Power Play: Disinformation During a Blackout
Washington, D.C. Critical Infrastructure Simulation
A humid weekday evening in Washington, D.C., 7:45 p.m., residents begin noticing flickering lights across several neighborhoods. Potomac Power’s network engineers detect unusual polling activity on multiple substations through a VPN account belonging to an employee who left work hours ago. Within minutes, one substation goes offline.
As the utility scrambles to isolate the affected node, reports of minor outages spread. Then, a Telegram post surfaces with a shaky nighttime video showing what appears to be an explosion at a D.C. substation - the caption reads: “#DCBlackout - they’re hiding the truth.” The video quickly circulates across social media, amplified by thousands of retweets and reposts.
By 8:10 p.m., emergency call centers are overwhelmed. Hospitals switch to generator power. WMATA halts trains at two stations due to fluctuating signal voltage. Traffic lights fail at several major intersections. Local media outlets request official confirmation, but conflicting information from different agencies delays any unified statement.
Key Challenge: City leadership must balance verification, public reassurance, and operational response amid a flood of disinformation and partial system failures.
Simulation Overview
This simulation models a multi-agency crisis response to a cyber-physical disinformation attack on Washington, D.C.’s power grid. Teams represent key agencies and organizations responsible for public safety, utilities, health care, and transportation. Your mission is to protect citizens, stabilize operations, and maintain public trust-all while making tough decisions under pressure and working with limited budgets.
Team Roles
| Team | Sector | Primary Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| HSEMA | Homeland Security & Emergency Management | Lead inter-agency coordination, manage emergency funds, maintain a single verified information channel. |
| Potomac Power | Electric Utility | Contain and restore grid operations, assess cyber and physical vulnerabilities. |
| D.C. Mayor’s Office / PIO | Public Information & Communications | Manage public messaging, press briefings, and rumor control. |
| MedStar Hospital Network | Healthcare | Maintain hospital operations, generator continuity, and patient communication. |
| WMATA Transit Authority | Transportation | Maintain transport continuity, passenger safety, and metro signaling. |
Budget Overview
Every team begins with a set operating budget and receives a small replenishment at the start of each round.
Funds represent emergency resources available for actions such as communication, repairs, or staffing.
Budgets can also be transferred between teams:
- HSEMA controls the main emergency fund and can transfer $250,000 or more to any team when requested.
- The Mayor’s Office can issue micro-grants up to $100,000 to support outreach, messaging, or small interventions.
- Other teams (Potomac Power, MedStar, WMATA) must justify any funding requests through their memos.
| Team | Starting Budget | Replenish / Round | Transfer Rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSEMA | $8,000,000 | +$2,000,000 | Can transfer ≥$250,000 to any team |
| Potomac Power | $6,000,000 | +$1,000,000 | Internal use only |
| Mayor’s Office / PIO | $2,000,000 | +$500,000 | Can issue micro-grants ≤$100,000 |
| MedStar Hospital Network | $1,200,000 | +$300,000 | Requests support via HSEMA |
| WMATA Transit Authority | $900,000 | +$250,000 | Requests support via HSEMA |
Action Cost Menu
This menu lists possible actions your team can take. Each costs a portion of your budget and produces a specific benefit.
You may also propose creative, realistic actions beyond this list – just include a reasonable estimated cost in your memo.
| Action | Cost | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Hire Incident Response (Utility) | $600,000 | Containment + forensics |
| Activate Emergency Operations Center (EOC) | $150,000 | Boosts coordination |
| Generator setup (per site) | $75,000 + $15,000 fuel | Maintains power |
| Satellite phones (10 units) | $40,000 | Restores leadership comms |
| Citywide SMS alert | $60,000 | Rumor control |
| Social monitoring + bot detection | $120,000 + $20,000/hr | Detects false narratives |
| Legal domain takedown | $35,000 | Removes disinformation source |
| Joint press briefing | $25,000 | Creates unified public message |
| Hospital surge staff (12h) | $90,000 | Reduces ER load |
| Transit safety sweep | $60,000 | Prevents passenger incidents |
Submission Format & Guidelines
Each team must submit a short decision memo on canvas, under the assignment tab following this structure.
Please label clearly with your team name and round number.
Team Name:
Round #:
Primary Objective for This Round:
Summary of Situation (3-5 sentences):
Briefly describe your team's understanding of the current situation - what's happening and what your top concern is.
Actions and Budget Decisions:
List all actions your team will take this round, including **costs** and **expected benefits**. If you are requesting or transferring funds, specify the **amount** and **source/destination**.
Example:
* Activate EOC - $150,000 (improves coordination)
* Citywide SMS alert - $60,000 (counter rumors)
* Request $250,000 transfer from HSEMA for generator setup
Transfers or Requests Table:
From:
To:
Amount:
Purpose:
Coordination / Communication Plans:
List any other teams you are working with and how you plan to communicate or coordinate with them.
Example:
* "Coordinate with Mayor's Office for unified messaging."
* "Share grid telemetry data with HSEMA."
Reasoning and Expected Impact:
Explain why your team chose these actions and what you expect to achieve by the next round. Keep it concise but clear and do focus on outcomes and risk management.
Remaining Budget:
Estimate your remaining funds after these actions.
General Instructions & Guidelines
Purpose
This simulation places you in the middle of a city-wide emergency triggered by a cyber-physical incident and amplified by misinformation.
Your goal is to:
- Protect public safety and critical services.
- Coordinate effectively with other teams.
- Communicate clearly and responsibly under pressure.
- Manage limited budgets and make trade-offs in real time.
Rounds & Timing
- The exercise runs for 4 rounds, each lasting about 15 minutes.
- At the start of every round, you will receive:
- A short situation update (what’s happening citywide).
- A team-specific objective (your mission focus).
- From Round 2 onward, a brief Secret Intel Note known only to your team.
- After discussion, submit your team decision memo using the required format.
Teamwork & Roles
- Work within your assigned team role (HSEMA, Potomac Power, Mayor’s Office/PIO, MedStar, or WMATA).
- Choose a spokesperson to write and submit the team’s memo on canvas.
- All members should contribute ideas, data points, and reasoning.
Communication Between Teams
- You may talk, negotiate, or coordinate with other teams at any time during a round.
- Funding requests or information sharing must be recorded in your memo.
- Be strategic: collaboration builds resilience, but delays or mixed messages can worsen the crisis.
Budget Discipline
- Each team begins with a defined budget and receives a small replenishment at the start of each round.
- Spending decisions must be realistic and justified.
- HSEMA may transfer ≥ $250 k to other teams.
- Mayor’s Office/PIO may issue micro-grants ≤ $100 k.
- Actions costing > $500 k may take until the next round to show results.
- Track your remaining funds each round.
Submissions
- Use the official Team Submission Format (one memo per round).
- Submit before the timer ends; late submissions may limit your impact in the next scenario.
Evaluation & Reflection
Your performance will be assessed on:
- Decision quality (realism, prioritization, resource use)
- Coordination and communication with other teams
- Understanding of disinformation dynamics
- Clarity and professionalism of written submissions