Earlier this month Rep Lamb (D,PA) introduced HR 5428,
the Grid Modernization Research and Development Act of 2019. The bill would direct
Federal research on grid modernization and security. While not specifically a
cybersecurity bill, there are provisions which could affect cybersecurity
research efforts.
Definitions
Section 9 of the bill would add a new §1313, Definitions, to
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42
USC 17381 et. seq.). These definitions would only apply to Title XIII,
Smart Grid, of the act, including most of the new sections added by this bill. There
would be three definitions in that section:
• Critical facility;
• Distribution automation; and
• Resilience
Two of those definitions have potential cybersecurity
ramifications:
‘Distribution automation’ means “systems
and technologies that exert intelligent control over electrical grid functions
at the distribution level” {new §1313(2)}; and
‘Resilience’ means “the ability to
withstand and reduce the magnitude or duration of disruptive events, which
includes the capability to anticipate, absorb, adapt to, or rapidly recover
from such an event, including from deliberate attacks, accidents, and naturally
occurring threats or incidents” {§1313(3)}
Regional Demonstration Initiative
Section 2 of the bill would amend 42
USC 17384, Smart grid technology research, development, and demonstration.
The revisions would increase the scope of the current smart grid regional
demonstration initiative to include “distribution automation, industrial
control systems, dynamic line rating systems, grid redesign, and the
integration of distributed energy resources" {revised §17384(b)(1)}. It
would also add as a new goal for that initiative the encouragement of “commercial
application of advanced distribution automation technologies that improve
system resilience” {new §17384(b)(2)(F)}.
Section 10(b)(1) would include funding for this research and
development effort; sharing in $170 million in 2020 and increasing to $185
million in 2024. DOE would be responsible for deciding the actual allocation of
those funds.
NOTE: The definitions in this bill would apply to §17384.
Modeling, Visualization, Architecture, and Controls
Section 3 of the bill would add a new §1304a, Smart Grid Modeling,
Visualization, Architecture, and Controls, to the Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007. This section would require DOE to “establish a program of
research, development, demonstration, and commercial application on electric
grid modeling, sensing, visualization, architecture development, and advanced
operation and controls” {new §1304a(a)}.
The new research on modeling would include the development
of {new §1304a(b)}:
• Models to analyze and predict the
effects of adverse physical and cyber events on the electric grid; and
• Coupled models of electrical,
physical, and cyber systems
Situational awareness research would include the “development
of computational tools and technologies to improve sensing, monitoring, and
visualization of the electric grid for real-time situational awareness and
decision support tools that enable improved operation of the power system” {new
§1304a(c)(1)}. DOE would “prioritize enhancing cyber and physical situational
awareness of the electric grid during adverse manmade and naturally occurring
events” {new §1304a(c)(3)}.
Research on grid architecture would cover a wide variety of
topics but would specifically include {new §1304a(d)}:
• Increasing use of distributed
resources owned by non-utility entities;
• The use of digital and automated
controls not managed by grid operators;
• Analyzing the effects of changes
to grid architectures resulting from modernizing electric grid systems, including
communications, controls, markets, consumer choice, emergency response, electrification,
and cybersecurity concerns; and
• Developing integrated grid
architectures that incorporate system resilience for cyber, physical, and
communications systems.
Section 10(b)(1) would include funding for this research and
development effort; sharing in $170 million in 2020 and increasing to $185
million in 2024. DOE would be responsible for deciding the actual allocation of
those funds.
Enhancing Grid Resilience and Emergency Response
Section 4 of the bill would add a new §1310, Grid Resilience
and Emergency Response, to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
This would require DOE to “establish a research, development, and demonstration
program to enhance resilience and strengthen emergency response and management
pertaining to the electric grid” {new §1310(a)}. This would include a research
and development grant program directed at “improving the resilience and
reliability of electric grid” {new §1310(b)}; among other goals with would
include {new §1310(b)(3)}:
Developing tools to improve
coordination between utilities and relevant Federal agencies to enable
communication, information-sharing, and situational awareness in the event of a
physical or cyberattack on the electric grid.
Specifically, this would include “development of
methodologies to maintain cybersecurity during restoration of electric grid infrastructure
and operation” {new §1310(d)(5)}.
There are no spending authorizations in this bill to support
this research and development effort.
Grid Integration Research and Development
Section 6(a) of the bill would amend 42
USC 16215(a), Electric Transmission and Distribution Programs. It would add
two new paragraphs, (10) and (11):
• The development of cost-effective
technologies that enable two-way information and power flow between distributed
energy resources and the electric grid; and
• The development of technologies
and concepts that enable interoperability between distributed energy resources
and other behind-the-meter devices and the electric grid
Section 6(b) would add a new §936, Research and Development into
Integrating Renewable Energy onto the Electric Grid, to Energy Policy Act of
2005. It would require DOE to “establish a research, development, and
demonstration program on technologies that enable integration of renewable
energy generation sources onto the electric grid across multiple program
offices of the Department” {new §936(a)}.
Section 6(c) would add a new §137, Research and Development into
Integrating Electric Vehicles onto the Electric Grid, to the Energy Independence
and Security Act of 2007. It would require DOE to “establish a research,
development, and demonstration program to advance the integration of electric
vehicles, including plugin hybrid electric vehicles, onto the electric grid” {new§137(a)}.
It would also require DOE to conduct a study, and report to Congress, on “the
research, development, and demonstration opportunities, challenges, and
standards needed for integrating electric vehicles onto the electric grid” {new
§137(b)}. One of the report requirements would be to address “the cybersecurity
challenges and needs associated with electrifying the transportation sector” {new
§137(b)(1)(E)}.
Section 6(d) would add a new §426, Advanced Integration of
Buildings onto the Electric Grid, to Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007. It would require DOE to “establish a program of research, development,
and demonstration to enable components of commercial and residential buildings
to serve as dynamic energy loads on and resources for the electric grid” {new
§426(a)}. Among the foci of the program DOE would be required to look at “protecting
against cybersecurity threats and addressing security vulnerabilities of
building systems or equipment” {new §426(a)(7)}.
Section 10(b)(3) of the bill would authorize $50 million in
FY 2020 (rising to $60.8 million in 2024) for the research and development efforts
outlined in §6 of the bill
None of the added sections in §6 of the bill would be
affected by the definitions described earlier.
Moving Forward
Lamb is a member of the House Science, Space, and Technology
Committee to which this bill has been assigned for consideration and is the
Chair of the Energy Subcommittee. This means that it is very likely that the
bill will be considered in his Subcommittee and probably by the full Committee.
I do not see anything in this bill that would engender any organized opposition
to this bill, particularly since the bill specifically prohibits DOE from requiring
anyone from participating in any of the studies or implementing any of the
study proposals.
Commentary
This is certainly not a cybersecurity bill, nor are the
cybersecurity provisions that are included in any way central to the intent of
this bill. What this bill does reflect, however, is an increasing awareness
upon the part of the Committee Staff that cybersecurity has to be an integrated
part of the energy research process if it is to be effective.
I am particularly heartened to see cybersecurity research to
be an integral part of research into the integration of electric car charging
systems and building control systems into the electric grid.
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