New FERC Office to focus on cyber security

subscribe

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman FERC Jon Wellinghoff recently announced the creation of a new FERC office that will help the Commission focus on potential cyber and physical security risks to energy facilities under its jurisdiction.

The new Office of Energy Infrastructure Security OEIS will provide leadership, expertise and assistance to the Commission to identify, communicate and seek comprehensive solutions to potential risks to FERC-jurisdictional facilities from cyber attacks and such physical threats as electromagnetic pulses.

"Creating this office allows FERC to leverage its existing resources with those of other government agencies and private industry in a coordinated, focused manner,” Wellinghoff said. "Effective mitigation of cyber and other physical attacks requires rapid interactions among regulators, industry and federal and state agencies." OEIS will focus on: • Developing recommendations for identifying, communicating and mitigating potential cyber and physical security threats and vulnerabilities to FERC-jurisdictional energy facilities using the Commission’s existing statutory authority

• Providing assistance, expertise and advice to other federal and state agencies, jurisdictional utilities and Congress in identifying, communicating and mitigating potential cyber and physical threats and vulnerabilities to FERC-jurisdictional energy facilities

• Participating in interagency and intelligence-related coordination and collaboration efforts with appropriate federal and state agencies and industry representatives on cyber and physical security matters related to FERC-jurisdictional energy facilities including, but not limited to, participating in conferences, workshops and classified briefings and,

• Conducting outreach with private sector owners, users and operators of energy delivery systems regarding identification, communication and mitigation of cyber and physical threats to FERC-jurisdictional energy facilities.

To continue the CommissionÂ’s oversight of reliability of the nation's bulk power system, FERC will continue to work closely with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation NERC, the national electric reliability organization certified by FERC, through this reorganization.

OEIS will be led by Joseph McClelland, who has been Director of the Office of Electric Reliability since its formation in 2006. The Office of Electric Reliability will be led by Ted Franks, who will serve as Acting Director.

Related News

britain coal

Britain Goes Full Week Without Coal Power

LONDON - For the first time in a century, Britain weaned itself off of coal consumption for an entire week.

Reuters reported that Britain went seven days without relying on any power generated by coal-powered stations.

The accomplishment is symbolic of a shift to more clean energy sources; Britain was home to the first coal-powered plant back in the 1880s.

Today, Britain has some aggressive plans in place to completely eliminate its coal power generation permanently by 2025. In addition, Britain aims to cut its total greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent from 1990 levels within the next 30 years.

Natural gas was the…

READ MORE
australia power reserves

Australian operator warns of reduced power reserves

READ MORE

pumped stprage

Hydroelectricity Under Pumped Storage Capacity

READ MORE

wind power

Wind has become the ‘most-used’ source of renewable electricity generation in the US

READ MORE

berlin powerlines

Nine EU countries oppose electricity market reforms as fix for energy price spike

READ MORE