The attack on the Metcalf substation is a wake-up call for utilities, consumers, and lawmakers. The question now is: how to respond. Guarding against another sniper attack isn't enough: America needs a systematic approach to analyzing grid security to protect against all potential threats -- both man-made and natural. In this piece, ICF experts propose such an approach.

1. News Alert
After the Metcalf Attack: A New Approach is
Needed to Improve Grid Security
By Ken Collison, Judah Rose
ICF International
The news of the attack on the Metcalf substation is indeed a wake-up call. Recent
reports describing a sophisticated attack on the Metcalf electric transmission substation
in California last year have appropriately drawn the attention to potential threats to
nation’s electric infrastructure. At Metcalf, saboteurs deliberately tried to cause a
blackout by destroying the large, on-site transformers. They succeeded in damaging
most of their targets. Fortunately, PG&E, the owner of the substation, was able to reroute power to keep the electric grid operational.
Physical attacks such as this can be far more damaging than any storm. A coordinated
physical attack on a critical grid asset (or a cyber attack aimed at causing physical
damage) could wreak havoc on the system, causing a long-term blackout lasting days or
months. As disruptive as storms can be, they rarely damage long lead time equipment
for which there not spares. Rather, storms knock down towers and wires, which can be
rehung. But utilities don’t keep large expensive equipment in the back of their repair
trucks. Most of these assets are replaced very infrequently and are ordered if/when
needed.
Last week, four U.S. Senators asked the North American Electric Reliability Corporation
(NERC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to determine whether
minimum standards of physical security should be developed for the bulk power system.
This is a much needed review. The current approach to reviewing these events is best
described as “protecting against the last event.” This static approach looks for solutions
that would have stopped/slowed the last threat and then implements those solutions on
a broad scale. This backward looking approach is always a step behind our enemies.

2. icfi.com
Directing Resources to What’s Important
Any views or opinions expressed in
this paper are solely those of the
author(s) and do not necessarily
represent those of ICF International.
This White Paper is provided for
informational purposes only and the
contents are subject to change
without notice. No contractual
obligations are formed directly or
indirectly by this document. ICF
MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS,
IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE
INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT.
No part of this document may be
reproduced or transmitted in any
form, or by any means (electronic,
mechanical, or otherwise), for any
purpose without prior written
permission.
ICF and ICF INTERNATIONAL are
registered trademarks of ICF
International and/or its affiliates.
Other names may be trademarks of
their respective owners.
About ICF International Since 1969,
ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI)
has been serving government at
all levels, major corporations, and
multilateral institutions. With
more than 60 offices and more
than 4,500 employees worldwide,
we bring deep domain expertise,
problem-solving capabilities and
a results-driven approach to
deliver strategic value across the
lifecycle of client programs.
At ICF, we partner with clients to
conceive and implement
solutions and services that
protect and improve the quality
of life, providing lasting answers
to society’s most challenging
management, technology, and
policy issues. As a company and
individually, we live this mission,
as evidenced by our
commitment to sustainability
and carbon neutrality,
contribution to the global
community, and dedication to
employee growth.
1
ICF has developed a proprietary methodology to determine investments in infrastructure
to ensure that the grid remains resilient to a wide variety of events – at the lowest cost
to the consumer 1. We have successfully applied this methodology to critical
infrastructure around the country, specifically to ameliorate the impacts of climate
change. Protecting every asset from every possible physical and weather attack (and
every scenario within these areas) is impossible and prohibitively expensive. Our
approach identifies what services and assets are truly critical to the utility and its
customers, so that if/when an event occurs, the impact is minimized. ICF works with
critical infrastructure owners to assess redundancies and vulnerabilities, taking into
account a wide threat matrix. Lastly, ICF explores all of the potential solutions – from
microgrid, DG, and DER deployment to major infrastructure changes.
For questions, please contact:
Ken Collison
703.934.3806
Kenneth.collison@icfi.com
Judah Rose
703.934.3342
Judah.rose@icfi.com
“Evaluating the cost effectiveness of grid hardening investments”, Public Utilities Fortnightly, October 2013

5. icfi.com
Any views or opinions expressed in this
paper are solely those of the author(s)
and do not necessarily represent those
of ICF International. This White Paper is
provided for informational purposes
only and the contents are subject to
change without notice. No contractual
obligations are formed directly or
indirectly by this document. ICF MAKES
NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR
STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN
THIS DOCUMENT.
No part of this document may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form,
or by any means (electronic,
mechanical, or otherwise), for any
purpose without prior written
permission.
ICF and ICF INTERNATIONAL are
registered trademarks of ICF
International and/or its affiliates. Other
names may be trademarks of their
respective owners.
About ICF International Since 1969, ICF
International (NASDAQ:ICFI) has been
serving government at all levels,
major corporations, and multilateral
institutions. With more than 60
offices and more than 4,500
employees worldwide, we bring
deep domain expertise, problemsolving capabilities and a resultsdriven approach to deliver strategic
value across the lifecycle of client
programs.
At ICF, we partner with clients to
conceive and implement solutions
and services that protect and
improve the quality of life, providing
lasting answers to society’s most
challenging management,
technology, and policy issues. As a
company and individually, we live this
mission, as evidenced by our
commitment to sustainability and
carbon neutrality, contribution to
the global community, and
dedication to employee growth.