Dive Brief:
- The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) promised Congress it would take steps to improve its handling of sensitive information about the U.S. electricity grid.
- In March, the FERC came under fire for publishing an analysis finding major physical vulnerabilities across the grid that was then reported in the Wall Street Journal.
- The Energy Department inspector general’s preliminary report suggested the FERC doesn’t have adequate controls for identifying and managing sensitive material with potential national security implications.
- The FERC intends to bring in a new set of new rules for the physical protection of substations this summer.
Dive Insight:
FERC officials made the comments at a Senate hearing on the measures being taken to secure the grid. The Journal reported that much of the hearing focused on the public dissemination of sensitive information about the grid’s vulnerabilities. “The publication of sensitive material about the grid crosses the line from transparency to irresponsibility,” FERC Chairwoman Cheryl LaFleur said. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, the ranking Republican on the Senate panel, said she was considering legislation to punish leakers of sensitive information.