Shockingly vulnerable US power grid could result in 18-month nationwide blackout, expert warns

Nypost · Aug 19, 2026 · 657 words · By Chris Nesi

Grid Vulnerability Infrastructure Decay National Security

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What to know about Grid Vulnerability

Shockingly vulnerable US power grid could result in 18-month nationwide blackout, expert warns See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 14

Techniques found 3

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center80%

Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Shockingly vulnerable US power grid could result in 18-month nationwide blackout, expert warns See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on Google The US is at a heightened risk of a catastrophic blackout that could last up to 18 months due to aging power grid infrastructure that takes agonizingly long to update and is potentially vulnerable to a precision weapon strike.

Common ground

The alarming vulnerability was brought to light in 2013 by Jon Wellinghoff, former chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), after a coordinated attack on a California electrical substation in April 2013.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Fear, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Grid Vulnerability story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that the US power grid... is actually divided into three sections: the Western, Eastern and Texas Interconnections?
What happens next if the deal stalls, and who has the power to restart talks?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/19/us-news/shockingly-vulnerable-us-power-grid-could-…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 85% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Fear 90% confidence

Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Exaggeration / Hyperbole 80% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6

schedule Pending 4

help Insufficient Evidence 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

info Single Source 1

verified

Claim 1: “the US power grid... is actually divided into three sections: the Western, Eastern and Texas Interconnections.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and the US EPA explicitly state that the US power grid is divided into the Eastern, Western, and Texas Interconnections.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas (in case citations, W.D. Tex.) is a federal district court. The court convenes in San Antonio with divisions in Austin, Del Rio, El P…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_District_Court_f…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The electrical power grid that powers Northern America is not a single grid, but is instead divided into multiple wide area synchronous grids. The Eastern Interconnection and the Western Interconnecti…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_power_transmiss…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (in case citations, E.D. Tex.) is a federal court in the Fifth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. governme…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_District_Court_f…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “with enough guns the entire grid could be taken out in 20 minutes.”

CORROBORATED

Web sources (pennlive.com, TikTok) report that Jon Wellinghoff stated anyone with enough guns could destroy the critical substations in 20 minutes.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway, which stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 2…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_20

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — U.S. Route 20 (US 20) in the state of Illinois is located in the northern region of the state. Running northwest to southeast, the highway enters the state in East Dubuque after crossing the Mississi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_20_in_Illinois

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States twenty-dollar note (US$20), also referred to as the United States twenty-dollar bill, is a denomination of U.S. currency. A portrait of Andrew Jackson, the seventh U.S. president (18…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_twenty-dollar_bi…

+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 3: “no arrests have been made [regarding the Metcalf attack].”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results regarding whether arrests were made or not in connection with the Metcalf attack.

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Claim 4: ““If you knock out nine total substations along those three grids, you can black out the entire United States.””

CORROBORATED

Multiple web sources attribute the claim that knocking out nine critical substations could cause a nationwide blackout to Jon Wellinghoff.

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web search NEUTRAL — "If attackers knocked out nine critical substations across the three interconnections, they could black out the entire United States — and such an outage could last 18 months or more." — Jon Wellingho…
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/expert-warns-u-grid-c…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — He discovered that wiping out nine critical substations across the three grid intersections in America – the Western, Eastern, and Texas Interconnections – the country would be left without power. Jon…
https://www.uniladtech.com/news/tech-news/us-electrical-grid…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — There are three interconnected grids in the U.S., and taking out as few as nine critical substations could cause a nationwide blackout, according to a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) study…
https://worldviewtube.com/vault/article/urgent-call-action-d…

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Claim 5: “The alarming vulnerability was brought to light in 2013 by Jon Wellinghoff, former chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), after a coordinated attack on a California electrical substation in April 2013.”

