Protect Our Power, the nation’s leading independent organization dedicated to making the electric grid more secure and resilient, is calling upon the electric industry, policymakers, regulators and cybersecurity vendors to make meaningful progress on four priorities in 2022 to better safeguard the grid and the people and entities that rely upon it.

Jim Cunningham, President of Protect Our Power, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to making the electric grid more secure and resilient, commented on today’s signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R.3684) by President Joe Biden:

Seventy percent of Americans believe the cybersecurity of the existing electric grid requires more federal funding and should be an important priority in infrastructure legislation now being negotiated by the White House and Congress.

Following the disabling cyberattack on a major U.S. pipeline, Protect Our Power today renewed its call for the Administration and Congress to make the security and resilience of the U.S. electric grid a top priority in pending infrastructure legislation.

The greater threat we face is the daily bombardment of cyberattacks on our nation’s critical infrastructure — most notably on the electric sector.

The massive electric power outages in Texas may seem puzzling to many: How can a state so rich in energy resources be brought to its knees by a winter storm, leaving millions of households without electricity and many without water?

The early blame game has elected officials pointing the finger at renewable energy resources and “green energy” policies, and calling for the heads of power companies and the state’s electricity regulators. The governor announced he is launching an official investigation, and judgment should be reserved until an unbiased process has been completed.

After years of malicious cyber activity targeting U.S. critical infrastructure, hackers linked to Russia recently infiltrated numerous American companies and federal government agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce, the Treasury and the Pentagon. This attack compromised national security and is costing business and the government untold millions or billions of dollars in damages.

At her recent Senate confirmation hearing, former Michigan governor and current Secretary of Energy nominee Jennifer Granholm pledged to make electric grid security a priority. She also expressed hope that actions to enhance grid security will be part of infrastructure legislation proposed by the Biden Administration.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2020 — An effective program to secure the integrity of the U.S. power industry supply chain is a complex but urgent matter requiring extensive collaboration and sustained industry input, among government agencies, electric power companies and vendors, according to comments filed today with the U.S. Department of Energy by Protect Our Power, an electric grid advocacy group.

As we witness our confusing, chaotic, yet often courageous struggle to overcome the coronavirus pandemic, clear lessons emerge:

* Politics often wins over science.
* A reliable, organized supply chain is essential.
* Existing federal government emergency powers, if used quickly, could help put us in front of a rapidly escalating crisis.
* Policies that pit state against state are wasteful and hazardous, and
* A national challenge requires a planned, coherent, and coordinated national solution.

WASHINGTON, June 11, 2020 – Electric grid advocacy group Protect Our Power today applauded the Senate Armed Services Committee for including in its annual defense policy bill provisions to implement 11 of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s recommendations, including a call for studying "the feasibility and advisability" of creating a national cybersecurity director.

WASHINGTON, June 11, 2020 – Electric grid advocacy group Protect Our Power today applauded the Senate Armed Services Committee for including in its annual defense policy bill provisions to implement 11 of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s recommendations, including a call for studying "the feasibility and advisability" of creating a national cybersecurity director.

WASHINGTON, June 11, 2020 – Electric grid advocacy group Protect Our Power today applauded the Senate Armed Services Committee for including in its annual defense policy bill provisions to implement 11 of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission’s recommendations, including a call for studying "the feasibility and advisability" of creating a national cybersecurity director.

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2020 – In an effort to better protect the electric grid from attacks from foreign adversaries, President Trump today signed an Executive Order, “Securing the United States Bulk Power System,” banning the purchase and installation of some equipment for power plants and the transmission system, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2020 – In an effort to better protect the electric grid from attacks from foreign adversaries, President Trump today signed an Executive Order, “Securing the United States Bulk Power System,” banning the purchase and installation of some equipment for power plants and the transmission system, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2020 – State utility commissions can strengthen the cybersecurity of U.S. critical infrastructure – particularly the electric grid – by advancing several relevant recommendations of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission report released last month, utility commissioners were told in a webinar today.

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2020 – Improved resiliency of the nation’s electric grid is key to virtually all national infrastructure, said grid advocacy group Protect Our Power, which applauded the recommendations of the bi-partisan Cyberspace Solarium Commission, released today.

WASHINGTON, February 28, 2020 – The electric grid resilience organization Protect Our Power welcomed the planned introduction in Congress of energy legislation that includes provisions to better protect the U.S. electric grid against physical and cyber threats.

