Hacker, Terrorist Threats Spur Bases to Build Power Grids

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Hacker, Terrorist Threats Spur Bases to Build Power Grids

Military Worries About Facilities Being Linked to Vulnerable Utility Companies
By Rebecca Smith
Updated Oct. 21, 2014 3:42 p.m. ET

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif.—Fear that utility companies remain vulnerable to hackers, terrorists and natural disasters has the Pentagon pushing construction of independent power grids at military bases across the U.S., including one nearing completion here at the Marine Corps combat center.

The base at Twentynine Palms, home to about 22,000 people and spread across 1,100 square miles of the Mojave Desert, still buys power from Southern California Edison. But soon it will be able to operate even if there is a blackout, using a system of small power plants, solar panels, batteries and diesel generators. It already is saving $10 million a year in energy costs.

Dozens of U.S. bases are marching in the same direction as they try to keep up with the growing power demands of a modern military. “A lot of bases want what we’ve got,” said Gary Morrissett, the energy manager at Twentynine Palms.
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Write to Rebecca Smith at [e-mail]

[djean111]

1. This is another advantage of solar panels - with good enough storage,

smaller local grids would be so much less vulnerable to terrorists or hackers or human error or weather or whatever. Less people affected.
This is why the power companies should, perhaps, drop plans to discourage solar users from attaching to the grid by charging more - they may be hastening their own obsolescence. After all, it is ridiculous that millions of people (30 or 50 million!) should be without power because of a grid failure, no matter what the failure is. And if access to the grid is blocked or made too expensive in an attempt to discourage solar or to bolster profits, people will find another way to have electricity. People are resourceful.