PSC responds to power grid threat report

The State Public Service Commission says it’s been pushing the electric power industry to protect against terrorism. The national study released yesterday said the U.S.power grid is “inherently vulnerable to terrorist attacks.”

The National Research Council completed the report in 2007. But the sponsoring agency, the Department of Homeland Security, decided a study that concludes terrorist attacks could do much more damage to the electric power system than natural disasters and decided to keep the findings secret.

Scientists pushed to get the report released, and now it’s mostly available except for certain instructions. The document says high voltage transformers near electric substations are of special concern. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin says it’s been talking with regional electric reliability agencies to enforce federal standards to protect critical infrastructure, including cyber security for the electric grid.

The PSC says it’s also working with electric companies to secure control centers and software. A national workshop is being planned to discuss what’s changed since 2007 and where the grid should be made safer.