Smart grid security: DOE picks EPRI collaborative to help protect U.S. electric grid

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Protecting an evolving intelligent electric grid from cyber attacks has been a mammoth issue since the smart grid concept's earliest days. But it looks like DOE and others are taking concrete steps toward a coordinated, nationwide grid security effort. The Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI) cyber security collaborative was one of 10 cyber security initiatives named by DOE to assess and develop technologies, standards, best practices and metrics to shield the grid from outside attacks. The collaborative consists of national and commercial research laboratories, universities and experts in cyber security. DOE will invest $30 million in the overall project. The precise funding level for EPRI's contribution will be negotiated by DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory and EPRI. The collaborative's selection is part of a long-range program that will eventually lead to a National Electric Sector Cyber Organization (NESCO), a government/electric sector partnership set up to analyze the security status of transmission and distribution networks as smart grid technologies are integrated.

Quick Take: There’s been so much talk and so many voluminous reports issued on this subject that we've got to hope this is the initiative that will actually make things happen.  

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