UK Smart Grid Cyber Security
July 5, 2011
A report produced by KEMA for ENA in the UK reviews current UK activities, European activities, several international standards and current guidelines for smart grid cyber security, essentially to gain an understanding of the current cyber security initiatives worldwide, and to understand the applicability of these initiatives in the UK. Key stakeholders were engaged to understand how cyber security is currently being addressed by the electricity network companies in the UK, and how this can be best addressed using the findings from this report. This includes national and regional considerations.
National Level:
- Cyber security should be considered from a collaborative national perspective industry wide.
- Establish, develop and maintain a national level risk assessment process for smart grids to manage, inform and drive UK smart grid activities.
- Include smart grid cyber security as part of evaluation criteria for LCNF projects.
- Incorporate smart grid cyber security considerations into the work of the Smart Grids
DNO Level:
- Develop an Operational Security Management System to bring cyber security under the explicit control of management.
- Consider risk assessment approaches and determine if appropriate for smart grid cyber security.
- Consider a Technology Change Management strategy to address cyber security.
- Consider a detailed audit programme of candidate DNOs to establish gaps in current practices and develop applicable operational security management system requirements, policies and controls to address cyber security.
Current Status of UK Smart Grid Implementation: The UK has already started the process that will make smart grids a reality. Key initiatives include:
- The Electricity Networks Strategy Group (ENSG), which provided a forum bringing together key smart grid stakeholders, and was chaired jointly by DECC and Ofgem. The ENSG published a vision and a smart grid routemap between 2009 and 2010. Most recently, DECC and Ofgem have commenced the establishment of the Smart Grids Forum, which will focus on the issues of network development as a key part of the low carbon transition;
- The Smart Metering Implementation Programme (SMIP), which will result in the rollout of smart electricity and gas meters to all homes in GB by 2020;
- The Low Carbon Network Fund (LCNF), through which Ofgem is providing £500M (~$803M) over the five year period 2010 - 2015 to support smart grid trials being delivered by the DNOs, along with DECC's funding of smaller smart grid demonstration projects through the Low Carbon Innovation Fund.
Full report:
http://energynetworks.squarespace.com/storage/UK%20Smart%20Grid%20Cyber%20Security%20Report.pdf
