Federal Regulators Leaked US Electrical Grid Classified Information

Freedom Outpost

Michael Bastasch

Classified information about the physical security systems of the U.S. electrical grid was leaked by the country’s top energy regulatory commission, according to a government watchdog report.

The Energy Department inspector general reports that classified information about electrical grid security was mishandled by officials on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the nation’s grid regulator.

The IG found that at least one FERC presentation contained information that should have been classified, was handled by commission employees who did not have proper clearance and was given to federal and industry representatives in non-classified settings.

“As you are aware, the materials in question raise concerns with the security and integrity of our Nation’s critical energy infrastructure, including the Nation’s power grid,” the IG reported. “We are especially concerned with reports that the document that was not properly classified and may currently be stored on unclassified Commission servers, as well as on current and former Commission employees’ desktop computers, laptops, portable electronic devices, and copiers.”

The report comes in the wake of a Wall Street Journal report that the government was investigating an April 2013 attack on a power substation near San Jose, California where gunmen did millions of dollars’ worth of damage and nearly took out the power to the region.

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski wrote to the Energy Department’s IG last month to find out how classified information was leaked to the WSJ and for the watchdog to examine the legal responsibility that former FERC commissioners and employees have to keep sensitive grid information secret.

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Reposted with permission