NARUC Releases New Cybersecurity Baselines for Electric Distribution Systems and DER

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, in collaboration with the U. S. Department of Energy Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, recently (Feb 22) released a set of cybersecurity baselines for electric distribution systems and distributed energy resources that connect to them. This joint initiative recognizes that cybersecurity is an integral underpinning of power system resilience and builds on work that states have undertaken over the last decade to address cybersecurity risks across their critical infrastructures.

These cybersecurity baselines, coupled with forthcoming implementation guidance, are intended to be resources for state public utility commissions, utilities and DER operators and aggregators. These resources encourage alignment across states who choose to adopt the

cybersecurity baselines to help mitigate cybersecurity risk and enhance grid security. NARUC convened a steering group of regulatory, cyber and industry experts from across the sector to help ensure that a wide range of perspectives were considered during the development phase.

“Addressing cybersecurity is essential as electric distribution systems continue to evolve, spurred by new technologies and operational models, as well as the ever-increasing threat of cyber attacks,” said NARUC Executive Director Greg White. “This NARUC/DOE initiative complements ongoing industry and government efforts by providing cybersecurity baselines, tailored for electric distribution systems and the DER that connect to them, that provide a common starting point for cyber risk reduction activities.”

NARUC and DOE will now kick off Phase 2 of the cybersecurity baselines initiative: Developing implementation strategies and adoption guidelines. This resource will include recommendations for prioritizing the assets to which the cybersecurity baselines might apply, as well as prioritizing the order in which the baselines might be implemented based on cyber risk assessments.

“Creating implementation guidance is the natural next step to helping commissions and other stakeholders ensure that cybersecurity protections are applied on the electric distribution grid where they matter most,” said NARUC Center for Partnerships and Innovation Deputy Director Lynn Costantini.

Download and read Cybersecurity Baselines for Electric Distribution Utilities and DER at https://bit.ly/cybersecurity-baselines.

_{Source:  National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners}

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