US DOE $10m grant to support nation’s first regional cybersecurity center for grids

A $10 million Department of Energy (DOE) grant will help create a pilot regional cybersecurity research and operations centre meant to help protect the power grid against cyber attacks.

Auburn University’s McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security was awarded the grant, in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

The total value of the project is $12.5 million, with the additional $2.5 million coming from Auburn University and other strategic partners.

The centre, named the Southeast Region Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, or SERC3, will bring together experts from the private sector, academia and government to share information and attempt solutions to protect the nation’s power grid and other key sectors. It will include a mock utility command centre to train participants in real-time cyber defense. 

“Auburn University is proud to be at the forefront of this important field as we work against one of the greatest threats the country and the business sector will face in the future,” said Steve Taylor, Auburn University’s senior vice president for research and economic development.

“The centre will conduct critical research and provide real operational solutions to protect all of us as we address these challenges. We are thankful to Oak Ridge National Laboratory for partnering with us and Rep. Mike Rogers for his support in securing funding for this critical programme.”

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The centre will run experiments with industry partners in a research lab environment to support integration of new and existing security software and hardware into operational environments. 

Research labs will be established at Auburn University, housed at the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, and at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

“We are excited to work with Auburn on this important national mission,” said Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Stephen Streiffer. “We’re combining our capabilities to partner with industry, develop new security technologies and transfer those technologies to industry, all while developing the workforce that will operate these enhanced systems.”

With an emphasis on critical infrastructure, researchers will aim to help utilities across the nation become more resilient to the increasing threat of cyberattacks. Additionally, workforce and skills development will be a core role of Auburn’s in the partnership.

“This project provides an exciting opportunity for our college and our students,” said Mario Eden, dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.

“Our students will get hands-on experience in a real-world environment. We have a proven track record of innovation and this project perfectly aligns with our mission to provide the best student-centred engineering experience in America and expand our engineering knowledge through research.”

Originally published by Sean Wolfe on Power Grid International.