When it comes to the electricity grid, the focus is often on the massive construction projects and the impressive figures of homes powered and carbon reduction metrics for renewable energy. However, there is a crucial but often overlooked part of the U.S. power grid: its defensive capabilities and the people who guard it.

The responsibility of protecting the power grid is immense. Natural disasters can cause power outages that leave homes and families vulnerable for days or even weeks. While efforts are made to restore power after a system failure, the primary role of energy defense and recovery is to guard against potential attacks. Similar to how the military and intelligence organizations defend the country from threats, there are public servants dedicated to safeguarding the power grid from possible incursions.

In 2015, a testing team, working in collaboration with authorities, managed to gain control of north Seattle’s electrical systems within just 22 minutes. Throughout history, power system sabotage has been a tactic employed in both covert and overt battle strategies. For as long as electricity has supported populations and militaries, it has been targeted. Ukraine, for example, has accused Russia of hacking its power grid, and during the 2006 invasion of Lebanon, Israeli air assets targeted power stations, bridges, and other infrastructure to disrupt the country’s electricity supply.