Protect Our Electric Grid from Terror

The Electromagnetic Pulse(EMP) threat is not science fiction and its consequences cannot be overstated. In today’s society electricity is the third most important thing to sustaining life; only air andwater are more important. Many people will live longer without food than without electricity. In fact, a
congressional study by the EMP commission predicted that 90 percent
of our population would die within 11 months without electricity.

In short, an EMP is an instantaneous burst or “pulse” of electromagnetic energy resulting from a rapid acceleration of highly charged particles. Although not biologically harmful to humans, an EMP has the capability to destroy— beyond repair — our electric grid which powers all other life-sustaining infrastructures in every state.

For more than a decade, experts have warned about the devastating
consequences of an EMP attack on our nation’s electric power grid.
However, unlike physical and cyber threats, protecting our nation from the
threat of an EMP attack or extreme space weather event has been all but
ignored by the federal government and the electric power industry.

The serious consequences froman EMP are not new to many. The
U.S. Congress has known about the wide-spread and catastrophic damage
from an EMP attack or an extreme space weather event. For more than 50 years, the U.S. military has known about the seriousness of the EMP threat. I first encountered the EMP issue duringmy active duty service as a Systems
Engineer in the United States Air Force.

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