DOE's CESER and PNNL Convene State Officials for Inaugural Cybersecurity Summit

The role of states is increasingly important in our cybersecurity defense strategy. Greater collaboration with government, industry, and education are essential to countering cybersecurity threats. With that goal in mind, the Department of Energy’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and partners from the National Association of State Energy Officials, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, and the National Governors Association organized a technical program at every level of knowledge and practice.

The Cybersecurity for Energy Resilience Summit (CyFERS) was hosted in Salt Lake City from May 20 to 22, 2025 with the aim of equipping state officials with cybersecurity knowledge and resources to advance energy security planning, cyber risk assessment, and protections against malicious attacks targeting critical energy infrastructure. The event featured interactive sessions, practical exercise, graphical notetaking, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. CyFERs was organized as part of the Assisting State Security in Energy Together (ASSET) project led by CESER and PNNL to support state, local, territorial, and tribal energy security efforts.

“By giving state officials practical strategies, resources, and a network of peers working toward a common problem, we can bolster the role states play in securing their state’s most critical assets against cyberattacks,” said Megan Levy, State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Program Manager with CESER. “This event was a resounding success in that regard, and participants came away energized and ready to start implementing what they learned in their states.”

Strengthening state roles in energy cybersecurity

Megan Levy and Mara Winn from CESER opened the summit, followed by Emy Lesofski, Director of the Utah Office of Energy Development, who welcomed participants and introduced the keynote speaker, Alex Fitzsimmons, newly appointed director at CESER. Speakers set the tone for the event by emphasizing how states are increasingly important in our national cybersecurity defense strategy and resource adequacy. 

Over the course of three days, participants engaged in discussions and activities centered around strengthening state roles in cybersecurity and advancing energy cyber resilience. The first day briefed participants on the escalating threats to critical U.S. energy infrastructure, highlighting the importance of harmonizing state jurisdictions with sector-wide responses. Through engaging panel discussions, state officials shared successful collaborations with the private sector to enhance incident response mechanisms. These discussions underscored best practices for sharing actionable intelligence, showcasing real-world examples that stressed inter-sector communication as pivotal in translating threat alerts into effective risk management strategies.

Advancing energy resilience beyond the basics

Through interactive sessions and realistic scenario simulations, participants learned both cybersecurity fundamentals (“101” and “201” classes) and sophisticated strategies to build robust cyber defense frameworks. Practical, scalable solutions were emphasized to bolster industrial control system security and safeguard critical infrastructure. The summit concluded with innovative examples of state-level cybersecurity initiatives, offering actionable strategies for developing programs, procurement, and awareness campaigns.

The ASSET team is planning new events focused on regional risk assessment and emerging wildfire risk. An in-person workshop for the North Central Region is scheduled for August 25–27, 2025, in Madison, WI. More details will become available on the ASSET website.