The U.S. power grid is facing renewed scrutiny after warnings that a coordinated attack on key substations could trigger a blackout lasting up to 18 months in a worst-case scenario. The article cites former FERC chair Jon Wellinghoff, who has warned that America’s aging grid remains vulnerable because critical substations and large transformers can be difficult and slow to replace. The warning comes as northwest Indiana continues recovering from a major storm outage that left more than 75,000 customers without power, including thousands in Gary, where residents have relied on food pantries and community centers to get through the disruption. Full restoration was not expected until August 25, with crews replacing hundreds of damaged poles and rebuilding parts of the system.
Why This Matters:
A blackout does not have to be nationwide to expose how fragile the grid has become. One storm can leave tens of thousands without power for more than a week, while an attack on key infrastructure could create a far longer and more dangerous disruption. When repairs require rebuilding poles, transmission equipment, and hard-to-replace transformers, families cannot assume power will come back quickly. Solar backup is no longer a luxury. It is basic household insurance when the grid goes down and the timeline is out of your control.
Read the full article here.
Source: Yahoo / NJ.com
By: Geoff Herbert
