The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) today announced plans to fund not-for-profit organizations that aim to strengthen the cybersecurity posture of electric cooperative, municipal, and small investor-owned utilities across the U.S.
This $100 million funding opportunity is available through CESER’s Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity (RMUC) Advanced Cybersecurity Technical Assistance (TA) Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) and requires applicants to deliver cybersecurity technical assistance, technologies, services, threat information sharing, and other support to eligible electric utilities. This action delivers on President Trump’s call to strengthen energy security and unleash domestic energy resources across the country through its empowerment of smaller utilities.
“Resource-constrained operators face unique challenges in accessing cybersecurity tools, expertise, and information,” said CESER director Andrew McClure. “CESER is committed to closing the capability gap for small and rural operators by providing hands-on technical support, threat information sharing, and system hardening resources. Funding opportunities like today’s do just that. The energy sector is only as strong as its most vulnerable link, so equipping these operators to stay ahead of sophisticated cyber threats is imperative.”
Awardees must demonstrate formal partnerships with no fewer than six qualifying electric utilities and the capability to deliver meaningful cybersecurity improvements across participating utilities. These improvements may include, but are not limited to cybersecurity assessments and planning, workforce training and certification, exercises and readiness, implementation and integration of cybersecurity tools and technologies, verification and validation, and cybersecurity threat information-sharing activities. It also includes other activities that support measurable improvements in the cybersecurity posture and resilience of eligible utilities.
The RMUC TA initiative is managed by ConnectWerx in partnership with DOE, a collaboration made possible through a Partnership Intermediary Agreement established by the DOE’s Office of Technology Commercialization. This agreement enables ConnectWerx to broaden DOE’s engagement with innovative organizations and non-traditional partners, facilitating the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of energy solutions.
