Attacks on the United States’ power grid have been the subject of extremist chatter for some time, notably ticking up in 2020, the same year a 14-page how-to on low tech attacks was released and circulated amongst extremist communication channels.
A Department of Homeland Security Bulletin reported by CNN just days before the attack on a North Carolina substation indicated there was a heightened threat posed by domestic violent extremists in the United States against targets including critical infrastructure.
On Nov. 30, DHS renewed a national bulletin warning that lone offenders and small groups motivated by a range of ideological beliefs and personal grievances pose a lethal threat to the United States.
The advisory said in part “DHS maintained that potential targets include but are not limited to public gatherings, faith-based institutions, the LGBTQIA+ community, schools, racial and religious minorities, government facilities and personnel, US critical infrastructure, the media and perceived ideological opponents.”
The electric grid has been described as an “attractive target” for domestic violent extremists in US, CNN reported earlier this year, citing an intelligence report.
In 2020 intelligence analysts saw major uptick in online chatter focused on attacking the Power Grid.
Notably in 2020, a 14-page document released in a Telegram channel favored by accelerationist groups seeking to speed the overthrow of the US government featured a White supremacist instruction guide to low-tech attacks meant to bring chaos, including how to attack a power grid with guns.
The document has been cited by Department of Homeland officials and was obtained by CNN.
“The powergrid would be crippled for a very large area. Armor piercing rounds shot into the transformers would destroy them,” the colorful how-to describes.
The writer goes on to frame how massive blackouts would aide in the toppling of society which is a key accelerationist goal.
“But with the power off, when the lights don’t come back on… all hell will break lose, making conditions desirable for our race to once again take back what is ours,” the document reads.
Several unique attempts to attack various grids have been cited by intelligence officials that analyze these specific threats.
Investigators discovered a four-rotor drone July 16, 2020, in Pennsylvania recovered from the roof of a power station, according to a DHS Bulletin in Oct. 2021.
CNN reported earlier this year that in May 2020, three people claiming to be Boogaloo adherents allegedly conspired to attack an electrical substation in Las Vegas as part of an attempt to incite riots and violence amid demonstrations in the city.
The suspects were charged with conspiracy to damage and destroy by fire and explosive and with possession of unregistered firearms.
The unsolved case of the attack on the Metcalf Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) substation in Coyote, California, on April 16, 2013 set the bar for these types of attacks and has been a case study for intelligence officials
The vulnerabilities of the Power Grid have been closely examined by the Department of Energy, DHS and Congress.
According to the National Research Council, tasked by congress to examine these vulnerabilities, the US grid consists of:
- 6,400 power plants
- 55,000 substations
- 450,000 miles of transmission lines
- 3,000 companies
CNN’s Geneva Sands, Whitney Wild and Kristina Sgueglia contributed to this report
Source: www.cnn.com