NARUC Cyber Evaluation of Kentucky Distribution Cooperatives

In an effort designed to ensure that Kentucky distribution cooperatives that are not subject to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards are instituting risk-appropriate cyber security efforts, we completed a review of the group’s existing cyber security programs. The review was conducted under contract to the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissions (NARUC) for the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC).

The project involved the review of cyber security program-related documentation and interviews of staff from six electric distribution cooperatives across Kentucky. The resulting report provided a comparative view of the condition of the cyber security programs and identified effective cyber security control areas, as well as those requiring improvement. Comparisons were made between cooperatives as an opportunity for those who needed improvement to learn from and model those who are functioning at a high level.