State regulators warn of cyber threats

An association of state utility regulators warned in a paper that the electrical grid could be vulnerable to cyberattacks.

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners urged state regulators to work with electrical companies to ensure that their computer systems are secure from attacks. “It may fall to regulators to ask questions of utilities to determine if there are [cybersecurity] gaps and facilitate action,” the group said. “This may be the key role for commissions in cybersecurity. Commissioners do not need to become cyber industry authorities or enforcers, but asking a utility a question may motivate the development of a well-founded answer.”