India’s power grid will soon be more future-proof and insulated from cyber-attacks with provision for routine inspections and timely actions under the Electricity Amendment Bill, Union Energy Minister RK Singh said. .
The cyber attraction threat has been a problem and the government did everything necessary to fix it. Now, through the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022, the Ministry of Energy has made provision for inspection of the national power grid to maintain cyber hygiene on the grid.
Speaking to Media ,Singh said: “We are facing cyber attacks on our power transmission system. We know where they emanate from. We have provided (a safeguard) for that, which requires regular inspection. We need to follow cyber hygiene.
“Therefore, we are enabling our central (national) cargo dispatch center so that it can carry out inspections and give instructions. We have a network in the country and if there is a problem in one corner of the nation, the whole network can collapse. That is why this provision is made.”
The bill plans to modify article 26 of the Law to strengthen the operation of the National Load Dispatch Center to guarantee the security of the network and the economic and efficient operation of the country’s electrical system.
In early April this year, Singh admitted that there were cyberattacks on the national power grid.
“These were test attacks in December, January and February. They were unsuccessful. But we are aware,” he had said.
According to reports from earlier this year, hackers had targeted seven Indian state centers responsible for carrying out electrical dispatch and grid control near a border area.
