The Smart Grid is a Stupid Idea

During a war, one doesn't expose vulnerable assets like an electrical grid. We're in a war of sorts between people trying to get things done with technology -- both good and bad -- and people trying to stop things with technology -- both good and bad. WikiLeaks is a wonderful example of some of the stupidities and vulnerabilities we face. A USA Today article outlines the mess. One guy, evidently, had access to millions of secret documents and sent them electronically to WikiLeaks, who began publishing them, and threatening to publish more unless demands were met. Then, the organizations that were hosting the site backed off, and credit card firms cut their ties. Then, a counterattack began against anyone who dared raise a mouse against WikiLeaks. Denial of service attacks conducted via Twitter, and a threat against Twitter when rumors surfaced saying Twitter was blocking the organizing messages.

So how does this relate to the so-called smart grid? When you can cripple or shut down mature technologies like computers, websites and Internet connectivity, what does that say about new and evolving technologies such as the smart grid? A recent article on smart-grid security -- if there is such a thing -- exposed the many vulnerabilities and the difficulty in bolting the door.

Currently we have a largely analog dispersed collection of electrical grids managed by different groups under different rules. Their very clunkyness make them a lousy target. The very fractured nature of the nation's electrical grid is perhaps its best defense. A lightning strike in 1977, for example, began a chain of events through systems that were connected, that eventually blacked out most of New York City. Stores were looted, cars stolen, airports shut down.

While there appear to be many advantages to a smart-grid system -- households could contribute to the electrical grid with solar panels or wind generation and "turn the electric meter backwards" among other things -- the rollout of such systems should be stopped and the actual return on investment weighed against the many vulnerabilities that would be exposed to hackers, foreign governments, or any nut with an axe to grind and an Internet connection.

If smart grid projects rush forward as planned without such an analysis, I for one will be buying a gasoline-powered generator and stocking up on firewood.