Former FERC Chair Warns of 18-Month U.S. Power Grid Blackout Risk
Jon Wellinghoff, former chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), has issued a stark warning regarding the vulnerability of the U.S. power grid. According to Wellinghoff, an analysis conducted by FERC determined that disabling just nine critical substations across the country's three regional interconnections (Western, Eastern, and Texas) could lead to a nationwide power failure lasting up to 18 months. This concern is amplified by recent events, including a prolonged power outage in Gary, Indiana, where thousands of residents were without electricity for over a week following severe storms. The incident in Indiana highlighted the fragility of local electric networks and the challenges of repairing outdated infrastructure, with utility crews having to rebuild entire power lines and replace numerous poles and transmission structures. Wellinghoff first raised this alarm in 2013 after an attack on an electrical substation near San Jose, California, where gunmen shot 17 transformers. 
