The Problem Of The Energy Sector

Our methods of energy generation and usage are another valuable resource that we must use responsibly if we are to protect it. According to the Florida Energy System Consortium,

In recent years, the US has come to realize the weaknesses in the US power supply. The power infrastructure in the country is very old; and because of the increase in power usage within the US, the power grid is becoming weaker and more prone to security issues. Because of the uncertainty in the power system, some major US companies have moved their data systems to other countries in order to better protect themselves by using forms of renewable energy (Rhodes 2013). The US

In doing this, he shows the reader why it is important that more be done to safeguard the power grid. By his use of examples, it gives the reader a sense of fear, making Kyl’s use of pathos very effective. The underlying message is that the U.S. government has seen multiple times what our enemies are capable of, so why do they continually stand by not putting effort into protection of the nation’s future? Brian Kennedy’s main ideas are discussed by using different statistics as well as other facts to raise awareness. Kennedy also uses pathos but performs a different approach.

It is essential to understand America’s critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) and National Infrastructure Protection Program (NIPP) to ensure survivability of its critical assets, while maintaining security for America. “The plans are carried out in practice by an integrated network of Federal departments and agencies, State and local government agencies, private sector entities, and a growing number of regional consortia (DHS, 2009, p. I).” Several agencies work together to mitigate attacks on CIKR to protect public safety and security of the nation. A terrorist may stop at nothing to carry out an attack on CIKR. If an attack or natural disaster does transpire, each agency working together to restore the damage must be timely. Additionally, NIPP helps to identify hazards associated with the various sectors, and provides necessary security measures to harden resources (DHS,

On March 31, 2016, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) started a nationwide campaign to warn against the dangers faced by the U.S. utilities against the cyberattacks. According to DHS, there were an estimated 331 hacks or physical attacks against the U.S. power grid from 2011 to 2014. As of February 2016, they are occurring at a rate of once every 4 days. “A major cyberattack on the U.S. electric grid could cause over $1 trillion in economic damage, estimates ThreatTrackSecurity.com.” (MacDonald, 2016, pg. 2).

The tragic events of September 11, 2001 highlighted the vulnerability to terrorist attacks. The importance of critical infrastructures to the government, people, and organization can be dependent on the vulnerability towards a national disasters, manmade hazards, and terrorist attack. Contemporary standard of what constitutes critical infrastructures has evolved as a wide array of threats has increased in modern times. Critical infrastructures represent aspects of the economy that makes the nation function as a whole and protecting America’s critical infrastructures and key assets presents an enormous challenge to the Department of Homeland Security.

The Department of Homeland Security is task with a very important job of coming up with a critical infrastructure and key resources sectors in order to properly protect, withstand, and rapidly recover from all hazards whether is natural disasters or from a terrorist attack. Through a critical infrastructure set in place the Department of Homeland Security can provide strategic guidance to the public and private partners, encouraging national unity of effort, as well as coordinating the overall federal effort to promote the safekeeping and spirit of the United States (The Department of Homeland Security, 2015). The department of Homeland Security’s approach to identifying all the Critical Infrastructures and Key Resources Sectors,

As a nation we must never overlook any threat. With groups like ISIS and other terror groups we must always be vigilant. One area where we must pay close attention is within our nation’s critical infrastructures. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified 16 critical infrastructure sectors. These sectors assets, systems, and networks are considered so vital to our nation that their destruction or incapacitation would cause grave harm to our national security, economic security, and public health or safety (Critical Infrastructure Sectors, 2016). To better realize this areas importance we will look at the top three vulnerable sectors.

United States’ national infrastructure are resources that are vital to keep commerce operating. Technology have allowed the governments and the private sector to share vital information with them. The nation well-being depend on each of the critical infrastructures, the big question is on how to maintain all of our infrastructure sectors operative without any problem. There a big wave of threats to our nation and if one of this threads go through, it can created a multidimensional problem to the infrastructure system of the country. The main concerns that exist in protecting the U.S. against any attacks to any U.S. infrastructure and in the same time on how to have a system that work well with other agencies. For example; is important to

Wheeler Dam, Wilson Dam, and Brown's Ferry Nuclear Plant are all located in North Alabama and are all TVA power-producing facilities. The work of Johnston (2010) states that threats include considerations including "Who might attack against what assets, using what resources, with what goal in mind, when/where/why, and with what probability." (Johnston, 2010, p.1) Threat assessment involves "attempting to predict the treats. This may involve using intelligence data and information on past security incidents." (Johnston, 2010, p.1) Proactive security makes a requirement of "anticipating threats that have not yet materialized." (Johnston, 2010, p.1) The following illustration shows the three locations in the Tennessee Valley Region of North Alabama.

As one of the largest energy suppliers in North America and the current leader in transmission development, the American Electric Power Corporation is a major private sector corporation. Our primary mission is to produce clean energy with respect and efficiency for the customer and the environment while securing our critical assets and fulfilling the role of a secure and resilient energy sector representative.

Obama has nothing to do with lower gas prices, OPEC removing oil production caps to put the American oil industry out of business (due to the fact they can extract oil for a much lower price per barrel than the American industry which has put over 400,000 American oil workers out of a job.) His administration has halted work on the Dakota access pipeline based on emotions that have no basis in fact or science, which has put Americans in danger due to the fact that the oil must be transported by rail instead of in a contained, completely monitored pipeline because his allies in industry own the railroads. His administration has destroyed the coal industry as well.

NNPC was founded in 1977 to manage Nigeria’s interests in the oil and gas industry. Prior to this, the oil industry was run by the international oil companies (IOCs), restricting the state’s involvement to collection of production leases, exploration license fees and regulation. In 1971, Nigeria joined the OPEC, whose major requirement was that the oil industries in the member states were to be nationalized. On the heels of that came a nationalization program which required the Nigerian government to own 60% equity of all investments made in the economy. In line with this, the NNOC (Nigerian National Oil Company), a progenitor of the NNPC, was established to handle the country’s major stake in the oil industry with respect

America relies heavily on foreign sources for the energy to run the country. The issue has received much media attention due to the political and economic implications it will have in the near future. This problem could at least be partially solved by using technology that already exists, rather than relying heavily on ones that have yet to come to fruition. America’s energy woes – specifically its reliance on fossil fuels – can be solved by reviving nuclear energy with the use of politics to tackle perceived dangers, technological advancements to make them more feasible, and public outreach to promote acceptance.

For several years now the European Union, the largest regional trading block in the world, has been trying to liberalize its energy market, replacing the markets of its 27 member states with a single continent wide market for electricity and gas. The first phase of liberalization went into effect in June 2007. When fully implemented, the ability of energy producers to sell