Increased Use of Natural Gas Exposes U.S. to Cyber Attacks, FERC Chairman Says

SEATTLE (Oil Monster):  A Senate hearing on Thursday focused on the threats to energy infrastructure from hackers, including to natural gas pipelines.

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources’ hearing follows the U.S. intelligence community’s publication of worldwide threats, which include the ability of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea to disrupt critical infrastructure.

Neil Chatterjee, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, discussed the need for bolstering the U.S.’s ability to defend against cyber attacks that could paralyze access to power.

“I am concerned that, because of our nation’s growing use of natural gas for power generation, a successful cyber-attack on the natural gas pipeline system could have a significant impact on the electric grid,” he said.

“While I think both industry and government have made significant strides toward addressing this issue, I believe more work still needs to be done,” he added.

The assistant secretary of the Energy Department’s office of cybersecurity, energy security, and emergency response, Karen Evans, said it worked closely with federal, industry and state partners to monitor the Arctic blast that hit parts of the country in January.

It is critical to monitor these types of energy disruptions because they allow the government to strategize on how best to communicate in the event that the public cannot be reached electronically, she said.

“In preparation for any future grid security emergency, it is critical that we continue working with our government and industry partners to further shape the types of orders that may be executed under current authorities, while also clarifying how we communicate and coordinate the operational implementation of these orders,” she said.

Courtesy: www.marketwatch.com