Power Grid: Senators Call For Stricter Regulations After Sniper Attack


The power grid sniper attack in California has prompted calls for more stringent regulations to protect the nation’s electrical system. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the incident many now deem a terrorism attack occurred last April, but was largely ignored by both the media and the country.

Intense scrutiny and public awareness relating to the power grid attack began evolving last week when a former government official made it his mission to alert others to the likelihood of future terrorist acts designed to leave America in the dark. Although the FBI does not consider the California power grid incident a terror attack, Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner at the time Jon Wellinghoff staunchly disagrees.

The three million or so preppers in the United States were among the few who have followed the California power station closely since 17 transformers were taken down in less than 20 minutes by multiple gunman in 2013. The attack reportedly began when at least one individual was able to get inside an underground vault to cut phone cables. An unknown number of others fired more than 100 rounds and caused millions of dollars in damage. A blackout was barely averted, and it took 27 days to get the California power station back online.

A group of Senators penned a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation calling for far stricter measures to protect the bulk of the United States power grid.

An excerpt from the power grid letter reads:

“We are concerned that voluntary measures may not be sufficient to constitute a reasonable response to the risk of physical attack on the electricity system.”

The House Energy and Commerce Committee told Fox News that legislators are still following the probe into the California power station attack and also stated that protecting the power grid remains a top priority. No arrests have been made in the case.

A statement from the committee reads:

“Committee staff has been briefed by agency officials and industry representatives. The security and reliability of the grid is a pressing concern, and we will continue our work to mitigate all emerging threats.”

The Edison Electric Institute told the media that it takes its role as a “critical infrastructure” very seriously. The institute’s senior director of national security policy Scott Aaronson said, “Publicizing clearly sensitive infrastructure protections endangers the safety of the American people and the integrity of the grid.”

The SHIELD Act, a bi-partisan bill to upgrade and protect the power grid has been stalled in Congress for several years. Do you think terrorists are planning to attack the power grid and cripple commerce and the food supply in America?

[Image Via: Shutterstock.com]

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