Its not just EMPs and Nukes that can turn out the lights

[NorthernRaider]

nor is it strikes or shortages of fuel for generators....................how about terrorists ??????????? ..........and NOT using bombs...............

How about extremists or gun nuts simply shooting up sub stations, in this case they did sufficient damage to knock out the sub station for 17 days. Imagine the mayhem and chaos they could cause if they hit multiple sub stations, primarily because replacement transformers are not stocked in large numbers.

take out enough and chaos could last for months

"The attack on the Metcalf substation, south of San Jose, Calif., began after 1 a.m. April 16 by gunmen who took out 17 of the 20 giant transformers that funnel power to Silicon Valley. It took the utility almost a month to repair the substation; no one has been arrested in the incident"

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10...0589502828