Inside a live-fire test of grid security

What happens when you fire military-grade weapons at substation infrastructure? We don’t have to ask in theory, because today’s guest has put that question to the test. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Brent Warzocha of 3B Protection following a live-fire demonstration outside Las Vegas where Brent and his team tested ballistic substation walls against everything from World War I-era weapons to .50 caliber rifles. The event brought utility leaders face-to-face with the physical security risks facing modern grid infrastructure and made it real, both in terms of risks and what they should be doing about it. Brent provides a recap of what attendees saw, the reactions from utility professionals, and the “aha moments” that come from witnessing real ballistic testing instead of reviewing theoretical standards. This crucial conversation digs into why Underwriters Laboratories baseline testing often doesn’t reflect real-world threats, and how RLS testing is helping utilities better understand the difference between minimum compliance and true resilience. The live-fire demos showed not just dramatic visuals (be sure to watch the video version of this conversation to get a peek), but the operational reality: how hardened infrastructure can prevent catastrophic outages, reduce repair timelines, and protect critical grid assets. Thanks to 3B Protection, our sponsor for this episode. 3B Protection is in the business of helping organizations protect their people, property and critical assets. The last ten years or so has seen significant ballistic activity in and around electrical substations that are part of the United States’ critical infrastructure and 3B offers a line of product to help protect those substations from malicious attacks. 3B has tested their products to the extreme in a way that far exceeds UL minimums. And not just for ballistics – our walls are thoroughly tested against forced entry, vehicle crashes and blast as well. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe