Substations vandalized 1

[cuky2000]

There is a recent trend to vandalize substation and other electrical infrastructures.
The news reported several event that should concern the power industry in the US

https://apple.news/AJKgx9-2rSKeFmyxEeEuboQ

 

[Allings Clark]

As eye watering the cost would be, IMO every substation serving >5MVA of load have their transformers outfitted with ballistic protection and concrete perimeter walls expanded to none BPS/BES substations.


Substations weaknesses are too well known amongst bad actors not to be rectified.

 

[Palletjack]

That sounds good, but then how do you protect the miles of line with insulators at each pole?
You make transformers bulletproof, then they start shooting interrupters, bushings, regulators, reclosers, breakers.. the list goes on and on.

Question is.. how high you want your energy costs for this protection?

 

[bacon4life]

In the most recent events, rather than using guns the perpetrator physically entered the substations.

 

[dik]

From Politico:

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[thermionic1]

I suggested elsewhere that if the perps are caught, they should be publicly strung up on a pole and have a Hi Pot connected to their reproductive organs and "tested" multiple times. Teach them to mess with electricity.

 

[dik]

I just noticed the data for the latest 'curve' ends a little after July... it doesn't truly reflect the number of incidents.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/26/physical-attacks-electrical-grid-peak-00075216

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[spsalso]

Well, it does until July.

For the previous three years, the number in July was about 60. This year it went to 100.

Is 40 more incidents significant? I suspect it is.

There does seem to be an increase in people who think they're treated badly, and a corollary that it is OK to act out.

If true, I wonder where that comes from.



spsalso

 

[IFRs]

Some people are jerks

 

[dik]

IFRS... it's not just the people... something, systemically, is wrong to create the environment that this can happen.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[IFRs]

dik - yes there are systemic issues but I don't understand what motivates people in a society based on mutual cooperation to destroy the infrastructure rather than try to fix what they think is broken. If they don't like it, don't want to play along and benefit from the gains of the society then they should just leave for a place that believes as they do, a place whose standards more closely represent theirs. It is not that hard, really, to get on an airplane...

 

[Sparweb]

IFRs,
All the other destinations will view them (them being "Americans unhappy with what America has to offer Americans) as:
a) enemies, period
b) sniveling losers
c) tools for propaganda

So the only welcoming arms I can think of for people like that is in China, where a new media trope is booming. Chinese media is employing more and more "white" people to do stupid stuff and say stupid stuff, which feeds the larger propaganda machine. Any time you can get a white person to say "America sucks" you get 100 million clicks and views across "the mainland". For the past 6 years Americans have been writing China's propaganda for them. The sabotage which is the subject of this thread is just another example.

That's not the only propaganda machine at play, of course... which may help you figure out how the malcontent is being stoked to action.

 

[dik]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. The systemic issues are social systemic...

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[PHovnanian]

Short of installing ballistic protection around substations, visual screening might do some good in mitigating firearms damage. If you can't see what you are shooting at, the probability of damage per round fired goes way down. And the probability of detection and apprehension goes up the more one shoots. Substations are mainly open space.

There's not much to be done about line mounted equipment. But back in my utility days, when it was mainly bored bubbas shooting at porcelain or glass disk insulators, we found that the thrill reward went way down when we replaced them with low profile composite with rubber skirt types.

 

[dik]

Maybe putting up an actual bullseye might help. I understand that some urinals in Europe have a 'fly' image for people to use as a 'target'.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[cranky108]

"ballistic protection around substations"? Are you sure of the costs?
One, the height of a bus bar is required to be at least 8.5 feet above ground, which would require a fence of at least that height. Not the typical 8 foot chain link.
Another, is most substations are not located in the best spots, and many are lower that the ground around them, which would require an even bigger fence.
If you want to see substations with 20 foot concreate/block fence, just book a trip to Peru.

And what do you do about the gates? Air circulation for transformer cooling?
Also, many substations are in rural areas that don't have much in the way of problems.