According to the Edison Electric Institute, by 2019, 60 million smart meters will be installed in the United States. This figure demonstrates an enthusiasm at the business and legislative levels for the smart grid build out that is outpacing the development and codification of security standards. However, business leaders and policymakers are beginning to stress the need for the development of technical standards and the regulatory framework to be an organic part of smart grid installation i.e. security by design.

Smart grid security encompasses interrelated cyber, physical and data security issues across demand response, distributed generation and smart metering functions. Further complicating this web of issues are overlapping jurisdictions related to bulk power. In this meeting, our panel of speakers will identify smart grid security investment opportunities and discuss the current issues faced by regulators and technology firms in reaching a consensus on standards.

Smart Grid Security Investments 

• Pike Research reported that by 2015, world investments in smart grid security will total $1.3 billion. What facets of smart grid security technology are currently most appealing for investors?
• What are the levels of security related investments by the electric utility industry?
• What are particularly sensitive/vulnerable areas of the grid and grid-tied investments? (legacy systems, consumer data).
• What projections exist for the timeline on development of security technology and a standardized regulatory model?
• How have delays and disagreement over security standards affected the investment climate?
• How will expenditures on cyber security technological development and on creation of security standards affect energy prices for consumers?

 Smart Grid Regulatory Framework 

• In China there has been a movement to overcome a lack of technological solutions with a stringent regulatory framework and strong governmental oversight. Is there a likelihood that this will be the case in the US?
• What aspects of the European model for smart grid security and build out should be replicated in the United States?
• Should states have jurisdiction over utility security standards? Should participation in smart grid standards be voluntary as many are arguing for?
• Discussion of contentions with NIST standards
  
• What knowledge about smart grid security infrastructure should be shared?

Smart Grid Security Technological Solutions

• Evaluation of the risk-limiting dispatch model
• Techniques for integrating security forensic capabilities into industrial control systems? forcloud computing (data encryption, etc.)
• Pros and cons of data minimization
• Costs and benefits of blending IT&OT
• Flaws in current cyber security technology
• What technologies exist for self-healing?
• Tools for weighing the risks and uncertainty surrounding cyber security and threats?

Speakers:

SAIC, Gilbert Sorebo, AVP and Chief Cybersecurity Technologist

Deloitte Consulting LLP, Michael Northern, Senior Manager of U.S. Utility Industry and Smart Grid Team 

PJM Interconnection, William Souza, Manager, Security Integration 

KEMA-Powertest, LLC, Harry Stephey, Principal Consultant

IBM, Jeffrey Katz, Chief Technology Officer of Energy and Utilities