Power Grids Should Be as Data Driven as the Internet
https://spectrum.ieee.org/energy/the-smarter-grid/power-grids-should-be-as-data-driven-as-the-internet

Governments are setting ambitious renewable energy goals in response to climate change. The problem is, the availability of renewable sources doesn’t align with the times when our energy demands are the highest. We need more electricity for lights when the sun has set and solar is no longer available, for example. But if utilities could receive information about energy usage in real time, as Internet service providers already do with data usage, it would change the relationship we have with the production and consumption of our energy.

Utilities must still meet energy demands regardless of whether renewable sources are available, and they still have to mull whether to construct expensive new power plants to meet expected spikes in demand. But real-time information would make it easier to use more renewable energy sources when they’re available.

THREATS AGAINST CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE: Federal authorities on Thursday warned that foreign hackers are attempting to target U.S. critical infrastructure.

The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) specifically warned that internet-connected operational technology (OT) assets – which are used throughout U.S. defense systems – were often the targets of malicious cyber actors attempting to hit critical infrastructure, such as systems providing water, gas and electricity.

As a result, the agencies recommended that critical infrastructure operators and owners take “immediate action” to secure their systems.

“Due to the increase in adversary capabilities and activity, the criticality to U.S. national security and way of life, and the vulnerability of OT systems, civilian infrastructure makes attractive targets for foreign powers attempting to do harm to US interests or retaliate for perceived US aggression,” the agencies wrote in a joint alert.

The security agencies noted that OT assets are used in Department of Defense systems and throughout the defense industrial base sector, including in national security systems.

The NSA and CISA wrote they had seen evidence of email spear phishing attacks to gain access to critical infrastructure networks to access OT assets, along with attempted ransomware attacks on these systems.

I don’t think paralysis [of the electrical grid] is more likely by cyberattack than by natural disaster. And frankly the number-one threat experienced to date by the US electrical grid is squirrels.” – John C. Inglis, Former Deputy Director, National Security Agency 2015.07.09

https://cybersquirrel1.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_blackout_of_2003