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The cyber-security of the North American power grid is "in a state of near chaos," according to a report by a respected U.S. energy consultancy monitoring the industry's transition to wireless digital technologies.The white paper by Pike Research reveals that a $60 smart phone application can bypass security measures and allow direct communications between the phone and some control systems (ICS) that regulate breakers, relays, feeders and the flow of electricity.The news comes on the heels of a warning from the cyber-security arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that the hacker collective known as Anonymous appears intent on exploiting the ICS vulnerabilities within the energy industry.

In an unclassified October bulletin obtained by the website Public Intelligence, the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center believes the group has, "a limited ability to conduct attacks against ICS. However . . . Anonymous could be able to develop capabilities to trespass on control system networks very quickly."In July, Anonymous threatened to target companies involved with Alberta's oilsands.

North America's power supply has never been disrupted by hackers, though there have been numerous uneventful penetrations of the system, including at Ontario utilities.A chill went through the critical infrastructure industry last summer when a malicious computer worm called Stuxnet attacked Iran's uranium enrichment plants.

A computer engineer found out operating system of Fukushima plants have been attacked and those attacks were mostly from / via Russia.　This engineer is counted as one of the members of Fukushima 50. They installed the system about 6 years ago. It means: someone / some organizations have been attacking the system since 6 years ago. The engineer was called by JP government on 3/14/2011. He was the developer of the system in Fukushima. He was in Tokyo but taken to Fukushima plants by the helicopter of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. His mission was to reboot the auto operating system and re-start it as manual mode.

Because the system was shut down after black out they could not operate the systems to control the pressure, water injecting, radiation shield etc. and that had to be done by him. He managed to reboot the system and restart it in manual mode but he encountered series of troubles such as password entry screen did not come out or his password entering was disturbed by compute bug. He sorted it out by formatting the system but it was obvious that someone sent virus to the system. He tried to send virus backward and it reached to Russia. Someone sent virus from or via Russia. He asked to staff from JP government about what is going on but they did not tell him anything in the name of “confidential”.

The main trade group for the nuclear power industry, the Nuclear Energy Institute, spent $540,000 in the third quarter lobbying federal officials about financial support for new reactors, safety regulations and other issues, according to a disclosure report.That's 30 percent more than the $415,000 the trade group spent in the third quarter of last year and 7 percent less than the $580,000 it spent in the second quarter of 2011.

NEI, based in Washington, lobbied the government on measures designed to ensure the nation's 104 commercial reactors can withstand natural disasters, cyber attacks, and on a proposal that would require the president to issue guidance on a federal response to a large-scale nuclear disaster. It also lobbied on a measure that would require nuclear operators to transfer radioactive spent nuclear fuel from cooling pools inside or near reactor cores to dry casks further from the reactors.

NEI also lobbied the government over environmental regulations. Congress is considering several measures that would block the EPA from regulating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases or delay rules. Nuclear power generation produces no greenhouse gases, while the other two major fuels for electric generation, coal and natural gas, do so. A 2007 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court gave the EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. Democrats, Republicans, industry leaders and even the EPA agree separate legislation would be preferable, but Congress has been unable to agree on new rules.NEI lobbied for funds for research and development for smaller, cheaper reactors and other nuclear technologies, and also on a measure that would create an export assistance fund that would promote the export of clean energy technologies.

Since March 11, 2011 it has been reported that YouTube videos containing footage or comments unfavorable to Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) or the Japanese government have been removed within several hours of their posting. Examples of offending YouTube videos include excerpts of TV shows with controversial comments like footage showing smoke emitted from the nuclear reactors, and an ex-TEPCO employee speaking on his Fukushima experiences. Likewise, Twitter accounts with too much content regarding nuclear power and radiation issues have been disrupted.

On June 17, 2011 the Japanese Parliament passed “The Computer Network Monitoring Law” . Prof. Ibusuki of Seijo Univ. Law Dept. comments that “The Computer Network Monitoring Law will enable the police to monitor anyone’s internet activity without restriction.” Although this appears, on the surface, to be beneficial when targeting cyber-attacks, some Japanese commentators are suggesting that the law is un-Constitutional.

