Executive Summary
This report proposes strategic power islanding as a defense against cascading blackouts in the US power grid, particularly from nation-state cyber and kinetic attacks. It advocates for pre-planned, multi-state power islands, configured around existing balancing authorities, to protect critical infrastructure and military assets. The strategy aims to mitigate widespread outages and deter adversaries like China by demonstrating resilience.
Why It Matters
This document is crucial for defense and geopolitical analysts as it outlines a strategic approach to protect critical national infrastructure from sophisticated state-sponsored attacks, directly impacting military readiness and national security.
Key Takeaways
- Strategic power islanding involves pre-planned separation of the US grid into multi-state islands to prevent cascading blackouts from cyber/kinetic attacks.
- Existing balancing authorities (BAAs) are proposed as the basis for these 'microgrids on steroids' to protect vital defense and civilian facilities.
- The strategy aims to deter adversaries like China by reducing their confidence in achieving objectives like societal panic and hindering US force deployment.
Strategic Relevance
The report addresses a critical vulnerability in US national security: the susceptibility of its power grid to cascading blackouts from advanced cyber and kinetic attacks, particularly from state actors like China. Strategic power islanding is presented as a proactive defense mechanism to ensure continuity of critical military and civilian functions during conflict, thereby enhancing deterrence and resilience.