NASEO and NARUC Release Solar Cybersecurity Toolkit for States
The National Association of State Energy Officials and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, released the Cybersecurity Advisory Team for State Solar (CATSS) Toolkit. The CATSS Toolkit provides State Energy Offices and public utility commissions with actionable information on cybersecurity for solar power and supports state cybersecurity enhancements for solar and other distributed energy resources.
The CATSS Advisory Group leveraged state, federal and private-sector expertise on cybersecurity, the electric grid, solar power and other DERs to identify and inform model solar cybersecurity actions. These resources support the solar cybersecurity efforts of states, in partnership with utilities and the solar industry. The CATSS toolkit includes 10 tools across two areas of focus.
Education and Risk Awareness
- Photovoltaic Solar Engineering and System Overview
- Standards Quick Guide
- Assessing Solar Cybersecurity: Questions for States to Ask Electric Utilities
- Hypothetical Solar Cyberattack Scenarios and Impacts
Practical Actions
- Decision Support Tool for Solar Energy Cybersecurity Policy and Regulations
- Case Studies and Model Guidance for Establishing Solar Cybersecurity Working Groups
- Cybersecurity and the Solar Workforce: Considerations for States
- Cybersecurity Considerations for State Procurement of Solar Assets
- Exercise Design Guidance for Solar Cybersecurity
- State Legislative Options to Enhance Solar Cybersecurity
The CATSS tools are foundational resources for State Energy Offices and Public Utility Commissions seeking to mitigate cybersecurity risks. "As the leaders in state energy policy and program development in support of their governors' and legislators' cybersecurity and DER goals, State Energy Offices are increasingly engaged in cybersecurity actions," said NASEO President David Terry. "This toolkit will help states achieve their energy and resilience goals by creating more cyber-secure distributed energy resources."
"Cybersecurity remains a high priority for NARUC, as state regulation methods continue to adapt to a more digital society," said NARUC Executive Director Greg White. "New cybersecurity resources for solar and DERs are welcome additions that help PUCs confidently navigate the ever-changing energy landscape."
Prior to the NASEO-NARUC CATSS project, most cybersecurity mitigation efforts and technologies focused on conventional electric-sector assets. Given the significant growth of solar and other DERs, and the increasing reliance on solar to support resilience, it is prudent to focus greater attention on DER cybersecurity.
More information about the CATSS Toolkit is available on the NASEO CATSS webpage.
Source: National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
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