(Natural News)—Late last year, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NAERC), a not-for-profit international regulatory authority, had warned that much of the United States power grid – “the only major power grid without a plan” – and parts of Canada are vulnerable to major winter storms.
This was confirmed by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), which stated that 70 percent of power outages in the U.S. are weather-related, caused by natural weather phenomena such as ice, lighting, rain, snow, wind and even dust.
For instance, millions of households went without power when winter storm “Elliot” hit the Eastern United States in December 2022. (Related: Energy Commissioner warns: America heading toward power grid “reliability crisis.”)
Knowing the places most likely to suffer from a power grid collapse is crucial for any serious prepper.
States with the least reliable power grids
From the latest electrical reliability data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Sep. 20, 2023, here are the top three states with the worst power grids, according to Generator Decision.
Louisiana
The Jazz capital of the world has an aging electrical grid, which does not keep up with extreme weather. When Hurricane Ida, a deadly and extremely destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane made its landfall in Louisiana in 2021, nearly a million people lost power and many of the State’s residents lived without electricity for more than a month, PBS reported.
On Sep.23, 2021, the Louisiana Public Service Commission said: “Sometimes, there just isn’t enough electricity to meet unusually high demands. Power is never guaranteed in Louisiana, especially at the end of August/beginning of September.”
While Louisiana is known for its colorful history and having a “flair all its own” with its amazing architecture, Mardi Gras, great cuisine, fantastic music and more, you would not want to be in any one of its cities that have been identified as the most dangerous cities – especially during blackouts.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) included Alexandria, Bastrop, Crowley, Hammond, Leesville, Marksville, Monroe, Opelousas, Walker and West Monroe as the FBI’s 10 most dangerous cities in Louisiana for 2023.
Oregon
Oregon’s system shares power with much of that West Coast grid called the Western Interconnection.
Most grid infrastructure in the Beaver State is built above ground due to cheaper construction costs. However, above-ground power lines are more vulnerable to weather events.
In a post released on Dec. 14, 2023, the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board (CUB) described its grid as “increasingly at risk” with extreme weather events – wildfires and ice storms – “becoming more frequent and longer.”
On Jan 19, Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) reported that the FBI was warning utilities of neo-Nazi or “white supremacists’ plots to take down the nation’s power grid as a string of deliberate physical attacks on electrical substations unfolded in Oregon and Washington states in 2022.”
According to an FBI memo obtained by OPB and KUOW: “The individuals of concern believe that an attack on electrical infrastructure will contribute to their ideological goal of causing societal collapse and a subsequent race war in the United States.”
Since mid-November 2022, Portland General Electric, Bonneville Power Administration, Cowlitz County Public Utility District and Puget Sound Energy have confirmed a total of six separate attacks on electrical substations they manage in Oregon and Washington that have left thousands of residents without electricity for days.
An email from a security specialist with the Bonneville Power Administration in Portland, obtained by OPB and KUOW, reportedly provided details of the attacks, “including setting the control houses on fire, forced entry and sabotage of intricate electrical control systems, causing short circuits by tossing chains across the overhead busywork and ballistic attack with small caliber firearms.”
Due to concerns about the specialist’s safety, Bonneville Power officials requested that the specialist’s name be withheld.
Texas
Unlike most other states in the U.S., Texas predominantly operates on its own independent power grid – the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). However, this isolation also means “it cannot readily tap into neighboring grids when faced with a deficit,” according to Paschal, a company that provides professional heating, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical services.
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From freezing winter storms that paralyze power plants to scorching summer days that can overload the Texas grid, extreme weather puts more strain on the system, especially as metropolitan areas, like Austin, Dallas and Houston, with the sheer number of businesses and consumers connecting to the grid overloading Texas’ aging infrastructure.
Paschal added that its legacy systems are reportedly facing wear, tear and obsolescence.
Investopedia said that natural gas and wind generate most of Texas’ electricity and “its infrastructure isn’t winterized against freezing temperatures.” It noted that winter storm “Uri” from Feb.13-17, 2021 led to more than 210 deaths and caused almost 70 percent of Texas to be without power and 50 percent to lose water.
Watch the Energy Commissioner admitting a POWER GRID COLLAPSE in the following video.
This video is from the Alex Hammer channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
- Insiders warn shifting to green energy could disrupt power grid reliability.
- New York becomes first U.S. state to ban gas stoves, heaters in all new buildings – energy grid to suffer as a result.
- The “green” agenda of the left aims to eliminate all gas nationwide.
Sources include:
- RMI.org
- GeneratorSource.com
- GeneratorDecision.com
- LDH.LA.gov
- 973TheDawg.com
- OregonCUB.org
- OPB.org
- GoPaschal.com
- Brighteon.com
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
It strikes me that if there was a “race” war being that blacks are only 13 % of the population then a 8 to one advantage would make it a very short war.
One would think Oregon should have plenty hydroelectric systems.
Even if Oregon does have hydroelectric availability, if those governing the state have an agenda not in the best interest of the residents, then the residents, small businesses and others are in trouble. Portland is a sad example of mismanagement, either by stupidity or malice.