UPDATED - TISP Forum: Building Resilience into the Nation’s Power Sources

On Sept. 16, 2009, The Infrastructure Security Partnership (TISP) invite you to participate in a group discussion regarding Securing the Smart Grid and Energy Resources and Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Threats to our Critical Infrastructure as part of the TISP 2009 Fall Forum: Building Resilience into the Nation’s Power Resources, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., at the Embassy Suites DC Convention Center, Washington, DC. 

 

Securing the Smart Grid and Energy Resource: The topic of energy resilience touches every one of the 18 critical infrastructure sectors. Clearly, sectors such as transportation, agriculture and finance may be impacted by the nation’s push to be less reliant on petroleum fuels. As policymakers encourage the development of new power-producing facilities and investments to improve the nation’s electric grid systems, we should consider ways to ensure the facilities and systems are prepared to handle all-hazard events. This forum will brings together decision makers, policy analysts and experts working to reduce our dependency on foreign oil for transportation fuels, build new energy production facilities using smart grid technologies and resources, and develop solutions to make the energy sector more resilient.

 

Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Threats to our Critical Infrastructure: Whether the threat of an EMP comes from an unfriendly nation, terrorist or a great geomagnetic storm does not make a difference to the owners and operators of critical infrastructure and key assets.  An event aimed at North America could demobilize our nation (cut all power, stop vehicles from working, cut communication, etc.).  From the perspective of homeland defense, many organizations have researched solutions that would protect our military assets.  However, every little study has been given to our national security of critical infrastructure and key resources.  How would we respond to an EMP event?  How long would it take to recover from an EMP event?  Who is the agency for response and recovery from an EMP event?  In May the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) approached TISP with a request to identify parties willing to research and develop a set of solutions that would mitigate or eliminate impacts to our critical infrastructure caused by an EMP event.  In support of DTRA’s proposition, TISP is including a discussion of this topic at its Fall Forum focused on the resilience of the energy sector.  The topic of energy resilience touches every one of the 18 critical infrastructure sectors. 

 

Clearly, sectors such as transportation, agriculture and finance may be impacted by the nation’s push to be less reliant on petroleum fuels.  As policymakers encourage the development of new power-producing facilities and investments to improve the nation’s electric grid systems, we should consider ways to ensure the facilities and systems are prepared to handle all-hazard events.  This forum will brings together decision makers, policy analysts and experts working to reduce our dependency on foreign oil for transportation fuels, build new energy production facilities using smart grid technologies and resources, and develop solutions to make the energy sector more resilient.

 

Speakers to include representative from: