Advocacy Alert: UTC’s Ditto Testifies Before Senate Committee on Utility Communications During Emergency Response–(VIEW ARCHIVED WEBCAST HERE).

Washington, D.C. and Chicago, July 21, 2016 – At the Illinois Commerce Commission Cybersecurity Policy Session today, UTC expert, Bob Lockhart spoke about the specific roles of UTC and its members in protecting the nation’s critical energy infrastructure. The session’s panels discussed successes, challenges, strategies, best practices, industry frameworks and opportunities for improving and implementing effective cybersecurity measures. In his opening remarks, Lockhart stated, “Any requirements or rules that dilute utilities’ focus on reliability are counterproductive to why utilities or their regulators exist. I have yet to meet a utility that doesn’t want to be secure.” UTC has a substantial presence in advocacy for grid telecommunications and cybersecurity matters. Communication among utilities is essential and UTC provides a peer-to-peer, members-only knowledge-sharing platform for open communication. Technology providers...

21 July, 2016 /

Washington, DC, July 13, 2016 – Electric utilities are taking a deeper look at security and supply chain risk. There is progress across the board:  corporate security governance, understanding of threats, differentiating compliance from security, even security spending. UTC, the Utilities Technology Council, surveyed its member utilities to learn their current thinking on cybersecurity and supply chains. The results are presented in UTC’s new report, Utility Security and Supply Chain Risk Management. All respondents were utility employees – this report has the voice of utilities. The report examines ten key issues, often with non-intuitive responses from our members: Utilities take a common approach to security reporting structures. As an industry, utilities have a consistent view of risk. How consistently is risk viewed within one utility? Most...

13 July, 2016 /

Washington, DC, May 10, 2016 – At the annual meeting of the membership of the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) last week, the Board of Directors approved new officers for the 2016-2017 board-year. The meeting was held in conjunction with UTC Telecom & Technology 2016 in Denver. Outgoing Chairman, Ron Taylor, expressed his sincere appreciation for all the years he has enjoyed working with UTC, stating, “my career expanded as my affiliation with UTC deepened.” Ron Taylor will also retire from Salt River Project after more than 43 years of service. The gavel has been passed to Matt Schnell of Nebraska Public Power District as the new Chairman of the Board of UTC. Maynard “Matt” Schnell is the ITT Telecom Manager at Nebraska Public Power District. He has...

10 May, 2016 /

Washington, DC, May 9, 2016 – In response to wide ranging changes in the utility industry, UTC today announced its new name. Officially approved by the UTC Board of Directors last week in Denver, the new name is now the Utilities Technology Council. UTC has also launched a new company website and introduced an updated logo. “The new name preserves the UTC initials to leverage existing brand equity, while expanding UTC’s focus beyond telecom and addressing the multitude of technology advancements our industry is facing every day. By changing our name to reflect the changing environment of utilities, UTC is keeping pace with the industry and the issues that our members are facing,” said Bobbi Harris, VP, Market Strategy and Development at UTC. “We know that telecom...

10 May, 2016 /

Industry Leaders Honored at Telecom & Technology Conference Denver, CO and Washington, DC, May 6, 2016 – Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) held its annual awards dinner last night in Denver at the UTC Telecom & Technology 2016 conference. The celebration dinner sponsored by Fujitsu honored utilities and individuals who have showed extraordinary initiative throughout the past year. The UTC Awards pay tribute to the critical role of information and communications technologies in delivering essential energy and water services to communities throughout the world. The various UTC awards recognize that in emergencies, utility communications technology saves lives, protects property, speeds restoration, and puts communities on the path to recovery; While every day, utility communications provide opportunities for communities to enhance economic prosperity, provide innovative new services, and support...

06 May, 2016 /

Denver, CO and Washington, DC, May 2, 2016 – The UTC Telecom & Technology conference will bring thousands of information and communications technology (ICT) professionals and technology partners to Denver, Colorado May 3-6th. Presentations at the conference will tackle the leading-edge issues of IT & Telecom within electric, water and gas utility industries. Utilities are moving forward with modernization, AMI and advanced communications. It is UTC’s goal to support water, electric and gas utilities in this new era, as we have for more than 65 years. Attendees can choose from 7 tracks and more than sixty sessions covering topics such as: Convergence of IT and OT for Utility Modernization Cyber and Physical Security Smart Water Infrastructure Creating The Digital Utility of the Future Optimizing Utility Telecommunications ...

02 May, 2016 /

Washington, DC, April 5, 2016 – Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) today announced the selection of Joy Ditto as the new President and CEO effective April, 27, 2016. Ditto has been working for the American Public Power Association (APPA) for the last 15 years, most recently as the Senior Vice President of Legislative and Political Affairs. She brings a wealth of experience in energy and municipal electric utility issues and is a recognized legislative expert on the Federal Power Act, electricity market issues, transmission policy and the federal Power Marketing Administrations. “UTC has been in a period of great transition since the untimely passing of Connie Durcsak last November,” said Ron Taylor, Chairman of the UTC Board of Directors. “I am excited to move forward and am...

