Electric Power Utilities' Cybersecurity for Contingency Operations

This Technical Brochure offers an insight into organizational, management, and technical issues of the cyber-physical security during contingency operations. The approach used is well-aligned with the concepts described for the “Grid Architecture of the Future.” Using model-based system engineering processes, multiple solutions were analyzed to improve cooperation between all participating electric utilities and supporting organizations (e.g., government agencies, law enforcement, contractors) involved in a wide-spread disaster recovery and reconstitution activity. Most important is the need for well-defined agreements between utilities to establish chain of command needed to recognize legitimate new players with access and use control privileges as the join and leave the disaster response team.