March 29, 2024 at 08:36AM
The US Department of Energy has allocated $15 million for university-based electric power centers to enhance cybersecurity in the energy sector. Six universities will partner with industry stakeholders and the DOE National Laboratories for cybersecurity research and training. The initiative aims to reduce power disruption risk and develop tailored cybersecurity capabilities for regional electricity systems.
Based on the meeting notes, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a $15 million investment in university-based electric power centers aimed at enhancing cybersecurity in the energy sector. The funding will be allocated to six universities chosen by the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), alongside industry stakeholders and DOE National Laboratories for cybersecurity research and training development.
The selected university centers will focus on various aspects of cybersecurity tailored to regional electricity systems. This will include developing solutions for isolating and mitigating the effects of cyberattacks on distributed energy resources (DER) at the University of Connecticut, enhancing the resilience of the distribution grid at Iowa State University, using digital twins for assessing protection effectiveness at the University of Pittsburgh, resolving DER and microgrid cybersecurity issues at the Illinois Institute of Technology, building a framework to mitigate cyber-physical attacks at Texas Tech University, and researching the moving target defense (MTD) technique at Florida International University.
In addition to research, the centers will also provide cybersecurity education programs to train energy professionals in safeguarding critical infrastructure from cyber threats. This investment aligns with the DOE’s broader efforts to improve cybersecurity in the energy sector, as reflected in its previous investments in various cybersecurity initiatives.
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