NC - State of Emergency Declared in Moore County - Criminal Attack on Power Substations - 45K W/O Power

[StarryStarryNight]

How can they get phone stuff for a general area? Wouldn't they have to have probable cause for certain persons for that?

Geofence warrants are possible. They are controversial I think but are used in certain situations.
Of course, it’s possible LE does have particular peoples names and want to check their wherabouts through their phones.

https://www.nacdl.org/getattachment/816437c7-8943-425c-9b3b-4faf7da24bba/nacdl-geofence-primer.pdf

 

[typical_vacation]

I work in the utility/energy industry. This should be interesting to hear about. Not loving this whole … situation.

 

[Tillicum]

 

[Bodhi]

So. . . There's This?

Maybe worth considering a connection?

Hstoday Accelerationist Guide Calls for Metcalf-Style Attacks on ‘Sitting Duck’ Electricity Infrastructure - HS Today

Extremists claim that with an extended blackout "all hell will break lose [sic]" and white supremacists would be poised to take control.

www.hstoday.us

I posted about accelerationist(s) as a possible cause early on in giving my opinion why the bad actors who attacked the substations may not "claim credit" (because their goal depends on misdirection). The moderator felt it was inappropriate at the time. If the possibility that "western chauvanists" accelerationist involvement is now in mainstream media, it's within TOS. Thanks for posting the link. It's very informative and germane, in my opinion.

 

[Bodhi]

Neo-Nazis say attack leaving 40,000 Americans in dark is only the beginning

"The Moore County case was small-scale when compared to some of the plans that we have seen," MEMRI's Simon Purdue told Newsweek.

www.newsweek.com

 

[Bodhi]

Here's another article from a law enforcement publication discussing the possibility with regard to the Moore County attack.

NC Investigators Seek Search Warrants Over Sabotage of Power Grid

Richard Maness, chief deputy of the Moore County Sheriff’s Office said detectives began drawing up the warrants as early as Sunday. Maness declined to provide specifics about people or property that sheriff’s detectives want to search.

www.policemag.com

 

[Trebor5591]

FBI looking for any ties between power facility shootings in North, South Carolina

After the lights went out in Moore County, N.C., someone opened fire near a hydro facility in Ridgeway, South Carolina.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[customCF]

One thing that many people don't seem to realize is just how easy it would be to disable a substation. It's not like the transformers are bullet proof or armored in any way.

A well thrown metal rod could do some major damage

MOO

 

[CrimeDawg123]

OK so say you are a neo-nazi (or some other <modsnip> group). What is the benefit to you to take out the power grid?

 

[Dre]

OK so say you are a neo-nazi (or some other <modsnip> group). What is the benefit to you to take out the power grid?

Fear, panic and chaos, especially for those unprepared or unarmed. also, an advantage if one wanted to attack… *insert barf emoji*

 

[Hoopsticks]

OK so say you are a neo-nazi (or some other <modsnip> group). What is the benefit to you to take out the power grid?

What Dre said. Accelerationist groups have been on the rise in recent years and basically want to burn everything down.

 

[Hoosgirl]

Rodney Hutcherson, Duke Energy’s vice president of construction and maintenance, said two substations went offline the night of Dec. 3. The first “tripped” at about 7:15 p.m., he said, and the second after 8:30 p.m.

More at link:

Duke Energy execs brief state regulators on Moore County power station attack

Duke Energy executives appeared before state utilities regulators Monday, providing few new details as investigation continues into Moore County substation attack.

www.google.com

 

[arielilane]

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — State regulators asked Duke Energy managers Monday about steps they’re taking to enhance security following the attack on the substations in Moore County, but they didn’t give specifics in light of the ongoing investigation.

State leaders are weighing what actions to take in response to the attack that cut off power to more than 40,000 customers for several days earlier this month.

Gov. Roy Cooper said last week that while there are federal regulations in place that utilities like Duke Energy have to follow, the attack appeared “to be too easy.”

Local law enforcement officials said someone or some people shot the equipment at two substations in Moore County on Dec. 3. No arrests have been made.

Moore County outage gets state leaders thinking about what actions to take to prevent similar attacks

State regulators asked Duke Energy managers Monday about steps they’re taking to enhance security following the attack on the substations in Moore County, but they didn’t give specifics in light of…

www.cbs17.com

edited: organize paragraphs

 

[arielilane]

A reward of up to $75,000 is being offered to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for destroying the electric substations in Moore County that has knocked out power for several days.

