Nothing Sandwich from DHS on Black Out Recovery

In today’s Judiciary Oversight hearing in the Senate, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson suggested that his agency’s public-private partnership with the electrical utility industry would be prepared to, “spring into action” to restore the electric grid from a black out scenario referenced in Ted Koppel’s book Lights Out by Senator Orin Hatch.

Johnson’s response conflated (i.e. mixed together) backup generators that have limited fuel supply with critical high voltage transformers.  In one test run, in a non-black out scenario, DHS replaced a high voltage transformer in two weeks.  Such transformers take 1 to 2 years to order, build, and deliver.  Listen to his answer closely because this is what a nothing sandwich sounds like.  It’s hard to for Secretary Johnson to draw the line between not alarming the public and telling the truth.