Power Systems Need More Protection from Cyber Attacks

Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson and Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology Chairman James R. Langevin sent a letter (PDF) to Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman John D. Dingell detailing the Committee's current efforts to conduct a review of the United States' bulk power systems operators in order to secure their information networks, as a follow up to last week's hearing on the matter.

The letter suggests that the Committee on Homeland Security work with the Energy and Commerce Committee to pass legislation granting FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) enhanced authority to adequately protect the bulk power systems against a cyber attack. Public and private sector witnesses in last week's hearing agreed with the concept of the legislation.

"For a society that runs on power, the short term or long term disruption of electricity to chemical plants, banks, refineries, hospitals, water systems, and military instillations presents a terrifying scenario," the letter states. "We believe that the FPA (Federal Power Act) should be amended to grant the (Federal Energy Regulatory) Commission emergency authority to order temporary interim cybersecurity or other emergency standards when necessary to protect against a national security threat to the reliability of the" bulk Power System.