Poll: Majority Believes U.S. Electric Grid is Vulnerable to Enemy Attack

According to a new poll commissioned by Protect Our Power, a not-for-profit organization of renowned experts dedicated to protecting the U.S. electric system, only eight percent of Americans believe the government is doing all it should to protect the electric grid from a potential attack.

Other key findings include:

• 62 percent of Americans believe the electric grid is vulnerable to a cyber or physical attack
• 66 percent of Americans say they are unprepared for an extended power outage
• 67 percent of Americans say they would anticipate significant financial or quality-of-life damage in the event of an extended power outage
• 69 percent of Americans are aware of threats to the grid, including cyber and physical attacks
• 75 percent of Americans say federal legislation to improve critical infrastructure should include funding for the electric grid

“As we have seen in today’s joint warning from Homeland Security and the FBI, foreign entities are becoming increasingly successful in infiltrating our electric grid and it may only be a matter of time until serious damage is done,” said Jim Cunningham, executive director of Protect Our Power. “Our poll shows that the American people are increasingly aware of and concerned about the vulnerabilities of our electrical systems, and that’s why they’re asking the government to act more aggressively in addressing this urgent threat. ”

The nation’s electric grid is comprised of both private and public generation and distribution companies, which operate under both federal and state regulation to manage the 200,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and 5.5 million miles of distribution lines that bring power to millions of U.S. homes and businesses every day.