Robust Regulatory Framework For Cyber Security Urgently Needed: Experts

As the Government of India’s ambitious smart metering program, to deploy 250 million smart meters under the RDSS scheme, is gaining momentum in the country, there is an urgent need to secure the AMI system from vulnerabilities and threats of cyber-attacks. Experts were discussing the issue of putting in place a robust regulatory framework and AMI system at the 'Smart Meter Cyber Security Conference 2022' held in the capital. All the industry stakeholders concluded the conference with an agreement to have a clear-cut policy and a robust regulatory framework for cyber security.

What is RDSS?

The Ministry of Power, Government of India, had launched the Reforms-based and Results-linked, Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), with the objective to improve the operational efficiencies and financial sustainability of State owned DISCOMs/Power Departments by providing financial assistance to DISCOMs for modernisation and strengthening of distribution infrastructure, aiming at improvement of the reliability and quality of supply to end consumers.

Expert Take

Reji Kumar Pillai, President, India Smart Grid Forum & Chairman, Global Smart Energy Federation, said, “Security of the power system is of paramount importance to the country and there should be appropriate framework and systems to protect the power grid from cyber-attacks. The 250 million smart meters and millions of electric vehicles that are being rolled out on fast track could significantly increase the points of cyber intrusion and hence the vulnerability of the power system.”              

Anil Rawal, Managing Director & CEO, IntelliSmart, said, “The smart metering program under RDSS will bring a socio-economic change and empower the consumers. The biggest risk for the program is cyber security as AMI, once operational at scale, will generate huge amount of data which have to be secured.  The Smart Meter Cyber Security Conference 2022 gives the industry a platform to deliberate on the issue and prepare it for the next level of cyber security readiness with focus on the right policy proposition and on-ground implementation guidelines.”

The inaugural session, attended by Rahul Dwivedi, Executive Director, Rural Electrification Corporation, Arun Kumar Mishra, Executive Director, Power Grid Corporation, Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairman, Central Electricity Authority of India, Anil Rawal, MD & CEO, IntelliSmart and Reji Kumar Pillai, President, India Smart Grid Forum. The speakers highlighted the need for translating security measures to take them to the level of consumers; mandating certification training followed by regular upgradation in tandem with evolving security systems; drafting focussed guidelines, procedures and rallying continuous discussions for wider participation and cognizance.    

Other Issues Tackled

In addition, a panel titled - Regulatory Compliances: Cyber Security Readiness in The Wake of RDSS Program brought valuable thoughts from different fields. Participants included the Chair of the session Vishal Kapoor, CEO, EESL, Atul Bali, Director (NPMU), National Smart Grid Mission, Shalu Agrawal, Sr. Programme Lead - Power Sector, CEEW, Sunandan Banerjee, Principal Consultant, SonicWall, and Manish Tembhurkar, Associate Partner, KPMG. The other session on Cyber Security Threat Modelling for Digital Architecture of Smart Meters was Chaired by M.A.K.P. Singh, Member, Central Electricity Authority of India and other speakers included Anand Budholia, President IT and Group CIO – BSES, Gautam Kumar, CTO, IntelliSmart, YosiShneck, Founder and CEO, YSICONS and Senior Consultant and Founder of the Cyber Entrepreneurship Unit at Israel Electricity Corporation, Shivakumar V, Joint Director, Central Power Research Institute and Kishor Narang, Founder, Narnix.