(Or, Why Don’t “They” Fix Grid Security?)
I am usually asked the same question when I do presentations. When made aware of the various threats to the electric grid—cyberattack, physical attack, geomagnetic disturbance (GMD), electromagnetic pulse (EMP), vegetation management, extreme weather, pandemic, etc.—people invariably ask: “why don’t they fix it?”
Indeed, “they” have known for decades that the electric grid is vulnerable to a variety of threats. In fact, there have been decades of Congressional hearings and federal reports on the known threats to the grid.
So why don’t “they” fix it? Excellent question. First of all, let’s define “they.” There are a few of “them.”
- “They” could mean the regulators
- “They” could mean Congress
- “They” could mean the electric utility industry
Recently I discussed the first “they”—the regulators. Today I’m going to talk about the second “they”—Congress, and the third “they”—the electric utility industry. So why can’t Congress fix grid security? Congress actually can fix grid security with legislation. They haven’t. So, as it turns out, the more appropriate question is why won’t Congress fix grid security?
The electric utility industry spent $147 million in lobbying and political contributions in 2018.
The electric utility industry is partially self regulated. The industry has armies of lawyers and lobbyists intent on keeping things that way and keeping “burdensome” regulations at bay. (Grid security is apparently “unduly burdensome” and “unnecessary”.) We know that the industry has fought against increased cybersecurity standards and has fought against transparency in regulation. In fact, industry lobbying groups including the Edison Electric Institute (whose members include the government of the People’s Republic of China) have fought vigorously against my Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests!
The electric utility industry also feely throws money and influence to the two key Congressional committees that have interest in the security of the electric grid: The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. So what could be the possible stumbling blocks to these two congressional bodies introducing strong legislation to protect the grid?
The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources took the money.
In 2018, members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources got $3,329,692 in “contributions” from the electric utility industry. Senators overall received a total of $3,722,517 in “contributions.” So the majority of the industry’s “contributions” went to members of this key oversight committee. (Information courtesy of the Center for Responsive Politics.)
- The electric industry gave an average “contributions” of $144,769 per committee member.
- The electric industry gave an average “contributions” of $33,296 per non committee member.
- Committee Chairperson Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) got $592,562.
- Committee Ranking Member Joe Manchin (D-WVa) got $169,252.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee took the money.
In 2018, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee got $3,140,659 in “contributions” from the electric utility industry. Members of the House overall received a total of $12,049,127 in “contributions.” So one quarter of the industry’s “contributions” went to members of this key oversight committee. (Information courtesy of the Center for Responsive Politics.)
- The electric industry gave an average “contributions” of $57,102 per committee member.
- The electric industry gave an average “contributions” of $7,219 per non committee member.
- Committee Chairperson Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) got $108,599.
- Committee Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-Ore) got $261,750.
It seems money talks, grid security walks.
In total, the electric utility industry spent $24,725,200 in political contributions and spent $122,281,276 on lobbying in 2018. That is a total of over $147 million reasons why “they” (Congress) finds it difficult to pass grid security legislation which their benefactor (the electric utility industry) opposes.
So, if you want to see who from these key congressional oversight committees took the money, here they are along with how much the electric utility industry “contributed” to them in 2018. Meanwhile, the electric grid remained unsecure.
You may draw your own conclusions on “why don’t they fix grid security.”
Footnote (message to Congress): Perhaps it is not illegal to take money from an industry so tied to your oversight responsibilities. But the optics here are horrible. There is a string of dead grid security bills over the last decade. And if a catastrophic blackout happens, they will be joined by thousands (or millions) of dead Americans.
Who Took The Money in 2018?
Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources:
| Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn) | $136,900 |
| John A Barrasso (R-Wyo) | $317,400 |
| Maria Cantwell (D-Wash) | $80,155 |
| Shelley Moore Capito (R-WVa) | $129,150 |
| Bill Cassidy (R-La) | $48,600 |
| Steven Daines (R-Mont) | $90,700 |
| Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill) | $43,351 |
| Jeff Flake (R-Ariz) | $111,450 |
| Cory Gardner (R-Colo) | $163,400 |
| Martin Heinrich (D-NM) | $207,470 |
| Mazie K Hirono (D-Hawaii) | $22,595 |
| John Hoeven (R-ND) | $133,455 |
| Angus King (I-Maine) | $36,600 |
| Mike Lee (R-Utah) | $66,900 |
| Joe Manchin (D-WVa) | $169,252 |
| Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev) | $31,209 |
| Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) | $592,562 |
| Rob Portman (R-Ohio) | $375,000 |
| James E Risch (R-Idaho) | $61,500 |
| Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) | $4,065 |
| Tina Smith (D-Minn) | $47,684 |
| Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich) | $206,063 |
| Ron Wyden (D-Ore) | $254,231 |
House Energy and Commerce Committee:
| Joe Barton (R-Texas) | $45,150 |
| Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla) | $49,000 |
| Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) | $83,998 |
| Susan Brooks (R-Ind) | $32,458 |
| Larry Bucshon (R-Ind) | $30,500 |
| Michael Burgess (R-Texas) | $12,250 |
| G K Butterfield (D-NC) | $21,000 |
| Tony Cardenas (D-Calif) | $43,505 |
| Buddy Carter (R-Ga) | $36,250 |
| Kathy Castor (D-Fla) | $7,525 |
| Yvette D Clarke (D-NY) | $30,753 |
| Chris Collins (R-NY) | $32,500 |
| Ryan Costello (R-Pa) | $29,500 |
| Kevin Cramer (R-ND) | $43,115 |
| Diana DeGette (D-Colo) | $10,000 |
| Debbie Dingell (D-Mich) | $60,500 |
| Mike Doyle (D-Pa) | $73,000 |
| Eliot L Engel (D-NY) | $25,000 |
| Anna Eshoo (D-Calif) | $9,500 |
| Bill Flores (R-Texas) | $40,000 |
| Gene Green (D-Texas) | $10,500 |
| Morgan Griffith (R-Va) | $72,750 |
| Brett Guthrie (R-Ky) | $23,000 |
| Gregg Harper (R-Miss) | $22,000 |
| Richard Hudson (R-NC) | $50,500 |
| Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) | $103,000 |
| Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass) | $28,563 |
| Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill) | $74,400 |
| Leonard Lance (R-NJ) | $49,250 |
| Robert E Latta (R-Ohio) | $95,700 |
| David Loebsack (D-Iowa) | $38,204 |
| Billy Long (R-Mo) | $35,750 |
| Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) | $75,450 |
| Doris O Matsui (D-Calif) | $30,500 |
| David McKinley (R-WVa) | $74,950 |
| Jerry McNerney (D-Calif) | $62,053 |
| Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla) | $63,500 |
| Tim Murphy (R-Pa) | $0 |
| Pete Olson (R-Texas) | $85,750 |
| Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) | $108,599 |
| Scott Peters (D-Calif) | $76,100 |
| Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash) | $109,870 |
| Raul Ruiz (D-Calif) | $37,853 |
| Bobby L Rush (D-Ill) | $36,500 |
| John Sarbanes (D-Md) | $2,700 |
| Steve Scalise (R-La) | $119,295 |
| Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill) | $1,505 |
| Kurt Schrader (D-Ore) | $55,097 |
| John M Shimkus (R-Ill) | $173,700 |
| Paul Tonko (D-NY) | $70,600 |
| Fred Upton (R-Mich) | $192,615 |
| Tim Walberg (R-Mich) | $101,900 |
| Greg Walden (R-Ore) | $261,750 |
| Mimi Walters (R-Calif) | $65,250 |
| Peter Welch (D-Vt) | $16,001 |
- Click HERE for my November 8, 2019 Letter to the Senate Ethics Committee
- Click HERE for my November 8, 2019 Letter to the House Ethics Committee