How vulnerable is our power grid?

The Trump Administration said last week that the U.S. energy grid was hacked by Russia.

Meanwhile, back in 2003, overgrown trees and a failed alarm system were responsible for a two-day blackout along the East Coast. That blackout affected 50 million people in eight states.

How vulnerable is our aging power grid - to threats of any sort -- particularly in this age of cyberattacks? Two guests will join MPR's Mike Mulcahy for a look at that question. John MacWilliams is a fellow at Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University and Gretchen Bakke is the author of "The Grid: The Fraying Wires between Americans and Our Energy Future."

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.