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Video on page 2 >> QuickTake: It has been disappointing to see how slowly utilities have moved against the threat of cyber attack. Perhaps this latest warning will convince them to be proactive. If not, legislation is making its way through Congress that will force changes. – Jesse Berst
The problem is the U.S. still has no centralized resource for data sharing and coordinating response -- nor any kind of nationwide mandatory security standards.
FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff wants Congress to give a federal agency more authority over the nation's electric grid to keep it safe from cyber attack. "My intent is to simply have somebody be put in charge," Wellinghoff said according to a story in The Hill's Energy & Environment Blog. "It doesn't have to be FERC."
He wants the entity in charge to have the authority to order those responsible to take steps needed to mitigate threats and vulnerabilities. Speaking in Washington, DC, Wellinghoff said Sen. Jeff Bingaman's cybersecurity bill would accomplish much of what is needed. Meanwhile, the New York Times published an editorial calling on the Senate to pass the Lieberman-Collins cybersecurity bill, despite opposition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "It is time for the endless talk of cyber threats to be met by action," the paper wrote. "If not, and the catastrophic cyber attack occurs, Americans will be justified in asking why their lawmakers, mired in election-year partisanship, failed to protect them."
What's the right course of action? Use the Talk Back comment form below to tell us what you think.
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Jesse Berst is the founder and chief analyst of Smart Grid News.com, the industry's oldest and largest smart grid site. A frequent keynoter at industry events in the U.S. and abroad, he also serves on advisory committees for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Institute for Electric Efficiency. He often provides strategic consulting to large corporations and venture-backed startups. He is a member of the advisory boards of GridGlo and Calico Energy Services.
Video on page 2 >>
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