Substation Physical Security Best Practices

February 20-21, 2024 | Online :: Central Time

0224-substation-security

Protecting the nation’s electric substations and ensuring a reliable supply of energy are top priorities for the electric power industry. The sheer vastness of the grid’s infrastructure requires utilities to prioritize critical substations that would have the most severe impact on reliability if impacted by a security breach, but what about the rest of the substations? Considering the recent increase in events around the country, utilities should consider enhancing deterrence and monitoring at all substations.

EUCI’s comprehensive conference will discuss threats, preparation, prevention, and resiliency plans. The conference will examine the effectiveness of security measures at substations and provide a platform for utilities to share best practices. Register today to gain firsthand insights from other utilities and industry experts on how best to protect your substations.

Learning Outcomes

• Summarize NERC’s CIP review and update and where the standard fits in today
• Review E-ISAC’s physical security update of the threat landscape and mitigation sources
• Assess the Department of Homeland Security’s comprehensive threats to substations and mitigation strategies
• Discusswhat should be assessed to provide value for lowering physical risk
• Identify security challenges and solutions
• Discuss various ways to fund substation physical security measure enhancements
• List methodologies for substation tiering to prioritize security resources
• Review how social media monitoring is helping to identify threats

Tuesday, February 20, 2024 : Central Time

 

9:15 – 10:15 a.m. :: CIP-014-3 Physical Security Review

This updated presentation will discuss the protection of transmission stations and transmission substations. NERC’s CIP-014-03 was created to identify and protect transmission stations and transmission substations, and their associated primary control centers, that if rendered inoperable or damaged as a result of a physical attack could result in instability, uncontrolled separation, or cascading within an interconnection. This presentation will review the history, components, and possible updates to the rule as a refresher and for anyone new to the topic.

Sushil Subedi, CPA, CISA, CISSP, CEH, Security+, Network+, Senior CIP Assurance Advisor – Compliance Assurance, North American Electric Reliability Corporation

10:15 – 11:00 a.m. :: Physical Security Threat Landscape to the North American Grid

We will discuss a current physical security update on the threat landscape to the North American grid, including information related to mitigation sources and potential suspicious indicators.

Lauren Alexander-Binns, PMP, Physical Security Analyst, Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center, North American Electric Reliability Corporation

11:00 – 11:30 a.m. :: Morning Break

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. :: Substation Threats – More Than Just Physical

Our nation’s substations are under constant threat. Because every critical infrastructure sector depends on the nation’s substations and because that dependency will only grow as we continue the transition to an even higher level of technology in a future driven by energy and information, we must become more aware of the threats, the vulnerabilities and the adversaries which watch every day for new ways to interrupt the energy we need. In this presentation, we’ll learn the nature of these threats and some of the strategies and mitigations we can employ to protect both the substation and our ability to provide energy to the nation.

TBD, Department of Homeland Security

12:15 – 1:15 p.m. :: Lunch Break

1:15 – 2:15 p.m. :: Assessing All Security Considerations to Build a Better Substation

What considerations should be assessed to provide the best value for lowering risk? We will discuss and review full security considerations that utilities should be reviewing and implementing mitigation resolutions as well as how to build a better substation for security, cost, and community acceptance. 

Mike Melvin, Director – Corporate Security, Exelon

2:15 – 2:45 p.m. :: Afternoon Break

2:45 – 4:00 p.m. :: Best Practices for Improved Substation Security Panel Discussion

This interactive panel discussion will discuss a broad range of physical security topics from the vantage points of utilities, consultants, and a federal agency. While this is an opportunity for attendees to ask questions of the panelists, some of the pre-decided topics that will be discussed are key control for stations, challenges with drones, CIP, gunshot/drone detection and other technology developments, as well as lessons learned from events. 

Landon Jones, CPP, PSP, PCI, Senior Security Consultant, Burns & McDonnell

Kyle Metzler, Lead Analyst, National Grid

Mike Melvin, Director – Corporate Security, Exelon

Wednesday, February 21, 2024 : Central Time

 

9:15 – 10:15 a.m. :: Ratemaking and Funding Substation Security Measures

National Grid’s Transmission Asset Management team will share how the company has approached funding substation physical security measures in the past and challenges it has faced, how the company is looking to approach ratemaking and funding substation physical security measures going forward, and their formulation of a substation physical security strategy.

Graham Ehret, Lead Engineer, National Grid

Ed Hurley, Lead Engineer, National Grid

Kyle Metzler, Lead Analyst, National Grid

10:15 – 11:00 a.m. :: Substation Tiering

The purpose of substation tiering is to prioritize security resources for substations that are more critical. The presentation will discuss common methodologies to tier substations including lessons learned and key considerations.

Landon Jones, CPP, PSP, PCI, Senior Security Consultant, Burns & McDonnell

11:00 – 11:15 a.m. :: Morning Break

11:15 a.m.– 12:00 p.m. :: Open Source: Social Media Monitoring For Threats and Partnerships with Law Enforcement

• Social media monitoring for threats will cover tools, trends, events, and groups.
• Partnerships with Law Enforcement will cover networking through Field Liaison Officer (FLO) programs, trainings, and joint investigative efforts.

Jason Briseno, Integrated Security Analyst & Southwest Texas Fusion FLO, CPS Energy

12:00 p.m. :: Conference Adjourns

Lauren Alexander-Binns, PMP, Physical Security Analyst, Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center, North American Electric Reliability Corporation

Jason Briseno, Integrated Security Analyst & Southwest Texas Fusion FLO, CPS Energy

Graham Ehret, Lead Engineer, National Grid

Ed Hurley, Lead Engineer, National Grid

Landon Jones, CPP, PSP, PCI, Senior Security Consultant, Burns & McDonnell

Mike Melvin, Director – Corporate Security, Exelon

Kyle Metzler, Lead Analyst, National Grid

Sushil Subedi, CPA, CISA, CISSP, CEH, Security+, Network+, Senior CIP Assurance Advisor – Compliance Assurance, North American Electric Reliability Corporation

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

• Microsoft recommends downloading and installing the Teams app if possible. You may also use the Edge browser or Chrome.
• You will receive a separate email with a unique link to a personalized landing page which will include links to join all sessions of this event.
• If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
• The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

Please Note: This event is being conducted entirely online. All attendees will connect and attend from their computer, one connection per purchase. For details please see our FAQ

If you are unable to attend at the scheduled date and time, we make recordings available to all attendees for 7 days after the event

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Substation Physical Security Best Practices

February 20-21, 2024 | Online

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before January 19, 2024 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.7 CEUs for this event

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must log in each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the conference to be eligible for continuing education credit.

Instructional Methods

Case Studies and PowerPoint presentations will be used in this event

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Upon successful completion of this event, program participants interested in receiving CPE credits will receive a certificate of completion.

Conference CPE Credits: 8.5
There is no prerequisite for this Conference.
Program field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
Advanced Preparation: None

EUCI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its web site: www.nasbaregistry.org

 

Who Should Attend

• Transmission Engineers
• Distribution Engineers
• Substation Engineers
• Safety Officers
• Line Engineers
• Regulatory Analysts
• Operations and Planning Managers
• Utilities Engineers
• Security Specialists
• Asset Managers
• Utility Attorneys
• Project Managers