“Nuclear Power Safety Regulation Publicity Project” stipulates that, “The Contractor is required to monitor blogs on nuclear power and radiation issues as well as Twitter accounts (monitoring tweets is essential) around the clock, and conduct research and analysis on incorrect and inappropriate information that would lead to false rumors, and to report such internet accounts to the Agency. The “Contractor” is required to keep the Agency well informed on the internet accounts and keywords used in the blogs and Twitter accounts that are posting incorrect and inappropriate information. The Contractor is required to maintain sufficient number of personnel for around-the-clock monitoring. The Contractor is required to submit reports on internet accounts via CDR.” The document, however, does not state that blogs or Twitter accounts, which run afoul of METI’s guidelines, are to be banned or frozen.” The question is, will METI draw the line at “clarifying” erroneous information, or will it act to clamp down and suppress sources of information that it finds inconvenient?

A new intelligence report from the Department of Homeland Security issued Tuesday, titled Insider Threat to Utilities, warns "violent extremists have, in fact, obtained insider positions," and that "outsiders have attempted to solicit utility-sector employees" for damaging physical and cyber attacks.

"Based on the reliable reporting of previous incidents, we have high confidence in our judgment that insiders and their actions pose a significant threat to the infrastructure and information systems of U.S. facilities," the bulletin reads in part. "Past events and reporting also provide high confidence in our judgment that insider information on sites, infrastructure, networks, and personnel is valuable to our adversaries and may increase the impact of any attack on the utilities infrastructure."

This week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) re-launched its website, Energy.gov, to provide tools to help individuals and businesses better understand how to save energy and money. You can type your zip code into the site and get hyper-local information about your city, county and state, including information on tax credits, rebates and energy saving tips.

The site presents DOE data visually using the open source MapBox suite of tools, and localized data and maps can be shared or embedded on any website or blog. Other data sets the DOE is mapping include alternative fuel locations and per capita energy usage. Anyone can now compare how his state’s energy usage compares with others across the country. In addition to making the data more palatable for the public, the DOE is offering open data sets for others to use.

Our goal is simple — to improve the delivery of public services online. We’re using government data to go local in a way that’s never been possible before. We’re connecting the work of the Energy Department with what’s happening in your backyard,” says Cammie Croft, senior advisor and director of new media and citizen engagement at the DOE. “We’re making Energy.gov relevant and accessible to consumers and small businesses in their communities.”

In South Korea and neighboring countries, the nuclear renaissance will continue to flourish, regardless of the grave risk of a nuclear accident. Korea, with 21 reactors and seven more under construction, has made a strong commitment to nuclear power. China has 13 reactors in operation and at least 25 more under construction. Beijing plans to have more than 100 reactors by 2020. Taiwan is building its fourth reactor. Russia, in addition to 32 reactors, will operate a floating nuclear plant near the Kamchatka Peninsula from 2014, according to Russia’s Itar-Tass news agency. Moscow plans to build seven floating nuclear plants over the next 10 years.

Such a move indicates that they think what happened in Japan five months ago is just a one-off and that it changes nothing. Near-neighbors need to adopt common safety guidelines as nuclear safety issues extend beyond borders. The joint checklist should address risks from not only natural disasters but also cyber attacks and their effects on operational safety, among others.

The nuclear renaissance fits President Lee Myung-bak’s green growth policy, but cannot ensure the safety of people as wished by the Japanese farmer. It is time for the government to revise its basic energy plan to curb nuclear energy and focus more on clean and renewable energy sources. Reports say Japan plans to install solar panels on the roofs of about 10 million houses in a move toward alternative energy.

Iran celebrated the official opening of the nation's first nuclear power plant today, a worrisome milestone for Western critics of the Iranian nuclear program.

Iranian state news said. The plant has been under construction by a Russian company for nearly two decades.

Today State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the official opening of the Bushehr plant was still "troubling" since Iran is now the only country in the world with an operating nuclear reactor that has not ratified the international Convention on Nuclear Safety.