05 April, 2016 /

Washington, DC, November 17, 2015 – It is with profound sorrow that the Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) announces the sudden and unexpected death of its President and CEO, Connie Durcsak. Connie was a visionary leader, friend and colleague. Under her leadership, UTC expanded the depth and breadth of its global membership, and increased its advocacy and information to include a range of new issues. She set a new vision for UTC as the source and resource for the industry on all matters related to communications and information technologies for utilities, pipeline companies and other critical infrastructure industries. Her professional leadership on utility industry issues such as spectrum management, cybersecurity and utility modernization combined with her ability to set the strategic direction of utility advocacy efforts...

15 November, 2015 /

Washington, DC, September 10, 2015 – Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) Vice President of Industry Affairs and Cybersecurity Strategist, Nadya Bartol, testified today before a joint hearing of the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Oversight and Subcommittee on Energy regarding the serious concerns that cybersecurity presents with respect to grid vulnerability. UTC believes that this is a complex challenge that requires comprehensive, process-driven solutions. UTC's Bartol is a trusted cybersecurity expert to utilities and other critical infrastructure providers globally. "It is important to understand that security is a process and will never be completely resolved. We need to continue making progress and we need to do it smartly," said Bartol. Relying strictly on technical solutions to solve cybersecurity is insufficient and dangerous because people will...

11 September, 2015 /

-- Sharing Best Practices in Critical Infrastructure, Cyber, & Physical Security -- Washington, DC, September, 09, 2015 – Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) is proud to announce the selection of Michael Meason, Manager, Technical Services from Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC), as the new chairman of the Security, Risk and Compliance Committee. Meason sees operationalizing security in an environment where reliability is the key metric as one of the primary challenges facing the utility industry. As an industry, utilities are learning how to ensure that operational reliability and effective security can coexist in a sustainable long-term implementation. “Many of UTC’s member utilities are standing up and evolving their security programs. Understanding and applying the best practices in an industry with unique systems and networks that are critical to...

09 September, 2015 /

Washington, D.C. – Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Inc., based in Taos, New Mexico, received the prestigious UTC APEX Award during the organization’s annual Awards Dinner. As the Utilities Telecom Council’s most prestigious award, the APEX Award pays tribute to the critical role of information and communications technologies in delivering essential energy and water services to communities throughout the world. The award recognizes that in emergencies, utility communications technology saves lives, protects property, speeds restoration, and puts communities on the path to recovery. In normal times, utility communications provide opportunities for communities to enhance economic prosperity, provide innovative new services, and support health, education, and access to critical services. Recipients are selected by a panel of utility experts based on: Overall Utility Telecom System Design Utility Telecom Sharing with Public...

18 May, 2015 /

The Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) applauds the FCC for taking a major step forward in promoting rural broadband access in today’s Report and Order which invites formal proposals for Federal funding under the Connect America Fund to provide rural broadband experiments in unserved areas. This action opens the opportunity for utilities and others to provide broadband to unserved areas of America. Utilities are already well positioned to take advantage of this action with more than 200 expressions of interest filed by utilities in response to the FCC’s January IP Transition Order. Today’s Report and Order marks the next step in the process -- and by including utilities an important one. Utilities have extensive infrastructure, including fiber-optic networks that can be leveraged to provide fiber-to-the-home on a...

11 July, 2014 /

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently published ISO/IEC 27306-1 and ISO/IEC 27036-3, that provide guidance on addressing Information and Communication Technology Supplier Relationships and Supply Chain Security.  The guidance is for the organizations that acquire Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products and services and for the suppliers of such products and services.  These products and services can range from IT and communications networks to specific devices and industrial control systems (ICS). The standards provide a framework for the ICT industry to communicate expectations among ICT product and services acquirers and suppliers in a common language. Critical Infrastructure utilities and their suppliers can use this standard to guide ICT security concerns in vendor management, development of Service Level Agreements, and generally acquiring or supplying ICT products and services. The...

02 April, 2014 /

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 24, 2014 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Lekan 202.833.6815 paul.lekan@utc.org Washington, DC—UTC and EnergySec have partnered to provide high quality cybersecurity training to the utility and critical infrastructure industry.  The partnership combines the expertise of both organizations into a new education track focusing on the needs of utilities.  Initial topics are NERC CIP and cyber supply chain risk management. “Cybersecurity is an area of vital concern for utilities and their technology providers.  Making affordable, high quality training available to utilities of all sizes is an important step in the right direction,” said Connie Durcsak, UTC President and CEO. “This partnership is about combining the strengths of both organizations to provide a more complete education opportunity to utilities—one that delivers the knowledge required to address the security challenges facing our...

24 February, 2014 /

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 19, 2014 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Lekan 202.833.6815 paul.lekan@utc.org UTC Supports Commission’s Goal to Enhance Competition and Broadband Internet Access Washington, DC—The Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) applauds today’s announcement by the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler regarding his goal to “look for opportunities to enhance Internet access competition,” following the DC Circuit Court of Appeal’s decision on Net Neutrality.[1]   As Chairman Wheeler rightly observed, “One obvious candidate for close examination was raised in Judge Silberman’s separate opinion, namely legal restrictions on the ability of cities and towns to offer broadband services to consumers in their communities.” Utilities, including municipal utilities, are uniquely positioned to promote competition and broadband Internet access, particularly in rural areas where utilities already provide essential electric, gas and water services and where...

19 February, 2014 /