Study from Ridge Global, commissioned by Protect Our Power, highlights ‘clear and present danger’ to national security

Several States Implementing Model Laws, Practices to Bolster Cybersecurity of Electric Grid: Vermont Law School Study

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 -- Protect Our Power has awarded monetary prizes to the winners of this year’s National Governors Association Capture the Flag Cyber Challenge.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2019 – Rebecca Slayton and Fred Hintermister are the newest additions to the Advisory Panel of Protect Our Power.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2019 – Protect Our Power Executive Director Jim Cunningham issued the following statement on October’s designation as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2019 – Shelley Longmuir, a director at the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC), and Steven T. Naumann, a long-time veteran of Exelon Corp., have joined the Advisory Panel of Protect Our Power.

WASHINGTON, July 11, 2019 – The electric grid resilience advocacy organization, Protect Our Power, welcomed the introduction in Congress today of two legislative proposals aimed at strengthening the U.S. electric grid against physical and cyber threats.

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2019—Cost recovery for electric sector cybersecurity investments is a critical component in ensuring that utility companies make key investments to protect the U.S. electric grid from cyberattacks, according to a new study.

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2019 – The nation’s first Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, former Gov. Tom Ridge, and Michael Bardee, former director the office of Electric Reliability of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), have joined the Advisory Panel of Protect Our Power, the nation’s leading organization that advocates for a more secure electric grid.

Research Commissioned by Protect Our Power Provides Pathway to Address Complex National Security Challenge

Protect Our Power Will Launch Project to Evaluate and Share Best Practices at Feb. 4th Conference in New Orleans

WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 1, 2018 — Potentially crippling power outages could be caused by foreign agents gaining access to the U.S. electricity grid by exploiting known equipment vulnerabilities, according to a report released today by Ridge Global, an international risk assessment and management firm based in Washington, D.C.

In response to a front-page story in today’s Wall Street Journal regarding security of the nation’s electric grid, Protect Our Power Executive Director Jim Cunningham offered the following statement

Russian hackers have penetrated hundreds of U.S. electric utility control rooms and could have caused blackouts.

Within the letter and recognized: Chairman Walden, Ranking Member Pallone, Rep. Walberg, McNerney, Rush, and Latta.

Within the letter and recognized: Chairman Walden, Ranking Member Pallone, Rep. Walberg, McNerney, Rush, and Latta.

WASHINGTON, April 19, 2018 – Two prominent leaders in the U.S. electric industry have joined Protect Our Power, a not-for-profit organization that seeks to expedite efforts toward fortifying the grid against all threats, foreign and domestic.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2018 – An important stride to ensure the resiliency of the electric grid in the event of a catastrophic attack has now been taken by the U.S. Department of Energy. President Trump’s 2018 budget includes $96 million to establish the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response (CESER).

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2017 – Legislation passed this week by the U.S House of Representatives marks an important step in strengthening the U.S. electric grid, according to Protect Our Power, a national not-for-profit organization focused on ensuring the grid is made more robust and resilient.

WASHINGTON, April 5, 2017 – More than 60 percent of Americans believe the nation’s electric power transmission grid is vulnerable to either cyber or physical attacks from foreign enemies, a new poll by Protect Our Power (POP), an organization of renowned experts dedicated to protecting our electric transmission and distribution system, today revealed. Fewer than 9 percent of Americans believe the U.S. government is doing all it should to protect the electric grid from a potential attack.

Protect Our Power National Poll: Washington Must Act to Keep Nation’s Electricity Supply Safe

WASHINGTON, April 5, 2017 – More than 60 percent of Americans believe the nation’s electric power transmission grid is vulnerable to either cyber or physical attacks from foreign enemies, a new poll by Protect Our Power (POP), an organization of renowned experts dedicated to protecting our electric transmission and distribution system, today revealed. Fewer than 9 percent of Americans believe the U.S. government is doing all it should to protect the electric grid from a potential attack.

WASHINGTON, February 17, 2017 — Protecting the U.S. electric grid must be an urgent priority and collaborative national security initiative, a forum of 20 experts concluded at Protect Our Power’s first advisory panel summit this week.

Protect Our Power, founded in 2016, is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to unite key industry groups, utilities, security experts, government -- including military authorities -- and public policy influencers to expedite efforts toward fortifying the grid against all threats, foreign and domestic.