A regional conference-cum-workshop on cybersecurity awareness for power sector professionals from various power utilities in the northern region was organised in Lucknow on Friday.
The event was organised by the Computer Security Incident Response Team – Power (CSIRT-Power), Ministry of Power in association with NTPC Limited hosted by NTPC northern region Headquarters, Lucknow as part of the ministry’s efforts to build awareness and resilience against cyber threats.
The event witnessed participation from senior officials, experts, and over 150 delegates from power sector utilities of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttarakhand, NTPC, POWERGRID, NHPC, THDC, SJVNL, PFC, SECI, REC and other Central PSUs as well as private sector.
The delegates deliberated on the growing cybersecurity challenges faced by power utilities and discussed the role of advanced technologies such as AI in the field of Cyber Security in detecting, preventing, and mitigating cyber-attacks. The workshop emphasised the need for strengthening cybersecurity frameworks and enhancing preparedness across the power sector.
Highlighting the importance of such initiatives, LKS Rathore, Director (Cyber Security), CSIRT-Power, Ministry of Power spoke about the strategic significance of cybersecurity in the power sector and outlined the various steps being taken by the Ministry to ensure robust defence mechanisms. He emphasized the need for collaboration, training, and technology-driven solutions to combat sophisticated cyber-attacks.
Narendra Bhooshan, Additional Chief Secretary, Energy & Additional Sources of Energy, Government of Uttar Pradesh & Chairman, UPNEDA, spoke about the state’s commitment to strengthening its energy infrastructure against cyber threats and appreciated the Ministry of Power’s approach in the field of cyber security. He stressed upon the out of box thinking required for countering the enhanced cyber threats and urged for collaboration with young, vibrant minds of India for developing innovative solutions.
Ashish Kumar Goel, Chairman, UPPCL, highlighted how proactive governance and policy interventions can support technology adoption for cyber defence. Citing the increased and targeted malicious activities against the Indian power sector, he called for enhanced efforts for securing the critical sector. He also talked about the cyber preparedness of UPPCL and active efforts being taken in this direction.
Rishika Sharan, Member Secretary, NRPC, emphasised the criticality of cybersecurity in the power sector and underscored the need for continuous coordination among regional utilities to enhance incident response mechanisms.
The workshop also included sessions on the role of CSIRT-Power and CERT-In, incident response practices, forensic analysis, regulatory framework, Critical Information Infrastructure followed by cybersecurity quizzes, and, aimed at empowering professionals with practical knowledge and tools.
In his vote of thanks and closing remarks, Ashish Lohiya, Deputy Director, CSIRT-Power appreciated the Ministry of Power for this noble initiative for capacity building and thanked NTPC NR HQ for hosting the event.
