The US Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled a $15 million investment in university-based electric power centers aimed at enhancing cybersecurity in the energy sector. Selected by the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), six universities will receive funding to collaborate with industry stakeholders and DOE National Laboratories for cybersecurity research and training initiatives. These centers will integrate multidisciplinary expertise to develop region-specific cybersecurity capabilities tailored to the electricity system, infrastructure, and workforce skills. The University of Connecticut will focus on mitigating cyberattacks on distributed energy resources (DER), while Iowa State University aims to bolster the resilience of the distribution grid, including DER and microgrids. The University of Pittsburgh will leverage digital twins to assess cybersecurity measures’ effectiveness, while the Illinois Institute of Technology will address DER and microgrid cybersecurity challenges. Texas Tech University will develop a framework to mitigate cyber-physical attack stages, with a focus on DER integration in rural utilities, and Florida International University will explore the moving target defense technique to prevent cyberattacks. Additionally, these centers will provide cybersecurity education programs to train energy professionals in safeguarding critical infrastructure from cyber threats.

Read more: https://www.securityweek.com/energy-department-invests-15-million-in-university-cybersecurity-centers/