The document proposes the establishment of a Regional Cyber and Energy Security (RCES) Center at the University of Texas at El Paso to address cyber and physical security issues for energy systems and the integration of distributed generation systems. The RCES Center would test and certify smart grid components and provide workforce training. It would benefit the region by creating new jobs, providing education opportunities for students, and increasing the reliability and security of the energy infrastructure.

1. Regional Cyber and Energy Security (RCES) Center
for Distributed Generation Systems
Ralph Martinez, PhD PI, Ricardo, Pineda, PhD, Co-PI
Center for Environmental Resource Management (CERM) &
Research Institute for Manufacturing and Engineering Systems (RIMES)
rmartinez59@utep.edu, rlpineda@utep.edu
915-747-5433
26 October 2011

2. Topics
• The “Fierce Urgency of Now”, Going Beyond the Phiston
Feasibility Report
y p
• What is the Regional Cyber and Energy Security (RCES)
Center for Distributed Generation Systems?
• Benefits of the RCES to El Paso Region
• Summary
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3. “The Fierce Urgency of Now”,
Going Beyond the Phiston Report
Cyber and Energy Security are a top priority in the DoD, DOE, and many government,
industry, and community sectors
U.S.
U S Army Definition: Energy Security
Surety, Survivability, Supply, Sufficiency, Sustainability – these are the core
characteristics defining the energy security necessary for the full range of Army
missions.
Energy Security for the Army means preventing loss of access to power and fuel sources
(surety), ensuring resilience in energy systems (survivability), accessing alternative and
renewable energy sources available on installations (supply), providing adequate power
for critical missions (sufficiency), and promoting support for the Army’s mission, its
community, and the environment (sustainability).
Smart Grid Cyber Security addresses deliberate attacks launched by disgruntled
employees, agents of industrial espionage, and terrorists, and inadvertent compromises
of the information infrastructure due to user errors, equipment failures, and natural
, q p ,
disasters. Cyber security measures prevent potential attackers to penetrate a network,
gain access to control software, and alter load conditions to destabilize the power grid in
unpredictable ways.
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4. Recent Cyber and Energy Security Incidents
Cyber Security Incidents
• Insider Security Threats to Utilities
• Security Incidents Rise In Industrial Control Systems
• Spike In Power Grid Attacks Likely In Next 12 Months
Energy Security Incidents
• One Electrical Worker Blamed for Leaving Millions Without Power in
California, Arizona and Mexico, September 2011
• Cost estimate of San Diego outage tops $100 million
• Arizona Wildfire Forces Evacuations as Texas New Mexico Face Power
Texas,
Outages
• Busy Arizona wildfire season burns up state budget
• February s
February’s freeze still has the Sun City shivering
• Price tag for frigid storm could top $100 million
• El Paso Electric Reports and Links on Winter Storm 2011
• Over the next 5 years, electric utilities face a reduction in force of 45% of 7000
y
engineers due to retirement or job movement, increasing the security risks to
the utility power grids
@ The University of Texas at El Paso, Proprietary Information, Not for Public Distribution 4

5. Proposal
• We propose to establish a Cyber and Energy
Security Center to address two national problems of
modern energy systems:
• Cyber and physical security to protect energy systems
from inadvertent and deliberate disruptions of energy
service
• Integration, test, certification of distributed generation
systems and technology into current grids
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6. Why is this needed?
• Energy systems can crash:
• Weather,
Weather natural disaster and fire damage
• Unexpected loads
• Sub-systems that do not interoperate properly
• Deliberate or inadvertent cyber and physical interference
• When they crash they affect everything:
• Other utilities: water, gas, pipeline, sewer
• Transportation
• Communications
• Business operations
• Military installations
• Daily life (home/school/work)
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7. Steps to Achieving a National and Regional Security and
Reliable Power Grid
• RCES Center Core Capabilities
• Derived from DOE/DoD WGs Sustain
Year 3,4
Cyber
y Cyber Security
•P d
Product and S i test and
d Service d Test &
certification Systems
Certification
• Ancillary RCES Center Capabilities Manage
Interoperability Year 3
•C b S
Cyber Security/Power D
it /P Degrees Incidents
With Electric
• Workforce Training Grid Standards & Training
• Professional Engineer training
• Technology Transfer Develop Test
Cyber Security Architecture Year 2 & Certification
• Ed
Educational W k h
ti l Workshops
And Requirements for Region Methodology
Conceptual Cyber Security Year 1 Assess &
Reference Model for Electric Grids Monitor Risk
Build Cyber
Regional Business and Public
g Year 1
Policy Requirements
Security
Culture
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8. Market Viability in the Southwest Region
• South Central and West Texas electric power grid and transmission are
g
governed by the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (
y y g (WECC) * and
)
Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) *
WAPA
* WECC and WAPA websites
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9. Market Viability in the Region (Cont)
El P
Paso El t i Service Territory *
Electric S i T it
* Courtesy of EPE,
http://www.epelectric.com/about-el-paso-electric/service-area
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10. *
* NIST/EPRI Smart Grid Interim Roadmap Report, June 2009
Seven Smart Grid
Domains
Cyber Security
Everywhere
Physical and
Operational
Secu ty
Security
For Domains
Copyright @ The University of Texas at El Paso 10

11. Education and Training Opportunities for Jobs in
Smart Grid Areas
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12. Benefits of the RCES to El Paso Region
• Regional
• Job Creation in emerging high technology area
• Job opportunities and education for students
• Federal and state recognition for cyber and energy security of power grids
• City of El Paso
• Energy security and security forensics that impacts all city sectors
• Foster economic and business development opportunities
• El Paso Electric & other Utilities
• Addition of cyber and energy security system components and methodologies
• Cyber security for utility awareness, monitoring, and control
• Increased distribution system reliability and resiliency
• Professional certified job workforce
• El Paso Utility Customer Base and Workforce
• Electricity, Water, Gas, Waste Services
• Academic
• Degrees, certification, and professional engineer training
• Increased cyber and energy security infrastructure and facilities
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13. Job Opportunities in the NM/TX Region
National Green Jobs
• Green Jobs Search
• Smart Grid Careers
El Paso Green Jobs
• Green Jobs Hiring
• El Paso Electric Green Jobs
• City of El Paso Green Jobs
Academic Degree Options (UTEP and NMSU)
• Power System Engineers
• Modern Power Systems Engineering
• Renewable Energy Sources
gy
• Wholesale Energy Markets
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14. Summary
• El Paso region and its communities stand to benefit from the
development of the Regional Cyber and Energy Security Center.
• The emerging technology for cyber and energy security for smart grid
system of systems has matured due to the infusion of research and
development funding from the Department of Energy.
• UTEP and its partners are uniquely positioned to implement the first
System of Systems test and certification facility for verification and
interoperability of smart grid components, products, and services.
• Funding model aligned with local, state, and federal funding programs
on cyber and energy security and T&E
• El Paso region has stakeholders with vested interests for the
technology
• RCES Center provides a stimulus for new jobs and training of cyber
security professionals
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