DOE puts up $45M to support up to 15 projects developing power grid protections

The U.S. Department of Energy announced it was looking ahead on security last week, making available $45 million to develop and test technology designed to shield the electric grid from cyberattacks and increase system reliability.

While grid upgrade funding was included in both the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act advanced by the Biden administration, this latest funding includes targeted support from the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) for up to 15 research, development and demonstration (RD&D) projects dedicated to new cybersecurity tools and technologies for use in energy delivery infrastructure. Partnerships will be a cornerstone of these projects, including energy sector utilities, vendors, universities, national laboratories, and service providers.

“As DOE builds out America’s clean energy infrastructure, this funding will provide the tools for a strong, resilient, and secure electricity grid that can withstand modern cyberthreats and deliver energy to every pocket of America,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “DOE will use this investment to continue delivering on the Biden Administration’s commitment to making energy cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable.”

Currently, acceptable projects could pursue any of six topic areas:

1. Automated cyberattack prevention and mitigation – developing tools and technologies that allow energy systems to recognize and prevent cyberattacks on their own
2. Security and resiliency by design – tools and technologies that build up cybersecurity and resilience features through cybersecurity by design approach
3. Authentication mechanisms for energy delivery systems by strengthening energy sector authentication
4. Automated methods to discover and mitigate vulnerabilities in energy delivery control system applications
5. Advanced software solutions – developing testable software for a holistic testing environment with a development feedback cycle
6. Integrating new concepts and technologies with existing infrastructure – requiring partnerships with energy asset owners and operators to validate and demonstrate modern cybersecurity retrofittable for existing infrastructure

In particular, the administration has encouraged those groups and individuals historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math to apply.