PG&E Silicon Valley Substation Is Breached Again

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Sheesh. Someone has it in for this place. The Wall Street Journal. has been on top of this story.

See the earlier thread about last year's attack, Assault on California Power Station Raises Alarm on Potential for Terrorism.

PG&E Silicon Valley Substation Is Breached Again

Police Are Notified More Than Five Hours After Intruders Target Metcalf Facility

By Rebecca Smith
Updated Aug. 28, 2014 6:37 p.m. ET

SAN FRANCISCO—A PG&E Corp. electrical substation for Silicon Valley was breached for a second time, despite the utility's efforts to bulk up security following an armed attack last year.

The Metcalf substation—south of San Jose, Calif., off U.S. Highway 101—was targeted early Wednesday morning by intruders who cut fencing at the site and stole construction equipment being used for security upgrades.

Alarms sounded in the utility's central security-dispatch center shortly after 2 a.m., although the break-in wasn't discovered until a morning shift arrived four or five hours later, PG&E said. The company reported the incident to police around 7:30 a.m. and disclosed the incident to the public eight hours later. The utility said it is seeking the public's help in identifying the thieves.
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Gunmen attacked the substation in April of last year, shooting out 17 large transformers. There was no blackout because of adjustments by the grid operator. The facility was out of service for nearly a month.
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Write to Rebecca Smith at [e-mail]

After last year's attack by gunmen, PG&E rolled out a $100 million program to harden security at its Metcalf, Calif., substation and was restoring round-the-clock guards. Associated Press