A Conversation That Needs To Happen

Recently, I came across and article that stopped me dead in my tracks!

It read that an enormous Russian Spy Ship equipped with state-of-the-art “stealth submarines”, was caught loitering above a sub-sea internet cable. This breach was located off the waters of the UK causing fear that the ship and subs could cut the internet cables and seriously disrupt vast communications!

The vessel entered the Atlantic by sailing down from the Arctic. 

Here is a link to the article – to read yourself:

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Is there any concern for how our Offshore Wind industry might face similar situations in the protection of cable arrays running from transfer stations to land? The enormity of this potential looming hazard has certainly made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end!

I mean, getting electricity from renewable energy and Offshore Wind sounds really good and I fully support it, but what about National Security?

Imagine what would happen if one, two or three menacing vessels originating from another country came over and sliced the power cables. What would next steps be?

It’s not like the cables can be installed secretly …..  they, like all other sub-sea cables will be plainly marketed on all navigational charts. 
Which makes them …

• Easily Targeted
• Accessible By Boat
• Accessible by Ship
• Accessible by Submarine

Suppose several foreign vessels were modified to look like cargo ships, loaded with supplies and bound for any one of the US major shipping ports on the eastern seaboard in close proximity to cables. Spy stuff to be sure!

As it is now, all you need to do is look outside any major port in the US and you will see ships waiting their turn to load or unload cargo.

Could you imagine the havoc it would create if a couple of the cables were cut or damaged offshore of one of the most densely populated areas of the country? Millions of homes suddenly without power and the rest of a grid unable to cover the sudden demand?

• Do you remember the debacle in Texas Power Crisis during the winter of 2021?
  That would look like a grade school dress rehearsal in comparison. 
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Texas_power_crisis

• Do you remember what happened during the Northeast Blackout of 2003?
  Operators of the system were unaware of the need to re-distribute the load because of a software bug and a huge blackout occurred in the Northeast forcing 265 power plants to shut down.

Has The Thought of This Ever Crossed Anyone Else’s Mind?

I know this might be a hard pill to swallow, but wouldn’t you agree that this conversation needs to be had?

At least with power generation systems on land, we can see them, build security barriers around them, monitor them with relative ease, and have little risk of a foreign enemy passing over them without being noticed.

This isn’t so when it comes to Power Generation Systems out in International Waters!

I have asked a few key offshore people about this and received the “deer in the headlights” look, and other conversations ended up with me being called a conspiracy theorist.

So while we’re on the subject of conspiracy theories;
… Have you ever noticed how many “Conspiracy Theories” of 5 or 6 years ago actually became a reality of today?  Not all of them, but enough to make you go hummmmm.

I am not a conspiracy theorist. I do consider myself a realist though, and let’s face it – regardless of who controls the swamp, there are countries out there who hate us and will do anything they can to harm us. I’m all for Offshore Wind, but I think an answer to this question needs to be explored, don’t you?

• Ships go in and out of Buzzards Bay and Newport, RI so a ship passing over the Martha’s Vineyard cable runs could go totally un-noticed. 
  
• Ships by the hundreds transit to and from New York Harbor. The cables could present easy targets and damaging them could inflict major damage.
  
• Same thing runs true for the Delaware and Chesapeake Bay areas!

Talk about a way to cripple a country! 
Imagine something like this were to happen in the dark days of winter!

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What To Do About It?

Thats a good question and the main reason behind this post ……

I have a business associate who is very successful monitoring Trans-Atlantic communication cables. He has an incredible system that could be used in conjunction with a few high-speed / high-tech security vessels. Perhaps combining this technology with specific security vessels with clearance to be monitoring the transfer stations and cable runs might be an answer.

I appreciate an energetic conversation on this topic by posting thoughts in the comment section below.

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