THE RISE OF TERRDRISM AND MAJOR NATURAL DISASTERS REQUIRES GRID executives, design engineers, and grid operators to analyze and deploy technologies - hardware and software - to addess the vulnerability of the power grid to physical and cyberattacks. A wide variety of work has already been performed by utility management, operation, and maintenance personnel in this area. Even so, much-needed work is still required, since threats have increased in both the physical and cyber areas. Because electricity drives virtually all of the nation's critical infrastructures - from lightbulbs to computerized factories - the electric power system presents an inviting target for onshore and offshore terrorists. A coordinated attack on major power plants or substations could trigger a cascading blackout with major business, social, and national economic impacts. Depending on the extent and success of such an attack, daily life and business could be disrupted for at least several days across a wide of the country, and complete return to normalcy could take months to years.
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