By Anna Ribeiro
Publication Date: 2026-03-20 10:05:00
The U.S. FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) unanimously approved on Thursday a sweeping set of actions aimed at strengthening and safeguarding the reliability of the nation’s bulk power system, reinforcing Americans’ access to a dependable electricity supply.
The agency approved two final rules, including the Final Rule on Virtualization Reliability Standards in Docket No. RM24-8-000 and the Final Rule on CIP Reliability Standard CIP-003-11 in Docket No. RM25-8-000. It also approved Reliability Standard CIP-002-8 in Docket No. RD25-8-000, which incorporates an updated definition of ‘control center’ into the NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation) Glossary. The revised definition is designed to improve reliability by enabling entities to identify risks and strengthen protections for high-risk assets.
“Our electric grid faces persistent reliability challenges from cybersecurity threats, extreme weather and rising demand,” Laura V. Swett, FERC chairperson, said in a media statement. “The actions we approved today are centered on modernizing and securing grid reliability, with a special emphasis on cybersecurity, so every American can count on the grid and get power when they need it.”
The Final Rule on Virtualization Reliability Standards approves 11 updated Critical Infrastructure Protection Reliability Standards that support the secure use of virtualization technologies across the bulk power system. These updates…
