Could have been real pros, of course, but Amazon sells Field Manuals.

I am sure they earlier did a series of simulations of the attacks — going through the motions without real weapons, with results extrapolated from intelligence reports from agents working as engineers in electric companies.

I would guess the complete execution was the final step in the planning sequence and was strictly for the benefit of higher leadership — which didn’t trust the extrapolation and wanted to have real-life proof that their sabotage plan will actually work if implemented.

As the final test confirmed earlier simulations, it will not be repeated. From now on the contingency plans will be actualised based on intelligence reports and periodically tested as simulations (without real weapons). Since the assumptions have been fully confirmed, there is no need to repeat the full test.

The plan being tested is obvious: the destruction of the electric grid in America without EMP or any high tech weapons, only a few teams of saboteurs. Undoubtedly, there are other groups responsible for other key elements of infrastructure.

This website explains the idea of infrastructure destruction by small teams.

The second purpose of the test was to inform the American government of this capability, so that they could include this in their contingency planning, in order to deter them.

The intention of this sabotage campaign would be to balance American maritime blockade, so that the economic destruction would be present on both sides.

As it would be impossible to balance American bombardment campaign in this way, it makes sense only for an opponent with adequate air defense, possibly Russia, but more probably China.

Probably a good thing it wasn’t reported widely, because you don’t want to give people ideas. Though it sounds like most people wouldn’t be capable of carrying it out.