmosphere would generate a large enough EMP to do sizeable damage.

If that happened, we are in WWIII so we might as well save the 1T$ it would cost to upgrade.

[thackney]

I don't know the details of the legislation, but I'm guessing it provides some federal funds to assist local governments

Neither does the Federal or local governments know the details either. Why do you want them making the decisions?

[CodeToad]

“assist local governments in hardening the electric grid. “

“. An EMP attack or powerful solar flare could send this country back to the 18th century for more than a decade,”

Didn’t know local government owned the electrical grid. Are you claiming we should turn communist and “nationalize” power distribution? Are you a communist?

Are you an electrical engineer? Do you even have a clue what you are talking about? Do you get your information from other idiots on other web sites that simply repeat such nonsense often enough that you all know believe it? Do you also believe in the tooth fairy, Santa Claus, and global warming? How about that “ozone hole” everyone claimed we just had to ban fluorocarbons or else we were all going to die yet that ozone hole is still there even after banning “man-made ozone killers”?

[Patriot365]

I just want my lightbulbs back that were stolen from me by a republican president, senate and house!

[Steve_Seattle]

Didn’t know local government owned the electrical grid. Are you claiming we should turn communist and “nationalize” power distribution? Are you a communist? "Are you an electrical engineer? Do you even have a clue what you are talking about? Do you get your information from other idiots on other web sites that simply repeat such nonsense often enough that you all know believe it? Do you also believe in the tooth fairy, Santa Claus, and global warming? How about that “ozone hole” everyone claimed we just had to ban fluorocarbons or else we were all going to die yet that ozone hole is still there even after banning “man-made ozone killers”?"

In Seattle, the electrical grid is maintained by a public utility. We have three dams which generate the electric power for the region, and these are owned by the city of Seattle. I assume similar arrangements prevail elsewhere around the country, and there are federal laws (FERC)applicable to electric utilities.

No, I am not an electrical engineer (are you?), but I have been following this topic for some time and it is a fact that those who ARE experts in the field are concerned about this issue and support doing something about it.

It is asinine to compare this issue to believing in the tooth fairy or Santa Claus. This issue is based on hard science. Google "EMP attack" and it will lead you to the research.

And, no, I am not a communist. Believing in a national highway system and a coordinated electric grid does not make one a communist.

[Steve_Seattle]

"Neither does the Federal or local governments know the details either. Why do you want them making the decisions?"

The nation's electrical utilities are typically owned by local governments, so - yes - they do know the details - they are the ones running the systems. This is one thing that government actually does pretty well. Who else should be making the decisions - people like you who obviously don't know anything about it?

[CodeToad]

“are you? “

Yes, that’s why I am NOT concerned about the grid. I am also an expert in EMP effects and am not concerned there, either. I know you internet experts all believe what you tell each other but your knowledge of such things is laughable to point of being childish and believing in global warming or the Easter Bunny. In fact, the basis of belief in EMP is identical to the beliefs in global warming: Everyone says it so it must be true. “Experts” are quoted. “Facts” are passed around. And we are all going to die if we don’t address the “issue”.

[thackney]

The nation's electrical utilities are typically owned by local governments

While a few are this way, most are not.

so - yes - they do know the details - they are the ones running the systems.

No. Even in a municipal utility, the elected officials, the ones that would decide the content of the regulations and make them law, do NOT know the details.

Can you name a single elected official you have voted for in the past that does know this level of detail?

This is one thing that government actually does pretty well.

Can you give me an example where they have done this well in the past.

people like you who obviously don't know anything about it?

I'm an Electrical Engineer, specialized in power. I started my career working in electric utilities but was bored to death. I moved to design electrical power systems, mostly for the oil/gas/petrochem industry. I've helped specify, purchase, design, construct and start up electrical high voltage transmission lines, switchyards, transformers relays. I've designed Protective Device Coordination Systems, provided the PE stamped calculations and programmed in the set points. I'm currently involved in two major expansions of 138kV Substations. All of those past and current project already have Surge Suppressors.

I don't know your expertise and won't claim I do. But be sure to call you congressman and urge them to make these laws and spend our tax dollars, because you are sure it will help.

[Mr. Lucky]

You're gonna shortly have to apologize to thackney concerning how the US electric utility industry is owned.

I just wanted to give you a heads up.

[unlearner]

The threat of EMP seems real enough to me. As I believe in a strong military and national defense, I agree that we should have federal standards that require hardening our infrastructure against EMP threats. We cannot rely on free markets to accomplish this automagically. No company wants to take on this cost when their competitors do not because it will put them at a competitive disadvantage because costs have to be passed on to the consumer. So there is no profit advantage for prepping the grid for doomsday. However, there is an interest in the future of our nation.

[thackney]

The nation's electrical utilities are typically owned by local governments

Not True.

EIA > Home > Energy Explained > Secondary Sources > Electricity > Electricity in the U.S.
http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=electricity_in_the_united_states#tab2

Who Sells Electricity?

Sales by each kind of provider in 2011 (latest data available) totaled:

Investor-owned utilities — 54%
Non-Utility & Power Marketers — 19%
Public Utilities — 15%
Cooperatives — 11%
Federal Power Marketing Authorities — 1%