Contractor accused of tampering with power grid's computer system

subscribe

A man whose company was contracted to work for the state's power grid was arrested after he allegedly attempted to sabotage the agency's electricity markets and made a threat that forced the evacuation of the agency's Sacramento-area building recently.

Lonnie Charles Denison, 32, was employed by an unnamed company that contracted with the Independent System Operator, said a spokeswoman for the agency. He was arrested around 1:30 p.m. by the FBI and faces federal charges of destruction of an energy facility, officials said.

On April 15 around midnight, authorities began investigating why the internal power supply had been cut off to several computer systems that handle ISO market data. The ISO oversees electricity purchases and distribution in California.

The computers were fully restored by 6 a.m., officials said, and built-in redundancies prevented the tampering from affecting the power grid.

On April 16 around 12 noon, the ISO received a "credible threat" to the facility through an e-mail "from the same suspect," officials said. Five hundred employees in all three ISO buildings at the Folsom campus were evacuated, according to the agency.

Authorities searched the building but found no potential problems and allowed employees back in at about 5 p.m. During that time, grid operations were transferred to another facility, and service was not affected.

A spokeswoman said the ISO is conducting an internal investigation to "review security policies and procedures."

Related News

Sara Hastings-Simon

Could selling renewable energy be Alberta's next big thing?

CALGARY - Alberta has big potential when it comes to providing renewable energy, advocates say.

The Pembina Institute says the practice of corporations committing to buy renewable energy is just taking off in Canada, and Alberta has both the energy sector and the skilled workforce to provide it.

Earlier this week, a company owned by U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett announced a large new wind farm near Medicine Hat. It has a buyer for the power.

Sara Hastings-Simon, director of the Pembina's Business Renewables Centre, says this is part of a trend.

"We're talking about the practice of corporate institutions purchasing renewables to meet their…

READ MORE
substation

UK National Grid Commissions 2GW Substation

READ MORE

ofgem proposal

Two new electricity interconnectors planned for UK

READ MORE

Hydro One CEO's $4.5M salary Point of Controversy

Hydro One CEO's $4.5M salary won't be reduced to help cut electricity costs

READ MORE

china solar power

China boosts wind energy, photovoltaic and concentrated solar power

READ MORE