While some measures are being taken, it might be too little, too late to be fully prepared for when the national power grid is lost. A US government commission report states that up to two-thirds of the population will die from starvation, disease and societal chaos within just a year. Another report states that it could be even worse: 9 out of 10 Americans would perish. Losing the power grid, whether it be from a terrorist attack or an overdue solar storm, would no doubt wreak havoc. Phones wouldn’t work. ATMs wouldn’t work. Hospitals couldn’t function. Airplanes would be grounded. Wall Street would come to a halt, as well as government services.
As worries increase about the vulnerability of the nation’s power grid, Iowa’s largest electric utilities will participate next week in a closely watched exercise simulating a knockout blow to United States’ electrical supply by cyber-sabotage and physical attacks.
Officials with MidAmerican Energy and Alliant Energy confirmed to the Des Moines Register they will be involved in GridEx II on Nov. 12 and 13. The event is sponsored by the North American Electric Reliability Corp., a non-profit entity whose mission is to ensure the reliability of the bulk-power system in North America. Continue reading
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