SCE's Brian Barrios: Ensuring a Secure, Resilient Grid
We face unprecedented challenges as we work to transform the energy grid to securely meet the evolving needs of our customers, and we play a more significant role in our nation’s security than ever before.
The range of challenges facing the energy sector has grown exponentially in complexity and significance in recent years. Risks to our operations and the communities we serve—from supply chain shortages and intense wildfires to cyber and physical attacks—have received increased national attention. At the same time, we are pursuing once-in-a-lifetime investments to build a cleaner and more resilient grid of the future.
The scope and significance of our role as grid owners and operators cannot be overstated. The work we do is essential to our national security and the economy. As I look back on our industry’s unique record of partnership and collaboration among peer companies and our federal, state, and local government partners, I have confidence in the future. Ensuring the security and reliability of the grid is a shared priority between industry and government. We must continue the good work being done today and continually look for opportunities to improve and expand our collective efforts.
This period of transformation and heightened risk also requires that we balance our need to move quickly. Adoption of clean energy technologies—such as rooftop solar, battery storage, micro-grids, and inverter-based resources—is critical for grid operators to meet these challenges.
However, as grid infrastructure grows increasingly connected and as distributed energy resources are deployed, we must recognize we are creating an expanded attack surface with a larger number of critical suppliers that must be protected. The key to effectively managing this new attack surface will be to hold tight to our culture of collaboration and our trusted networks of mutual assistance, partnership, and support while we maintain our mission of delivering affordable, reliable electricity and work to meet our infrastructure and carbon emissions goals.
I am encouraged by the attention federal, state, and local partners are giving to these issues. Our distribution grid is on the front lines of the clean energy transition. It also is important to move past traditional partnerships that can sometimes be too slow to respond. Industry and government are working together to find a responsible, flexible, and affordable framework to secure these systems and manage the rapidly changing risk landscape.
Our top priority is and will continue to be our customers. We believe that a risk-based approach to new distribution security standards that combines the best of our knowledge in a flexible and non-duplicative manner is the best way to serve them. Persistent engagement between and among our industry and government partners in support of these goals is critical to ensuring that customer access to affordable, reliable electricity is not disrupted.
As always, we are committed to adhering to existing standards and best practices. Our industry recognizes the importance of maintaining robust security measures and strives to maintain effective monitoring and preparedness against potential threats. I am confident that we have a bright future ahead in our collaboration.
We face unprecedented challenges as we work to transform the energy grid to securely meet the evolving needs of our customers, and we play a more significant role in our nation’s security than ever before. I encourage all corners of our community to recall the culture and principles that have brought us so much success and ensure they remain at the forefront of our collaboration. As we come to face new challenges, our unity of effort and message must remain a core priority.
