How to short-circuit the US power grid - newscientist.com ...hmmm

"An attack on the nodes with the lowest loads can be a more effective way to destroy the electrical power grid of the western US due to cascading failures," Wang says. To minimise the risk, he says, the grid's operators should defend the west coast sections by adjusting their power capacity to ensure these specific conditions do not arise.

The US Department of Homeland Security is reviewing the research, says John Verrico, the department's technology spokesman, who adds that countermeasures are already in the works. "Our engineers are working on a self-limiting, high-temperature superconductor technology which would stop and prevent power surges generated anywhere in the system from spreading to other substations. Pilot tests in New York City may be ready as soon as 2010."

These precautions are well and good, but there are easier ways to bring a grid down, says Ian Fells, an expert in energy conversion at Newcastle University, UK. "A determined attacker would not fool around with the electricity inputs or whatever - they need only a bunch of guys with some Semtex to blow up the grid lines near a power station."

www.newscientist.com...

Good intentions aside, are they trying to plant ideas into peoples heads?
Interesting research...but shouldn't this be low key kind of stuff?



[edit on 11-9-2009 by warrenb]

reply to post by warrenb

Good intentions aside, are they trying to plant ideas into peoples heads?

I doubt they are trying. I have been guilty of stating ways terrorist could easily attack our ways of life, and destroy our economy much cheaper, with less risk, and less people, and more sustainable damage, but I didn't mean for it to get to the wrong people! I just wanted it to become obvious to our people!

Terrorists are wasting a lot of time, money, resources, and lives on going after big targets like NYC or Airplanes!

I hope these guys were pointing out flaws in the system, so that our own people, and our own government can try to do something about it, or at least divert some attention from the obvious to the mundane aspects of security!!

I think a key ingredient of guerrilla or "terrorist" warfare is to attack where you least expect, where you are weak, and where you can get the most bang for your buck!! Our Security Administrations need to start thinking like Terrorists instead of thinking like Militaries!

reply to post by warrenb


I agree you would think that this report would be limited or classified.

Reminds me of the "Iron Brigades" in Iran. The opponents of Ahmadinejad all turned on their irons/toasters/microwaves at the start of a live speech and supposedly caused a power outage that caused the broadcast to go off air until they could change to a back up generator.