Electricity Grid in U.S. Penetrated by Spies

I find this one just a bit scary. From the Wall Street Journal.

Electricity Grid in U.S. Penetrated by Spies

Cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid and left behind software programs that could be used to disrupt the system, according to current and former national-security officials.

The spies came from China, Russia and other countries, these officials said, and were believed to be on a mission to navigate the U.S. electrical system and its controls. The intruders haven't sought to damage the power grid or other key infrastructure, but officials warned they could try during a crisis or war.

"The Chinese have attempted to map our infrastructure, such as the electrical grid," said a senior intelligence official. "So have the Russians."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123914805204099085.html

Hat tip: http://techrepublican.com/blog/the-early-bird-electricity-grid-us-penetrated-spies via Twitter

Senate Bill 31 - Pay in advance for power plants?

The following is an email I received from RedState. I've been hearing about this bill and it doesn't strike me as one I'd like to see go through. Do you think that once they pay for for the plant they'll actually stop? If we pay in advance, who's to say they would keep costs down? I'm not on Georgia Power but for those on EMC or others, my understanding is they get their power from GP so when GP goes up, ditto for EMC. I do NOT know that for a fact, an EMC employee told me that years ago.

We should all be fans of nuclear energy. I am for sure.

But I am deeply concerned that our state legislature is so committed to nuclear energy that they are willing to advance terrible legislation to make it happen.

Right now, Senate Bill 31 (SB 31) is before the State House. The bill would destroy every incentive Georgia Power has to keep costs down on new nuclear power plant construction and would end all incentives to mitigate problems related to the construction.

It would do this by requiring Georgia Power customers to pay for the plant now, instead of the company fronting the money. In effect, Georgia Power customers would be forced into buying a car we had no say in choosing before it's even put together, and would have to pay all the extra charges for overruns too.

Please considering clicking here. If you follow the link and put in your zip-code, you'll get the phone number of your state representative. Please call him and tell him to vote against the Georgia Nuclear Energy Financing Act. There has to be a better way than S.B. 31.
Thanks.

Sincerely yours,
Erick Erickson
Editor, RedState.com