Memorandum in Support - A.10006 (Cusick)
A.10006 (Cusick) - AN ACT to amend the energy law, the executive law and the public service law, in relation to critical energy infrastructure security and responsibility
The Independent Power Producers of New York, Inc. (IPPNY) is a trade association representing companies involved in the development of electric generating facilities, the generation, sale, and marketing of electric power, and the development of natural gas facilities in the State of New York. IPPNY Member companies produce the majority of New York's electricity, utilizing almost every generation technology available today such as wind, solar, natural gas, oil, hydro, waste-to-energy, biomass, energy storage and nuclear.
IPPNY supports A.10006 (Cusick). This legislation would enhance protection of critical infrastructure, such as power plants, from cyberattacks. Among other provisions, the bill would amend existing law on the power and duties of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and it would add cyberattacks to the list of parameters for which an assessment of the vulnerability of critical infrastructure (including, but not limited to, power plants and now, under the legislation, industrial control systems) would be done and for which protective strategies would be developed.
This legislation builds upon New York State’s existing efforts to protect critical energy infrastructure. Existing programs involve the sharing of information and best practices with owners and operators of New York's energy infrastructure, as well as the monitoring of threats and risk scenarios. The bill is consistent with existing North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection Plan cyber security standards. These standards apply to balancing authorities, generator operators, reliability coordinators, transmission operators and transmission owners that own or operate a control center.
For the reasons stated above, IPPNY supports A.10006 (Cusick).
