Thousands of electric company, government officials join grid security and incident response exercise

More than 6,000 individuals representing more than 400 electric power and government organizations across North America recently participated in the North American Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) energy grid security and incident response exercise, GridEx IV.

The two-day exercise tested organizations’ incident response protocols and coordination between industry and government groups. Participants self-assess their emergency response and recovery plans through the simulated exercise.

“Protecting the nation’s energy grid and ensuring a reliable supply of energy are top priorities for the electric power industry,” Edison Electric Institute (EEI) President Tom Kuhn said. “NERC’s GridEx exercises offer an invaluable opportunity for industry and government at all levels to evaluate security and response plans. Electric companies have a strong record of working across the industry and with our government partners to enhance energy grid security and resiliency. Previous GridEx exercises have led to important changes in how the government and our industry protect the energy grid and respond to incidents affecting energy infrastructure.”

GridEx has helped to create solutions such as the Cyber Mutual Assistance (CMA) program, which assists electric companies in restoring critical computer systems after major cyber incidents. During GridEx III in 2015, industry executives identified the need for such a program, and the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC) developed and launched CMA within a year. More than 130 organizations now participate in the program.

The ESCC, which serves as an intermediary between the federal government and the electric power sector, coordinates efforts to prepare for national-level incidents or threats to critical infrastructure. The ESCC also facilitates and supports initiatives designed to enhance the reliability and resilience of the grid, including emergency preparedness, response, and recovery for the nation’s electricity sector.