CPUC holds hearing on attack at PG&E substation

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- An attack last year on a PG&E substation in San Jose has created a lot of concern, with some even considering it a terror attack. On Wednesday, PG&E was asked about the attack and security at its substations by the California Public Utilities Commission.

The number one rule of public relations is to take a negative and try to turn it into a positive. That's what PG&E did on Wednesday.

"This was really a game changer for the industry," said PG&E spokesperson Joe Molica.

It's called guiding the narrative, more than a year now since the armed attack on PG&E's Metcalf electrical transmission substation in South San Jose. It was an attack that exposed vulnerabilities in the power grid both statewide and nationally.

On Wednesday, the CPUC held a fact finding hearing about it.

"At approximately 0100 hours, the ATT fiber in their vault was cut,"said PG&E Director of Substations Ken Wells.

From Wells there were some new details about how more than 100 bullets riddled 17 transformers and other equipment inside the plant.

"And over the next fifteen minutes, from 1:30 to 1:45, various shots were fired from locations towards equipment located in the substation," he said.

Neither police nor the FBI have arrested anyone in connection with the attack, despite PG&E's offer of a $250,000 reward.

In guiding the narrative on Wednesday, PG&E emphasized that Metcalf has prompted a complete re-evaluation of security.

The utility is spending $100 million to guarantee substation safety.

"Some of what these $100 million improvements will include are buffer zones, opaque fencing shielding, some of the things we're considering is more technology such as motion detection and other measures," Molica said.

The Metcalf Substation is on that list for improvements. As to further specifics, the utility remained vague. They said it was a matter of security.