"They (computers) run our electric power grid, out telecommunications network, they run our railroads, our banking system, and all of them are vulnerable, at some level, to some degree to information warfare, or cyber-terrorism, " Clark said.

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Owned by the Lopez family, it has a big advantage: sister company Manila Electric Co. has a network of power poles across Metro Manila and many parts of Luzon island.

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NRG, meanwhile, has been ramping up its investments in solar and wind power as well as rolling out an electric car-charging network in the petro capital of Houston, of all places.

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Hybrids use diesel power where there were no overhead electric cables so could be used across the network without having to change locomotives or crews.

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