# 40,000 experience power outage in North Carolina, due to sabotage (4-DEC-22) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** breaking-news\ **Created:** [December 4, 2022, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033 "2022-12-04T23:34:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/21 "2022-12-05T18:30:55Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > How was such extensive damaged accomplished with gunfire? NPR quoted a representative of the power company that a lot of equipment must be replaced. It would be an easy thing to target transformers and insulators at substations. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/22 "2022-12-05T18:38:25Z")
Transformers are full of oil, that is why they look like a barrel, because they are a barrel full of oil. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/23 "2022-12-05T18:41:16Z")
When a transformer fails here, they replace it, overnight at the latest. Perhaps this county’s electric company doesn’t have a large budget and hadn’t enough transformers on hand. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/24 "2022-12-05T18:44:12Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Transformers are full of oil, that is why they look like a barrel, because they are a barrel full of oil. Well, coils of wire around an iron core, with a few other bits, all sitting in a can full of oil. [![](https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/assets/9781439856369/graphics/fig3_40.jpg) ](https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/assets/9781439856369/graphics/fig3_40.jpg) If the oil leaks out for whatever reason, the can tends to go KABLOOEY. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/25 "2022-12-05T19:12:35Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > When a transformer fails here, they replace it, overnight at the latest. But that’s presumably the smaller transformers up on the utility poles, or in green boxes on the ground. The big ones in the substations are more difficult to replace, I believe. Back when I lived in Raleigh in the early aughts, one of those big transformers in a local substation failed. I happened to live along the route they used to bring in its replacement. Not only did it involve the whole “oversized load” rigamarole, it took two semi tractors to move the thing – one pulling from the front in the usual manner, and a second one pushing from behind. And someone had to walk in front of them with a pole to lift up the traffic lights every time they got to an intersection. Now imagine having to coordinate that sort of move to bring in multiple transformers. IIRC, the transformer failure I mentioned above didn’t result in the sort of widespread, multi day outage like the one happening right now. I think there might have been a brief outage right when it happened. I assume there’s enough redundancy in the system that a single failure can be worked around temporarily. But these saboteurs took out several of them. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/26 "2022-12-05T20:01:38Z")
Thanks, Wildabeast. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/27 "2022-12-05T20:02:14Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Well, coils of wire around an iron core Yes, that is a transformer. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/28 "2022-12-05T20:18:56Z")
Or at least that’s what some people are claiming. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/29 "2022-12-05T20:20:24Z")
If anyone dies as a result of this outage, whoever did it should be arrested for murder, or at least manslaughter. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/30 "2022-12-05T20:32:16Z")
I feel if you’re an elected public official the last thing you want is to be responsible for letting suspects off free when the entire county you’re serving is freezing to death. Even diehard Republicans in that area would all agree shooting up transformers for the entire county isn’t the way to go to “protest” something, it’s massively hurting local businesses after all. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/31 "2022-12-05T20:34:29Z")
Ted Koppel wrote a book in 2015 called [Lights Out](https://www.amazon.com/Lights-Out-Cyberattack-Unprepared-Surviving/dp/0553419986). Summary: > Ted Koppel reveals that a major cyberattack on America’s power grid is not only possible but likely, that it would be devastating, and that the United States is shockingly unprepared. In the book he talks about large transformers that were installed at many substations a few decades ago. They were so big and heavy that train tracks were installed, and the transformers were moved by train. The transformers are still in use, but the tracks have since been removed. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/32 "2022-12-05T20:38:18Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > But that’s presumably the smaller transformers up on the utility poles, or in green boxes on the ground. The big ones in the substations are more difficult to replace, I believe. Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/33 "2022-12-05T20:44:34Z")
The little round cans are usually just sitting around on a shelf somewhere, but aren’t the big ones usually custom built? I have seen them bring in temporary transformers on a truck trailer while they are waiting for a new transformer to be built. There are only so many places that can custom build a large transformer though, so that’s not going to be very practical if you have a large number of transformers to replace. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/34 "2022-12-05T20:48:36Z")
Just to add to that, we had a major power outage in my area a few years ago due to an unusual windstorm that damaged several power substations. Power was out for several days to the entire neighbourhood, but even after that, was restored only to main streets and business areas. My street and surrounding areas was out for around four days – I remember that because it was just within the very limits of my fridge being able to preserve its contents (which it could do because I only opened it once or twice). Thankfully the stuff in the freezer was still mostly frozen. The point being, significant damage to power substations can be challenging and time-consuming to repair. On the subject of manslaughter charges being brought, it could be entirely appropriate. There was a news story about a desperate family with a newborn infant being faced with cold and with food challenges, and they’re certainly not the only ones. There are people with oxygen concentrators needed for life support in their homes – they will typically have oxygen tanks for short-term emergencies, but for more than a short time the oxygen machines are essential and they need power. And over an extended period of power outage, telephone systems may also fail. ---
**Author:** ![knavette57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knavette57/32/3871_2.png) [@knavette57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knavette57)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/35 "2022-12-05T21:01:48Z")
Once bigotry and violence crosses over into the everyday comfort of everyone, then a wall has been breached. I think most Americans are not on board for what “troubles” would mean for their daily comfort (insurrection at the Capitol is OK, not having electricity, not OK). At least I hope they aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/36 "2022-12-05T21:05:46Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > But, according to her and the police, she meant this in a “because God is punishing us for an immoral drag show” sense. Why would God need a rifle? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/37 "2022-12-05T21:08:16Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > I don’t have a citation, but it’s been well-documented elsewhere on this board that it was done by a right-wing militia that was attempting to shut down a drag show. > [@ekedolphin](#): > > This is a targeted hate crime. For the record, I don’t think these assertions should go unchallenged as fact. At this stage they are conclusions from limited information. The validity of these conclusions has not been “well-documented” on this board, at least not yet. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/38 "2022-12-05T21:39:53Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > > [@Babale](#): > > > > But, according to her and the police, she meant this in a “because God is punishing us for an immoral drag show” sense. > > Why would God need a rifle? “Mysterious ways” _waves hands_ ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/39 "2022-12-05T22:00:25Z")
Quit waving yer hands! Duck and cover! The Lord’s armed and dangerous! ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033/40 "2022-12-05T22:05:05Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Duck and cover How can you possibly take cover from a being who is OmniPRESENT? That means he’s always got a perfect flank! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40-000-experience-power-outage-in-north-carolina-due-to-sabotage-4-dec-22/976033.md?page=3)