The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Dec. 17 published the draft National Cyber Incident Response Plan, or NCIRP, update for public comment. This update tackles significant changes in cyber operations and policy since NCIRP was released in 2016. The 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy requested for an update of the 2016 National Cyber Incident Response…...
The U.S. Energy Department on Oct. 30 highlighted its efforts to ensure trustworthy development of artificial intelligence, or AI. A memorandum of understanding signed earlier this year with the U.S. Commerce Department facilitates collaboration on safety research, development, testing, analysis and examination of innovative AI systems and models. On Oct. 24, the Biden Administration issued…...
The Biden administration on Aug. 9 highlighted five key cyber enabled technologies that it will prioritize to enhance the digital ecosystem for a secure energy future. In line with the National Cybersecurity Strategy’s pledge to the cyber enabled foundations of the energy transition, the administration is committed to ensuring that the digital ecosystem remains equipped…...
There is a growing focus on enhancing oversight, transparency, and stakeholder engagement in the integrated resource planning process for electric utilities across various states. The pursuit for a low-carbon future is driving the need for innovative policy initiatives to maximize…Read the full report…...
There is a growing focus on enhancing oversight, transparency, and stakeholder engagement in the integrated resource planning process for electric utilities across various states. The pursuit for a low-carbon future is driving the need for innovative policy initiatives to maximize renewable energy utilization and maintain grid reliability. Integrated resource plans (IRPs) that utilities file with state commissions identify the optimal mix of resources required to serve customers over a long-term planning horizon.
Evolving electric system reliability needs that stem from the anticipated unprecedented growth in intermittent resources have prompted a closer scrutiny of resource adequacy (RA) issues. The increasing share of renewables to facilitate a lower-carbon grid, coupled with fossil generation retirements and increased demand for electrification, pose emerging challenges to the ability of system operators to meet reliability requirements. RA ensures that the planned resource mix is sufficient to meet the future system capacity needs and maintain grid reliability.
Several states across the U.S. are revisiting utility resource planning processes to account for changing policy developments and demand projections while also considering long-term affordability and reliability to build a more resilient grid.
The electricity system is in a state of transition amid the increase in fossil-fueled generation retirements and the penetration of intermittent renewable resources. Grid operators and regulators across the U.S. are exploring tools and strategies to adapt resource adequacy planning to the changing generation mix.
Recent developments around grid modernization strive to enable greater adoption of clean energy resources while ensuring a more resilient and responsive grid.
Ambitious clean energy and reliability goals continue to drive grid modernization efforts ranging from proposed rules to encourage utility investments in cybersecurity to a $10.5 billion initiative to enhance grid resilience.
Technological advancements and climate goals are driving the transformation to distributed energy resources (DER), such as solar photovoltaic systems. The transformation, which is empowering consumers with more choices and energy management options, has also prompted an evaluation of potential cybersecurity risks stemming from anticipated future growth.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Oct. 14 issued a report providing recommendations to improve compliance with Critical Infrastructure Protection, or CIP, reliability standards based on lessons learned from audits of registered entities for fiscal year 2022. The findings show that most of the cybersecurity protection measures adopted by the entities satisfied the mandatory requirements…....