Cybersecurity for Renewable Energy

NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) is a family of mandatory cybersecurity Reliability Standards for applicable registered entities and Bulk Electric System Cyber Systems.

The standards address areas such as system categorization, security management, access controls, incident response, recovery, information protection, configuration management, and supply-chain risk. Applicability varies by entity, asset, system, and individual standard.

NERC CIP applicability depends on your registered functions, facilities, and whether applicable systems qualify as BES Cyber Systems.

Category 2 registration alone does not automatically make a solar, wind, or battery-storage facility subject to CIP. NERC's current compliance matrix lists the CIP standards as requiring modification before they apply to Category 2 IBRs.

Smaller distribution-connected or behind-the-meter distributed energy resources (DERs) also fall outside the specific Category 2 registration initiative discussed here. Confirm applicability for your facilities with the appropriate Regional Entity and qualified regulatory resources.

Category 2 Generator Owner and Generator Operator registrations became effective on May 15, 2026.

The criteria capture certain non-BES IBRs with at least 20 MVA of aggregate nameplate capacity connected through a system delivering that capacity to a common point at 60 kV or higher. Category 2 entities became subject to an initial set of eight Reliability Standards, while NERC continues work on broader IBR requirements.

For assets containing Low Impact BES Cyber Systems, current CIP-003 requirements include documented cybersecurity policies and plans covering awareness, physical security, electronic access, incident response, malicious-code risk from transient assets and removable media, and vendor remote access controls.

Low Impact status is determined through the applicable CIP framework. Category 2 registration by itself does not mean a facility has Low Impact BES Cyber Systems.

RADICL does not guarantee NERC CIP compliance or determine whether a facility falls within a specific CIP requirement.

We can operate and document defined security capabilities that may support applicable requirements, including monitoring, logging, incident response, vulnerability management, awareness, and evidence workflows.

Your organization remains responsible for regulatory applicability and requirements outside the RADICL engagement.

RADICL's core managed services focus on supported endpoint, identity, network, logging, and security telemetry, including visibility around supported IT/OT boundaries.

RADICL should not be treated as a replacement for OT-native security controls or vendor-specific protections inside inverters, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, or other control equipment.

During scoping, we define which telemetry RADICL can safely integrate and which responsibilities remain with your OT team, equipment vendors, or other specialists.

Yes. Renewable energy cybersecurity extends beyond generation operations.

Developers, engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firms, and operations and maintenance (O&M) providers manage identities, engineering information, project data, remote access, cloud systems, and vendor relationships that can all introduce cyber risk.

Your regulatory obligations may differ from an owner or operator, but strong security operations can still protect your business and customers.

Yes. RADICL is designed to work alongside your existing operating model.

Your internal IT team or MSP can continue managing infrastructure and customer-side changes while RADICL handles defined security operations and coordinates remediation.

Learn more about RADICL's approach for MSPs and IT Leaders.

Many lean renewable teams use a managed vSOC instead of staffing a 24/7 internal security operation.

RADICL's vSOC provides continuous monitoring, investigation, threat hunting, and coordinated response so your internal team can stay focused on its core responsibilities.

The evidence available depends on the RADICL services you use. It can include security cases, investigation and response records, retained logs, remediation history, vulnerability tracking, awareness records, assessment work, and supporting files.

RADICL keeps that work organized and visible so your team can respond to reviews with current records. Exact evidence requirements still depend on the regulator, grid operator, customer, contract, or other reviewing authority.