Here's What America Must Do to Protect Its Electric Grid from Russian Hacking

The U.S. electricity grid is hard to defend because of its enormous size and heavy dependency on digital communication and computerized control software. The number of potential targets is growing as “internet of things” devices, such as smart meters, solar arrays and household batteries, connect to smart grid systems.

As researchers of grid security, we believe that current security standards mandated by federal regulations provide sufficient protection against observed threats. But recent incidents demonstrate the ongoing challenge of ensuring everyone follows the guidelines, which themselves must change over time to keep up with technological shifts.

Life in Gaza Is Shaped by the Electricity Crisis

During a visit to Gaza late last year, a colleague called me at the last minute to postpone a planned meeting. Apologizing, he told me that he needed to go home for several hours to do laundry. Electricity had come on in his neighborhood and he needed to complete household chores while it was available.

Later, he told me, "Life [in Gaza] is shaped by the electricity crisis. If there is power from 3 pm to 10 pm today, there won't be tomorrow. When there is power in the afternoon, I go home and do work. I do laundry and anything else. When the power is off in the afternoon, I don't go home. I won't go home until it is on, because at home, I will just sit in the dark. I live on the 11th floor of my building and I can't do anything there without electricity."

Alberta Electricity Prices: Calgary, Edmonton Prices Among Highest In Canada, Study Finds

Albertans are paying some of the highest rates for power in the nation, according to a new study.

An annual survey conducted by Hydro-Quebec, which compared power prices across 22 North American cities on April 1, 2013, found Calgary residents pay the third highest power bills in Canada and Edmonton the fourth highest.

Superstorm Sandy: Power slowly returns to New York as frustration over gas shortages grow

NEW YORK, N.Y.—The lights went back on Saturday in lower Manhattan, prompting screams of sweet relief from residents who had been plunged into darkness for nearly five days by Superstorm Sandy. But that joy contrasted with deepening resentment in the city’s outer boroughs and suburbs over a continued lack of power and maddening gas shortages.

Adding to the misery of those lacking power, heat or gasoline: dipping temperatures. Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged older residents without heat to move to shelters, and said 25,000 blankets were being distributed across the city.

Electricity Prices Rise Despite Cheaper Costs For Utility Companies

NEW YORK — A plunge in the price of natural gas has made it cheaper for utilities to produce electricity. But the savings aren't translating to lower rates for customers. Instead, U.S. electricity prices are going up.

Electricity prices are forecast to rise slightly this summer. But any increase is noteworthy because natural gas, which is used to produce nearly a third of the country's power, is 43 percent cheaper than a year ago. A long-term downward trend in power prices could be starting to reverse, analysts say.

Electricity Prices Going Up For Smart Meter Users

Electricity prices are going up by an average of 1.8 per cent for the average residential consumer using smart meters, the Ontario Energy Board has announced.

Off-peak, on-peak and mid-peak rates are going up starting Nov. 1, the regulator said in a release Monday.

For the average residential consumer using 800kWh a month, that means an increase of $2.11 on the electricity portion of the bill. The increase affects residences and businesses hooked to smart meter pricing — 66 per cent of all consumers as of August.

All Ontario electricity consumers are expected to switch over to smart meter pricing by mid-2012.

Meanwhile rates are going up for those on tiered pricing as well — the average consumer stands to pay an extra 20 cents a month.

The main causes of the increase, the board said, are "increased nuclear and renewable generation coming online during the forecast period."

But the board said while rates are going up, the overall total bill for businesses and residences on smart meter pricing will be lower Nov. 1 than they were one year ago at the same time because of a 10 per cent rebate the government has provided.

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Source: Huffington