FEDERALhearing transcript

Congressional Hearing on Power Grid Vulnerabilities

Original title: EXAMINING VULNERABILITIES OF AMERICA'S POWER SUPPLY

January 1, 2016

energy cybersecurity infrastructure power grid national security

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing informs federal policy regarding the protection of the national power grid, which directly impacts the reliability of electricity services for all residents and businesses.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Utility companies

These entities are responsible for implementing grid security measures discussed in the hearing.

U.S. residents

The reliability of the national power grid directly impacts the availability of electricity for residential use.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2016.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is a transcript of a 2015 joint House subcommittee hearing regarding the security and resilience of the United States electrical power grid. Experts and lawmakers discussed potential threats to the grid, including cybersecurity risks and natural phenomena like electromagnetic pulses.

Key Facts

The hearing was held on September 10, 2015, by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
The session focused on vulnerabilities of the U.S. power supply to both natural and man-made threats.
Witnesses included experts from the Electric Power Research Institute, Utilities Telecom Council, University of Colorado Boulder, and Carnegie Mellon University.
The hearing included testimony on cybersecurity risks to utility infrastructure.
The hearing included testimony on the impact of space weather and electromagnetic pulses on the electrical grid.
The record includes post-hearing responses from all four expert witnesses.
A statement regarding Texas's efforts to protect its electrical grid was submitted for the record.

Why It Matters

The hearing informs federal policy regarding the protection of the national power grid, which directly impacts the reliability of electricity services for all residents and businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?

To examine the vulnerabilities of the U.S. power grid to various threats, including cyberattacks and natural disasters.

Who testified at the hearing?

Experts from the energy industry, telecommunications sector, and academia provided testimony on grid security.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Focus on Grid Security

The hearing highlights a 2015 congressional focus on integrating cybersecurity and natural disaster preparedness into energy infrastructure policy.

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

Connected Entities

personDaniel Baker“Witness from University of Colorado Boulder”Map →

organizationCommittee on Science, Space, and Technology“House committee overseeing the hearing”Map →

personBarry Loudermilk“Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight”Map →

personRichard Lordan“Witness from Electric Power Research Institute”Map →

personNadya Bartol“Witness from Utilities Telecom Council”Map →

personM. Granger Morgan“Witness from Carnegie Mellon University”Map →

personRandy K. Weber“Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz5
Current news / social attention level

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