With news reports of attacks on U.S. power grids rising to an all-time high last year, cyber security and energy infrastructure robustness are being called into question. As well as strengthening energy infrastructure in line with green transition developments and the increased connectivity of renewable energy operations, the U.S. must consider improving its cybersecurity to ensure it is resilient to being hacked, as threats against the grid continue to rise. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) review conducted in 2019 revealed some of the main challenges to grid security. These included the need to hire a skilled workforce to manage cybersecurity, limiting the sharing of classified information between the public and private sectors, resource limitations, reliance on other critical infrastructure that requires cybersecurity strengthening, and uncertainty about how to best implement cybersecurity standards. Further, the report suggested that although the Department of Energy (DoE) had developed plans “to implement the national cybersecurity strategy for the grid”, these plans “do not fully address risks to the grid’s distribution systems.” For example, the…
