Event Announcement

President Obama’s recent editorial piece in the Wall Street Journal didn’t make light of the role secure network connections and infrastructure play in both the national economy and national security. “So far, no one has managed to seriously damage or disrupt our critical infrastructure networks. But foreign governments, criminal syndicates and lone individuals are probing our financial, energy and public safety systems every day.” The Federal government is taking on the challenge of cyber security seriously with the Cybersecurity Act of 2012- written to “enhance the security and resiliency” of both public and private cyber and communications infrastructure.

In the power industry, where internet connections are implemented to create an intelligent grid, cyber security is a vital consideration on several fronts - from system reliability and grid management to end-user and identity protection. Utilities have already experienced customer push back from citizens worried about their personal privacy- one Texas resident went so far as to pull a gun on a utility worker trying to install a smart meter on her home. Should companies be allowed to know if someone has their computer or air conditioning on at home? Should anyone outside the home? On a larger scale, system management has also been on the minds of grid operators.

Protecting critical infrastructure such as public utilities and personal privacy will continue to be a hot topic in grid system operations. This AGRION roundtable will look at recent regulations and legal provisions intended to bolster grid security. It will also address new technologies and systems in place meant to enhance grid security and maintain reliability while allowing the smart grid to become more efficient without becoming overly invasive. What are the strongest countermeasures found for grid security? Is the market adequately prepared for an increase in security measures? What security measures are proven to be the most effective? Who are the market leaders in security infrastructure development? Can federal government security provisions be transferred or proportionally applied to private sector business? What sorts of data and how much data are appropriate for a company to gather? What safeguard need to be put in place for customer security without compromising grid security or reliability?