Electromagnetic Pulse Could Knock Out U.S. Power Grid

Electromagnetic Pulse Could Knock Out U.S. Power Grid

By Kedar Pavgi
Nextgov.com
WASHINGTON -- U.S. power grids and other civilian infrastructure are not prepared for electromagnetic pulses that could result from weapons or violent space weather, according to testimony at a congressional subcommittee hearing Wednesday.
Panelists at the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies, told Chairman Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) that there were serious flaws in the nation’s infrastructure that could allow for EMP events to shut down power and communications for extended periods of time.
“Our civilian grid, which the Defense Department relies upon for 99 percent of its electricity needs, is vulnerable to these kinds of dangers,” Representative Trent Franks (R-Ariz..) testified during the hearing. Franks,  one of the leaders of the Congressional EMP Caucus, sponsored legislation in 2011 to protect U.S. infrastructure in the event of an attack by an EMP weapon.
Michael Aimone, a director of business enterprise integration at Defense, said the Pentagon had pursued a “two-track approach” to mitigate the impact an EMP attack could have on Defense facilities. He said his plan relied on both in-house capabilities to maintain power and electronics and a means to communicate and coordinate with outside partners.
“DoD recently adopted an explicit mission assurance strategy, which is focused on ensuring operational continuity in an all-hazard threat environment,” Aimone said.http://www.nti.org/gsn/article/electromagnetic-pulse-could-knock-out-us-power-grid/