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Electrical & Computer Engineering Professor Massoud Amin on why the U.S. needs to upgrade its power grid.
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And the cost of electricity has fallen dramatically over the years but you wouldn't know it by looking at your power bill.
So why are you paying more when it costs less well part of the reason is our power grid system has become outdated.
And the money we're spending to fix it well -- -- being spent wisely and that poses a huge security risk.
Joining me now -- security expert -- that mean he's professor of electrical and computer engineering at the university of Minnesota that makes him a super expert on this topic.
Do you think -- with so much for coming on the -- so how can be that we're spending more and getting last.
Trying to.
Basically you have a marvel of engineering for -- twentieth century deaths there.
Did needs for my heating and refrigeration bill -- the last century -- there and I'll be -- to bring you.
To an infrastructure that's a force so did you tell him -- 21 century digital networked economy.
-- and where our demands for energy are so much higher now when you say that it was to sport the twentieth century.
-- there anymore we've got lots more demands on -- -- effect we're spending 43%.
More to build maintain electricity infrastructure that in 2002.
We're spending more.
But we're not really getting a bang for our buck if we're trying to improve it why isn't that working.
Mainly because it's -- season marvel of engineering -- if there if you look at the depreciation.
Vs investment in the infrastructure.
Depreciation curve crossed over infrastructure investment in 1995.
-- the price of electricity has increased from seven cents to akin to what's already 95.
212 cents per Q1 it was -- 2009 that's it then I'm.
Then -- -- us forward do what to do this for its capital investment and infrastructure.
This changing fuel cost all the natural gas -- twenty.
Four per -- -- -- off electricity 47.
Person comes from cold.
Twenty person from nuclear two point seven per -- from -- downs -- the same for demeaned.
The cost of -- the cost of fuel also plays a factor in their and then their concerns over -- -- upon each union.
Structured.
So many concerns right I mean it seems like the grid is less stable and more expensive.
And probably more -- vulnerable.
To outside forces forty make of that.
It says it's actually continental skating infrastructure that's vulnerable of them all open.
To natural.
Phenomenon earthquakes hurricanes ice storms has been that's concerns -- -- -- on potential not -- However reduce enough resiliency bill -- That's -- -- -- -- are often is prevented from becoming cascading phenomenon.
On the utilities work very hard to keep the lights on regardless of the conditions the -- the spectrum of threats -- it's changed.
Do you -- four to seven major storms a year.
That's afflicted debt caused major -- to just vacuum that ED seventies and number hazardous and unfortunately seven need 220.
Need to bid they're related events -- year.
Should the portfolio of risk has increased the -- in the last 1520 years.
Threats from outside though what -- that China -- screwing up our system it is that a possibility is that what you worry about.
In addition to whether.
I have the privilege of -- -- all the security through research and development for our nation's utilities after 9/11.
And even asked for back to -- -- told someone 2002.
We would -- Thursday -- an 80000 hits on the -- -- control send their.
Cruel being on their digital primitive trying to -- What sort of open doors open -- endorsed electronically to penetrate the system and unfortunately that number has increased.
And I'm not surprised -- of course classified reports on.
You probably saw didn't need to reports a couple of weeks ago before the presidential decision directive.
Executive board there what cyber security increased from infrastructure.
In general it.
Did this you borrowed being speak from a threat been -- cyber threat who's gonna persist aren't being.
We have in place the leaders of protection -- use of security to but each nation is much -- -- chiefs.
You hope that it holds a one cheese you configure the other and they use this -- of Canadian defense.
-- you protect against one of the year in the other want to make sure that they cannot get to the critical assets are and to create problems.
Professor I mean thanks for being with us tonight fascinating stuff it was Swiss cheese I don't feel so good about that thank you.
Until.
