Energy Department announces $15 million to boost security of US power grid

Activities bolster members’ security capabilities include exercises, utility site assessments, comprehensive range of information sharing

WASHINGTON – US Deputy Energy Department Secretary Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall has announced new funding to strengthen and protect  the nation’s electric grid from cyber and physical attacks.

The Energy Department will provide up to $15 million, subject to congressional appropriations, to support efforts by the American Public Power Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association to further enhance the culture of security within their utility members’ organizations.

“As our definition of energy security and the cyber threat landscape evolve, we continue to help our partners strengthen the ways in which they protect critical infrastructure,” said Sherwood-Randall.

Over the next three years, Energy Department funding will be used by American Public Power Association and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association to develop security tools, educational resources, updated guidelines, and training on common strategies that can be used by their member organizations to cultivate an improved cyber and physical security culture.

“This funding is another important step in improving the resiliency of our power grid and our ability to respond quickly and effectively to threats in today’s dynamic environment,” said Sherwood-Randall.

Activities to bolster their members’ security capabilities will include exercises, utility site assessments, and a comprehensive range of information sharing with their members.

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Approximately 26 per cent of the nation’s electricity customers are served by municipal public power providers and rural electric cooperatives.

The Energy Department has a long history of working closely with federal and private partners, including the Department of Homeland Security on critical energy infrastructure cybersecurity.

All of DOE’s cybersecurity efforts align with the Sept. 2011 release of the Roadmap to Achieve Energy Delivery Systems Cybersecurity, which was developed by industry and facilitated by the Energy Department.

For the past seven years, through the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability’ Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems program, the Department has invested more than $210 million in collaborative cybersecurity research and development projects among industry, universities, and our national labs.