Power grid security

Testimony outlines threats to power grid

The leader of the Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Corp. told lawmakers Tuesday that his industry is battling to protect the nation's energy grid but needs greater cooperation from federal officials.

Duane Highley, the group's president and chief executive officer, used military terms as he testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

"The electric sector, like other critical sectors, is now the front line of international warfare. We're under constant cyberattack. Many of those attacks are sponsored by foreign enemies and nation states," he said.

The Quadrennial Energy Review Task Force, which was created by President Barack Obama, is urging that the electric sector be treated as a "national security asset," Highley noted.

"Most of the critical infrastructure is owned and operated by private industry. So for that reason, we must have timely access to actionable information obtained through the defense and intelligence-gathering capabilities of our government," he said.