Dive Summary:

• According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the current federal and state regulatory environment has shifted utility companies’ focus from attaining comprehensive cybersecurity to simply meeting regulatory requirements.
• The GAO’s report also stated that “smart grid technology may blur [the] lines” between whether certain technologies are located on the transmission or distribution system, creating a “lack of clarity” over whether it should be regulated on a federal or state level.
• The findings in the report support the claims made by Congressional Republicans who have opposed a cybersecurity bill to increase regulations for utility companies.

From the article:

A recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that utilities companies’ attention has been diverted from effective cybersecurity in order to focus on compliance with federal and state regulators.

“The existing federal and state regulatory environment creates a culture within the utility industry of focusing on compliance with cybersecurity requirements, instead of a culture focused on achieving comprehensive and effective cybersecurity,” the July 17 GAO report said. ...