CORROBORATED

The claim is confirmed by multiple web sources and Wikipedia. Wikipedia confirms the April 16, 2013, attack on the Metcalf substation and Jon Wellinghoff's role as FERC chair.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On April 16, 2013, an attack was carried out on Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Metcalf transmission substation in Coyote, California, near the border of San Jose. The attack, in which gunmen fired…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Metcalf_sniper_attack

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates the interstate transmission and wholesale sale of electricity and natural gas an…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Energy_Regulatory_Comm…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jon B. Wellinghoff (born May 30, 1949) is an American attorney who served as the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from 2009 to 2013. The FERC is a U.S. government agency tha…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Wellinghoff

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 6: “It took PG&E 27 days to bring the substation back online after the attack”

SINGLE SOURCE

Only one specific source ('The Disappearing Elephant') mentions that it took 27 days to repair the substation. Other sources confirm the attack but not the specific repair timeline.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The damage to the substation took 27 days to repair and cost $15.4 Million.The attack on the substation was so over-the-top, especially given that no long-term damage was inflicted, that it more appro…
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/metcalf-substation-incident-d…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The burglary came just over a year after an April 2013 armed assault on the San Jose, CA, facility. An investigation of the burglary by the commission’s Safety and Enforcement Division identified mult…
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ca-regulators-fine-pge-50k-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — On April 16, 2013, attackers cut fiber optic cables in an underground vault and then fired more than 100 rounds from at least two high-powered rifles on Pacific Gas and Electric's Metcalf power transm…
https://www.voanews.com/a/attack-last-year-on-california-pow…

help

Claim 7: “there’s the problem of the system’s age, and its loose confederation of 101 regional balancing authorities nationwide”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results to confirm the specific number of regional balancing authorities (101).

schedule

Claim 8: “One transformer manufacturer said around 75% of the distribution transformers... are older than their 50-year life expectancy.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 9: “transformer demand in 2027 on pace to more than double the demand seen in 2020.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 10: “The gunmen fired 120 shots, taking out an alarming 17 transformers at a Pacific Gas and Electric’s Metcalf electrical substation just outside San Jose”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the attack on the PG&E Metcalf substation near San Jose. 'In the Crosshairs | Fortnightly' specifies 100-150 rounds and 17 transformers disabled, while Wikipedia confirms 17 transformers were targeted.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Exodus of Kashmiri Hindus, or Pandits, is their early-1990 migration, or flight, from the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley in Indian-administered Kashmir following rising violence in an insurgency.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exodus_of_Kashmiri_Hindus

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Islam is India's second-largest religion, with 14.2% of the country's population, or approximately 172.2 million people, identifying as adherents of Islam in a 2011 census. India has the third-largest…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_India

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following units and commanders of the American armed forces under Andrew Jackson fought at the Battle of New Orleans during War of 1812. The British order of battle is shown separately.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_New_Orleans_order_of…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 11: “The US is at a heightened risk of a catastrophic blackout that could last up to 18 months due to aging power grid infrastructure... and is potentially vulnerable to a precision weapon strike.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web sources (Amed Post, nj.com) report that the US power grid is vulnerable to coordinated attacks and that former FERC chair Jon Wellinghoff warned of a potential 18-month blackout.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — U.S. Highway 18 (US 18) is the northernmost east–west United States Numbered Highway in the state of Iowa. As with all state highways in Iowa, it is maintained by the Iowa Department of Transportation…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_18_in_Iowa

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — U.S. Highway 18 (US 18) in the state of Wisconsin runs east–west across the southern part of the state. The highway serves as major connecting route between Madison and the southwest corner of the sta…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_18_in_Wisconsin

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — U.S. Highway 18 (US 18) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway in the Midwestern United States. The western terminus is in Orin, Wyoming, at an interchange with Interstate 25 (I-25). Its easte…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_18

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 12: “The blackout resulting from such an attack, he warned, could last 18 months or more.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources report Jon Wellinghoff's warning that a coordinated attack could result in a blackout lasting 18 months or more.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A prolonged blackout in an Indiana city is shining a bright light on America's aging power grid and revealing major national vulnerabilities.They warn that our national electricity network is so fragi…
https://www.fodmapeveryday.com/u-s-power-grid-faces-blackout…

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web search NEUTRAL — The blackout resulting from such an attack, he warned, could last 18 months or more.Wellinghoff pointed out that if it took a team of grid repair experts a month to fix a substation while the grid sti…
https://amedpost.com/shockingly-vulnerable-us-power-grid-cou…

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web search NEUTRAL — Breaking: Experts warn a cyber attack could result in an 18-month U.S. power grid blackout. Could a handful of individuals cause chaos? Learn more about this critical threat and its implications!
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/18-months-without-power-beca…

schedule

Claim 13: “The average wait time to replace a large transformer at a major substation... has jumped from less than a year to a staggering 128 weeks since 2021 alone”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 14: “The average age of large power transformers... was 38-40 years old in 2014.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.