Event description

State F is experiencing the largest blackout in its history. Several of the country’s leading energy companies simultaneously reported massive cyberattacks on their infrastructure. During an emergency meeting, the energy minister said that the blackout was caused by hackers targeting the automated control systems of the electrical substations.

A total of 1.5 million people were left without power. The subway and other public transport is paralyzed, dozens of flights were postponed, and hundreds of people are stranded at airports. Classes in educational institutions were canceled, and many people did not go to work. According to a local newspaper, at least four hospital patients died due to power outages. Mobile operators and internet providers are experiencing serious interruptions. Another problem is food and drug safety: since refrigerators do not work, people have been forced to look for dry ice in order to preserve food and medicines. Almost all stores, malls, and banks are closed due to lack of power. The capital’s sewage treatment plants have stopped working, and tap water supplies are disrupted. The country’s financial system is also paralyzed. Cities are in pitch darkness at night: not a single lamp is on, and there are many accidents caused by the disabled traffic lights.

Consequences

1. Damage to personal property
2. Enterprise closure
3. Human casualties
4. Negative impact on industries across the state
5. Public discontent

This has happened before

NPR

"This is going to end ugly": Venezuela’s power outage drags on

Venezuela has been in the grip of a crippling blackout for four days—and the humanitarian situation there is growing increasingly dire. The power outage has affected water pumps in some Caracas neighborhoods, meaning that people are waiting to fill water bottles at public locations such as springs. Schools and public offices remained closed on Monday, according to Reeves.

Event description

Today, production stopped at the country’s largest metallurgical plant, MetalliKO, after hackers attacked a substation that supplies 80% of its electricity.

The incident could not be eliminated on day one. Engineers predict that it will take a week to restore operations. The plant has incurred losses, contractual obligations are not being fulfilled, and delivery schedules have been disrupted. The blast furnaces are cooling down, and the production of oxygen necessary for their operation is also suspended.

The plant’s chief engineer gave an interview on national TV. He stated that the power outage at the plant has started an irreversible process that could lead to a human-made disaster: "The abrupt shutdown of gas and water treatment systems, units with huge amounts of liquid metal, and high-pressure vessels and boilers will cause a major accident that threatens human life and health." The clean-up operation and restarting production will require vast outlays and time, which in the current conditions signals bankruptcy for the plant.

In addition, the largest wholesale trade center in the north of the country has lost power, and businesses are suffering huge losses. Residential buildings across the capital have no power. "How long can this go on? They come up with all these smart technologies, and then we can’t even turn on the TV, and the kids have to do their homework by candlelight!" railed a local resident in an interview with the TV station.

Consequences

1. Enterprise disruptions and downtime
2. Financial damage
3. Health threat
4. Litigation
5. Negative impact on industries across the state
6. Public discontent

This has happened before

Ars Technica

First known hacker-caused power outage signals troubling escalation

Highly destructive malware that infected at least three regional power authorities in Ukraine led to a power failure that left hundreds of thousands of homes without electricity last week, researchers said.