Research committee urges increased government-industry cooperation

In a paper designed to assess potential grid vulnerabilities and make recommendations for improving
security, a committee of scientists and engineers called for increased collaboration between the energy industry and government.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened the panel of experts to conduct the study on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The study focused on large blackouts that impact several states and last at least three days. It called for improvement to the processes used to prepare for these disruptions and alleviate damage, economic disruption and human health risks caused by them.

“Increased collaboration between the government and power providers is essential as we consider opportunities to further protect the grid,” Craig Miller, chief scientist at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and member of the panel, said. “Fortunately, that collaboration already exists on a number of levels, both within the electric sector and among industry and government agencies.”

The paper’s authors recommended increased coordination on threat assessment, training and joint recovery planning as well as more collaboration between government and industry on research. They also called for a broader role for DOE and more coordination between DOE and the Department of Homeland Security on identifying, upgrading and maintaining back-up assets.

“Resilience continues through the life cycle of a disaster to learning from experience to respond better the next time,” Miller said. “Whether problems arise from sabotage or an electromagnetic pulse, we need responsive strategies.”