Industry and IBEW News

Hacking the Grid: How Digital Sabotage Turns Infrastructure Into A Weapon

https://theconversation.com/hacking-the-grid-how-digital-sabotage-turns-infrastructure-into-a-weapon-272874

The January 2026 blackout in Caracas during US military operations against Venezuela demonstrated how cyber warfare targeting industrial control systems has become a precision weapon in modern conflict. Experts warn that widespread adoption of insecure distributed energy resources like residential solar inverters creates decentralized vulnerabilities, while examples like Stuxnet, Industroyer, and Volt Typhoon show nation-states are actively pre-positioning within critical infrastructure networks.

Is Administration Losing Its War on Wind Power?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2026/01/21/trump-war-on-wind-setbacks

The Trump administration suffered three court losses last week in its campaign against offshore wind, as federal judges lifted stop-work orders on major projects. Industry advocates and even some oil industry figures have grown alarmed by the administration's anti-wind vendetta, which threatens to restrict power supply at a time when electricity demand is surging from data centers and other sources.

Administration Claims Offshore Wind Poses a Threat. But It Wont Say How.

https://www.npr.org/2026/01/21/nx-s1-5678635/trump-offshore-wind-national-security-climate-change

The Trump administration halted construction on five offshore wind projects in December citing classified national security concerns, but has refused to share specifics with developers or the public. Wind companies filed lawsuits arguing the lack of transparency suggests political motives rather than legitimate security threats, as experts note that concerns about wind turbines affecting military radar systems have been known for decades.

Largest US Electric Grid Expects All-time Record Winter Demand

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/largest-us-electric-grid-expects-all-time-record-winter-demand/ar-AA1UKEjx

US electricity consumption is forecast to reach record levels in 2025 and 2026, driven primarily by surging demand from data centers and AI workloads. EIA projects total power demand rising from 4,110 billion kilowatt-hours in 2024 to over 4,260 billion kilowatt-hours in 2026, marking the first time since 2007 that demand has risen for four consecutive years.

Microsoft Agrees to Pay For Higher Electricity Consumption Due to Data Centers

https://insidermonkey.com/blog/microsoft-corporation-agrees-to-pay-for-higher-electricity-consumption-due-to-data-centers-1679666/

Microsoft announced a "Community-First AI Infrastructure" policy ensuring communities won't bear the full cost of electricity consumption and grid expansion from its data centers, following Trump administration pressure. The company's commitment comes as IEA estimates US datacenter electricity demand could triple by 2035, from 200 to 640 terawatt-hours annually.