The damage has led to losses for businesses, people temporarily displaced from their homes and schools closed.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced the rewards on Wednesday afternoon. The rewards are up to $25,000 each from the state, Duke Energy and Moore County.

Duke Energy power substations were attacked with gunfire about 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3. It left more than 45,000 homes and businesses without power. Much of the power was restored by Wednesday afternoon as substations were repaired.

Local, state and federal law enforcement are working together with the Moore County Sheriff’s Office to investigate what happened. Moore County Public Safety will have another press briefing at 4 p.m. Wednesday in Carthage, streamed online.

MSN

Anyone who has information about the case should contact the Moore County Sheriff’s Office at 910-947-4444 or the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 800-CALL FBI.

 

[Hoosgirl]

No snips because a press release from government agency:

NEWS RELEASES
FERC Orders Study of Effectiveness of Physical Reliability Standards for Power Grid
December 15, 2022

FERC today directed the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to study the effectiveness of the existing reliability standard for physical security of the Bulk Power System and determine whether the standard needs to be improved.

Today’s order cites the need for continued vigilance against physical threats to the Bulk Power System, considering the recent increases in physical attacks on electrical substations that, in some instances, have cut power to tens of thousands of customers.

“The security and reliability of the nation’s electric grid is one of FERC’s top priorities,” FERC Chairman Rich Glick said. “In light of the increasing number of recent reports of physical attacks on our nation’s infrastructure, it is important that we fully and clearly review the effectiveness of our existing physical security standard to determine whether additional improvements are necessary to safeguard the Bulk Power System.”

FERC approved the physical security reliability standard in 2014 to enhance physical security measures for those Bulk Power System facilities that are deemed critical, to lower the overall vulnerability of the grid to physical attacks.

Today’s order gives NERC 120 days to submit a report that examines the effectiveness of the current physical security standard, specifically how physical security protections are being applied, whether improvements to existing requirements are necessary, and whether some minimal level of physical security protections should be required for all Bulk Power System stations, substations and associated primary control centers.

FERC Orders Study of Effectiveness of Physical Reliability Standards for Power Grid

Item E-27 | Presentation FERC today directed the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to study the effectiveness of the existing reliability standard for physical security of the Bulk Power System and determine whether the standard needs to be improved.

www.ferc.gov

 

[Hoosgirl]

“It’s reasonable to say that individuals associated with or familiar with the NSRF in the accelerationist ecosystem are portraying Moore County as likely being perpetrated by NSRF,” said Matthew Kriner, the managing director of the Accelerationist Research Consortium and a senior research scholar at the Center on Terrorism, Extremism and Counterterrorism at the Middlebury Institute.

In addition to the private chats speculating about the NSRF’s potential involvement in the attack, a banner was discovered on an overpass across US Highway 1 near the town of Vass in Moore County on Sunday that included a link to the group’s public Telegram channel.

More at link:

'Part of war is terror': A new neo-Nazi group is trying to capitalize on the Moore County power grid attack

An offshoot of the now-defunct neo-Nazi terror group Atomwaffen Division is undertaking a propaganda push related to the attack on the power grid earlier this month in Moore County that resulted in widespread power outages affecting about 40,000 customers.The morning after the power grid attack...

www.rawstory.com

 

[airportwoman]

So, in other words, there's no evidence that the NSRF did it, but they think it's a good way to shut things down, should they ever wish to do so.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

More attacks.

4 power substations vandalized in Washington state, over 14K lost power

Four power substation facilities were vandalized in Pierce County, Washington, on Christmas morning, knocking out power to more than 14,000 customers.

abcnews.go.com

The vandalism came amid a string of similar sabotage incidents across the country, including several in the Northwest, and follows a bulletin issued last month by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warning that critical infrastructure could be among the targets of possible attacks by "lone offenders and small groups motivated by a range of ideological beliefs and/or personal grievances."

"It is unknown if there are any motives or if this was a coordinated attack on the power systems," the Pierce County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

 

[AmandaSkis]

And in all of the substation attacks in 2022, there were zero arrests. Why? Are there really no cameras at these places?

 

[Dre]

Well let’s hope these incidents spark some sort of preemptive security upgrades everywhere or this type of terrorism will continue to spread. Moo