Regulators get few answers from Duke about substation attacks
Duke Energy officials faced questions from state utility regulators in Raleigh on 12 December about the attack on two electrical substations in Moore County.
Image source: WFAE
USA, North Carolina, Raleigh: Duke Energy officials faced questions from state utility regulators in Raleigh on 12 December about the attack on two electrical substations in Moore County.
Three Duke executives offered few new details and still are not saying publicly what the attack might cost customers.
About 45,000 customers lost power after someone shot up the two substations about 20 km apart in Moore County, about 160 km east of Charlotte. Duke Energy also shut down a third substation to prevent further damage.
Utilities Commissioner Floyd McKissick asked Duke Chief Information Officer Bonnie Titone if it was true that the attacker or attackers seemed to know what to shoot to inflict the most damage.
“Because of the investigations going on, we don’t want to speculate or talk publicly about that. It’s certainly something that they’re using in that investigation, which I can tell you is ongoing and being done thoroughly,” Titone responded, adding “We are collaborating with them on a daily basis in order to ultimately figure out who was the culprit for this particular situation, and it has the utmost attention on the senior leadership level of Duke Energy.”
Duke Energy customers will likely end up paying for the attacks through higher rates. The company still isn’t putting a price tag on it. A similar incident in California nine years ago cost $15 M.
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Source: WFAE
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