Grid Security for Rural Electric

The 2018 Farm Bill created a grid security division within the rural utilities service of USDA's Rural Development Mission Area. A memorandum of understanding between USDA and the Department of Energy was reached the following year. Rural Utilities Service administrator Chris McClean said some of the efforts to bolster security and provide available financing for rural electric service providers.

"The RUS is ready, willing, and able to be able to finance cyber security investments, grid security, physical security investments, as well as fire prevention investments," McClean said. "Including emergency and response vehicles security vehicles, drones, software, even though traditionally those types of investments would have been categorized as operational expenses, rather than capital expenses."

Administrator McClean adds borrowers are required to provide both a risk assessment and emergency response plan as part of financing.

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