美国国家公共电台 NPR--Former FERC chairman describes what needs to change to protect U.S. infrastructure

Former FERC chairman describes what needs to change to protect U.S. infrastructure¹

Transcript²

Following attacks on two power substations in North Carolina, former FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff tells NPR that more can be done to protect the nation's critical infrastructure.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

The attacks on the power substations in North Carolina remind us how vulnerable the nation's critical infrastructure is. Our co-host, A Martínez, talked with John Welling Hoff about what needs to be done to protect it. He's the former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. One of his roles is to regulate the interstate transmission of electricity.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

So Jon, when we think of the United States and its power grid³, I mean, what types of attacks is the power grid most vulnerable to?

JON WELLINGHOFF: Well, a lot of people immediately think of cybersecurity. But I think of physical security. And that is - one of the ones that has been most prevalent is gunfire, is actually shooting into infrastructure, into primarily large, high-power substations. There was an attack that took place in April of 2013 just south of San Jose at the Metcalf substation, where 17 transformers were actually shot out by a number of individuals that have never been caught.

MART?NEZ: And you were at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission when that happened, right?

WELLINGHOFF: That's correct. I investigated that. I took a number of my people from the FERC out to the site, as well as a number of people from some of the special forces, U.S. special forces, who came out with us and actually investigated that incident. Somebody came within about 30 or 40 yards of the exterior⁴ fence, which was a chain link fence, and actually shot through the fence over a hundred times and hit 17 large, high voltage transformers and knocked those transformers out.

MART?NEZ: Jon, it seems like that would be an easy fix. Either make it harder to get close to it or provide some kind of barrier between those - the equipment and anything else.

WELLINGHOFF: Well, absolutely. I mean, it's not expensive. It's not complicated. It's not highly technical. What they did with this particular substation in San Jose, PG&E - Pacific Gas and Electric - they put a block wall around it, a concrete block wall. So that's one mitigation measure. Another one is you could use something as simple as sandbags, actually, that would protect them. But, you know, apparently⁵, it has not been done on a wide-scale basis, as we've seen with this incident in North Carolina.

MART?NEZ: Why do you think that is. Considering how vulnerable they are and considering that now they are a target, why not fortify⁶ them all over the country?

WELLINGHOFF: Well, you know, there have been regulations put in place since I left FERC and made this issue public. And FERC has put in physical security standards that are supposed to be implemented⁷ and supposed to be overseen⁸ and enforced. And so, you know, the issue is discussion has to go on with the federal government, with these federal agencies, with Homeland Security and also with the states as to why they haven't done more, because, in fact, it is a relatively⁹ simple thing to do. And it's something that we should do immediately, given that we are now seeing these incidents happen. And they seem to be happening with increasing frequency.

These transformers are in the hands of private corporations, of monopolies. One of them where this happened in California was Pacific Gas and Electric. In North Carolina, it was Duke Energy, Duke Carolinas. So it is ultimately the job of those private entities¹⁰ to ensure that their infrastructure, that they're given a monopoly to provide service to us of a essential service, that those essential services can, in fact, continue to be provided reliably.

MART?NEZ: Why haven't regulators been more on this, on top of this, to just try to defend it and make sure that it doesn't happen?

WELLINGHOFF: Well, you know, I believe that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission did issue a physical security standard for these types of pieces of grid infrastructure, you know? So the federal government has attempted to do what they can do. But ultimately, it's a matter of implementing¹¹ these regulations and ensuring that those regulations are carried out by these private actors, as I mentioned before, these private companies that really are responsible for the infrastructure because they own it, they operate it, they maintain it.

There has to be some coordination¹² between what the federal government does - whether it be FERC, whether it be Homeland Security or other agencies that are responsible for ensuring that this infrastructure is safe and secure - and these private owners that own this infrastructure and are responsible for actually carrying out what these regulations say. We need to step it up and ensure that these regulations, in fact, are fully¹³ implemented and the, as I say, simple actions that are relatively inexpensive are taken seriously and are carried out.

MART?NEZ: Jon Wellinghoff was the chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from 2009 to 2013. Jon, thanks.

WELLINGHOFF: Thank you, A.

(SOUNDBITE OF TESK SONG, "LEGO")

1 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

4 exterior   

adj.外部的，外在的；表面的

参考例句：

• The seed has a hard exterior covering.这种子外壳很硬。
• We are painting the exterior wall of the house.我们正在给房子的外墙涂漆。

5 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

6 fortify   

v.强化防御，为…设防；加强，强化

参考例句：

• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。
• This treaty forbade the United States to fortify the canal.此条约禁止美国对运河设防。

7 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

8 overseen   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was overseen stealing the letters. 他被人撞见在偷信件。 来自辞典例句
• It will be overseen by ThomasLi, director of IBM China Research Laboratory. 该实验室由IBM中国研究院院长李实恭(ThomasLi)引导。 来自互联网

9 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

10 entities   

实体对像； 实体，独立存在体，实际存在物( entity的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Our newspaper and our printing business form separate corporate entities. 我们的报纸和印刷业形成相对独立的企业实体。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities. 北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

11 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

12 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

13 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。