A security expert warns the US power grid is dangerously exposed to simple, low-tech attacks, which is bad news for anyone who depends on reliable electricity.

• Texas has its own separate power grid, and it has already failed statewide before.
• In North Carolina, one person with a rifle shot a single substation and knocked out power for about one to two weeks.
• A small, cheap attack on one piece of equipment can cause huge, long-lasting outages.
• The takeaway is that the grid is far more fragile than most people assume.

Outlook: Expect continued warnings about grid security, with pressure building for better physical protection of substations and backup systems.