Retired Brigadier General Don Bolduc, now running for the U.S. Senate for New Hampshire, recognizes the threat to the U.S. electrical grid.  As a former special forces commander who saw combat in Afghanistan in which he led operations against the Taliban and later commanded Special Operations Command-Africa, General Bolduc understands the need to be prepared for imminent security threats. General Bolduc has recognized the vulnerability of the electrical grid in the United States, not only  as it pertains to cyber warfare, but from premeditated Intentional Electro-Magnetic Interference (iemi) in the form of Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) attacks.  

General Bolduc has undertaken an effort to understand the threat and the need for a rapid and practical responses to the threat as well as the importance of how to position the USA to stay ahead of the curve.  “China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Daesh and other hostile state and non-state actors understand that the Achilles Heel of the United States is the electrical grid” stated the Defense Department.  As part of his pursuit to have a complete understanding of the threats and solutions, General Bolduc spent time with the team at Technical Sales Solutions (TSS) who are experts on this subject to learn the best ways to approach the problem.

Technical Sales Solutions (TSS) is working in conjunction with other EMP/HEMP Subject Matter Expert companies and have made presentations to the power industry and key executives of critical infrastructure corporations and organizations over the last several years to begin the process of protection.  

With a practical approach in mind, companies need to understand the natural protections and defining needs and wants of their facilities.  

• What level of shielding effectiveness do their buildings offer?
• What level of protection does placement of electronics in the building provide define priorities and develop a road map with respect to their control and communication equipment?
• What is critical to operation and cannot be interrupted?
• What is import to operations and can shut down for short periods?
• What is convenient but not essential to operations?

Companies can start small adding surge protection devices in areas that are necessary but are not critical to operations.  They can also choose to install controls which are not affected by pulse during standard maintenance and repair. Creating a road map, timeline and budgets to address an attack can include more expensive protection strategies that may be implemented over time which are offered by SME companies such as TSS.  

Through the use of  valuable input from companies like TSS, along with the President’s Executive Order to protect critical infrastructure and the U.S. Electrical grid, General Bolduc and other concerned candidates and leaders can formulate the correct support for industry that will grow into a pragmatic initiative to protect the critical U.S. infrastructure.