Our biggest security problem is not Russia or China – it is electric utility industry lobbyists While reading a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) order from January of this year, I was amused for a moment that the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) actually had the audacity to ask FERC if they could abdicate…
Texas Grid Collapse Complaint: For PDF Copy Click Here Introduction I am a private citizen who conducts public interest research on the security of the electric grid because I recognize the absolutely vital role of this infrastructure in powering every one of the nation’s 16 critical infrastructures and in undergirding not just the well-being…
Large Power Transformers are the Backbone of our Electric Grid Okay class. Let’s try a word problem: If large power transformers are the backbone of our electric grid, and we have bought 300 large power transformers from China – what could possibly go wrong? Between 2006 and 2019, according to data from the U.S. International…
Click Here for PDF Copy of Complaint Click HERE for Federal Register Notice Introduction I am a private citizen who conducts public interest research on the security of the electric grid because I recognize the absolutely vital role of this infrastructure in powering every one of the nation’s 16 critical infrastructures and in undergirding…
President Issues Bulk-Power System Executive Order After over a decade of failure by the electric industry and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to secure the electric grid from cyber threats (among many other threats), on May 1, 2020 the President issued Executive Order 13920: “Securing the United States Bulk-Power System.” (Click HERE for the…
CLICK HERE for PDF copy Protest and Comments of Michael Mabee Submitted to FERC on April 10, 2020 I am a private citizen who conducts public interest research on the security of the electric grid. I have also previously filed comments in one of the impacted dockets. Protest of the Commission’s April 6, 2020 “Notice…
Electric Sector Pushes Minimalistic Approach to Grid Physical Security Despite all the evidence to the contrary, the electric sector would like you to believe that everything is just fine—no further physical security is needed for the electric grid. By way of background, in 2014 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ordered the grid’s self regulatory…
Click HERE for PDF Copy Introduction I am a private citizen who conducts public interest research on the security of the electric grid. I am also the Complainant in this docket. In addition to the information and recommendations contained in the original Complaint, filed on January 29, 2020 and docketed by the Commission on February…
NERC’s Performance Assessment Report: The Tail Wagging The Dog? In an order issued on January 23, 2020 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) largely accepted the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) Five-Year Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) Performance Assessment Report. FERC’s order in Docket RR19-7-000 finds that “NERC continues to satisfy the statutory and regulatory…
