Bulk electricity distribution today is a multibillion dollar business. With electricity distribution being a key to economic growth, governments around the world are coming out with certain systems and procedures that utilities need to follow in order to ensure the smooth operations of the grid network. There are certain specific authorities in each country which have come out with stipulated standards that need to be adhered to by the electrical distribution companies in order to get certified and continue in the business. Failure to comply with the standards could mean hefty fines too. Adhering to the systems is also important from the security point of view, what with internet security becoming a major issue in today’s world of data and cyber theft.

The modernization of bulk electrical distribution companies has seen them adopt automation in a big way. Substation automation is the buzzword rpl process among these companies these days. The system ensures that all the data is stored in a secured place and is assessed by only a select few individuals in a company. While this ensures cyber security, it is important that standards meeting the NERC CIP norms, which are mandatory, are also maintained. This can be ensured if all the departments in the utility work in close cooperation, for it is difficult for any particular department or individual to keep track of all the data and therefore of internet security.

All the departments in a bulk electrical distribution company can work together towards complying with the systems and procedures. Each department, for example, could be assigned a specific type of data to be collected and calculated. This would ensure that the work goes on smoothly and correctly, since it is almost impossible for one particular person to keep track of all the data. This would also ensure that almost everyone in the company is aware about the compliance norms for certification too. This is an important aspect in today’s highly competitive world since not complying could mean that you could end up paying of fines, sometimes to the tune of $ 1 million a day.

It is therefore important for a bulk electrical distribution company to create a detailed internet security arrangement by adhering to NERC CIP standards. This would ensure that only authorized users are having access to all the cyber assets of the company.