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Lawmakers explore artificial intelligence, energy infrastructure

The emerging use of artificial intelligence in safeguarding and attacking America's energy infrastructure was the focus of a congressional hearing on legislation to strengthen the U.S. Department of Energy’s ability to secure pipelines, utilities, power plants and the electric grid from cyberattacks and restore energy supplies during emergencies.

During the March 14 hearing of the House of Representatives' Subcommittee on Energy, Under Secretary of Energy Mark Menezes told lawmakers that the U.S. and its energy sector are at a "historical turning-point" in protecting infrastructure from an ever-increasing level of sophisticated threats.

Menezes stressed that the advent of "the internet of things" and digitization of infrastructure have enlarged the "attack surface," or software vulnerabilities, for hackers to exploit. The DOE and energy sector is under constant attack "around the clock," said the undersecretary, who added, "machines" are "doing all of this" via artificial intelligence.

"Our goal is to counter their machines with our machines and with our artificial intelligence but it's an ever-escalating battle," said Menezes. "We don't even know what the future threats are."

The official noted that these unknown future cyber threats are a reason why the DOE recently established the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response. Known as CESER for short, the new DOE agency will take the lead in research and development efforts in physical and cybersecurity as well as work with the private sector in identifying new threats.

Using Ukraine's experience of manually restoring power after a Russian cyberattack in December 2016 cut power to more than 80,000 people, Edison Electric Institute’s vice president of security and preparedness, Scott Aaronson, told lawmakers that the industry is also pursuing the ability to not only bounce back following a successful attack but to operate manually in "a degraded state."

One of the four newly introduced bills considered at the hearing was H.R. 5174, or Energy Emergency Leadership Act. The measure would update the DOE Organization Act to include energy emergency and energy security functions that will be assigned to an assistant energy secretary. Those functions cover infrastructure, cybersecurity, “emerging threats,” supply and emergency planning, coordination, response, and restoration responsibilities. Sponsored by committee members Reps. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and Bobby Rush, D-Ill., the bill seeks to also facilitate the sharing of technical assistance and threat intelligence with state, local and tribal governments.

Another bill is H.R. 5175, or Pipeline and LNG Facility Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, that would require the energy secretary to lead a program to coordinate efforts by federal agencies, states and the energy sector to protect natural gas pipelines, hazardous liquid pipelines and liquefied natural gas facilities.

In addition to authorizing the DOE to coordinate response and recovery efforts to physical and cyber incidents and develop advanced cybersecurity applications and technologies, H.R. 5175 would permit the department to perform pilot demonstration projects and develop curriculum to train the energy sector's workforce in cyber- and physical security. The bill is co-authored by subcommittee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa.

H.R. 5239, or Cyber Sense Act, would establish a voluntary DOE program that identifies and promotes cyber-secure products intended for use for the bulk-power system, including products related to industrial control systems. The bill, sponsored by Reps. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, and Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., would authorize the DOE to provide technical assistance to electric utilities, product manufacturers and other electricity sector stakeholders to help mitigate known cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Finally, H.R. 5240, or Enhancing Grid Security through Public-Private Partnerships Act, would require the DOE to establish a program to facilitate and encourage public-private partnerships that enhance the physical and cyber security of small to midsize electric utilities, which have fewer available resources.

The bill, sponsored by Reps. McNerney and Latta, would also allow the DOE to coordinate with state regulators in the study of priorities, policies, procedures, and actions that enhance the physical and cybersecurity of electric distribution system. Finally, the legislation would direct the DOE to update a program that assists electric grid planners, utilities and policymakers in estimating interruption costs and benefits associated with infrastructure improvements.