[[Newt Gingrich]] and other [[conservative]]s have expressed concerns about the viability of power grid transformers against [[threat]]s from modern adversaries such as [[Islam]]ic [[jihad]] [[terrorists]], [[China]], [[Russia]] and [[North Korea]]. They consider the current "hardening" of transformers to be a major issue requiring investment.<ref>[[One Second After]] written by [[William Forstchen]] with a forward by [[Newt Gingrich]] discusses this potentially major threat to modern power transformers: [http://www.amazon.com/One-Second-After-William-Forstchen Amazon.com], Tor Books, 2011. Accessed January 5, 2015.</ref>
If there is a major disaster, there damaged transformers may have to be replaced, and both homeland security experts as well as the electric utilities are worried that the inventory and placement of spare transformers may to allow the electric grid to be reenergized quickly. As a result, the industry is attempting to arrange for nationwide cooperation in the distribution of spare transformers and parts to respond to such emergencies.
==See also==