Lawmakers in at least two states that have seen recent attacks to electrical infrastructure are proposing new legislation to improve security around substations and increase the penalties for damaging utility equipment
in early December, Republican state Rep. Ben Moss watched his vibrant district full of family farms, small businesses and sprawling golf courses become"a ghost town.", northeast of Charlotte, Moss is urging fellow lawmakers to prioritize new legislation that would secure the state's critical infrastructure when the legislative session begins in earnest this week. He's among the first state legislators to propose power grid protections this year amid a surge in attacks on U.S.
Moss is drafting legislation, obtained in its preliminary form by The Associated Press, that would require utilities to provide 24-hour security at substations, which transform high-voltage electricity into the lower voltages that power communities. Security provisions would vary across sites, some of which are already gated with nearby cameras while others are more exposed.
“The frequency has increased, the targeting has increased," Cancel said."What we've seen are patterns of clusters ... or assets that are in proximity to each other being repeatedly targeted.”days after the North Carolina shootings — are asking lawmakers to increase penalties for intentionally destroying electrical infrastructure or other utility property.
Brian Harrell, former assistant secretary for infrastructure protection at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said that although harsher penalties for equipment sabotage may be a deterrent, state legislatures can best support utilities by freeing up funds for additional security measures.
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