Ampyx Cyber Blog
The Intersection of Resilience & Regulation
FERC's 2026 CIP Lessons Are an AI Change-Control Warning
A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) staff report on 2026 Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) audits found capability beyond what existing reviews had assessed, in phased generation, shared control centers, and artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Read as a change-control problem, it raises the question of which AI updates should reopen an access approval or a CIP-002 categorization.
FERC 2026 CIP Audit Findings: Generator Registration, Aggregated Control, and AI Tool Access
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) staff report on its 2026 Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) audits found new generation running before it was registered, aggregated control of generation sitting with affiliates and vendors, and artificial intelligence (AI) tools inside CIP-networked environments. Two of the three lessons are categorization problems again.
Ampyx Cyber Joins the E-ISAC Vendor Affiliate Program
Ampyx Cyber has joined the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC) Vendor Affiliate Program. For a services firm that sits across a wide cross-section of the electric sector, membership formalizes something we already believed: grid threat intelligence is only as good as its willingness to move in both directions.
NERC Computational Load Standards: FERC Sets December 2026 Deadlines
FERC did not accelerate NERC's timeline, it made the calendar a directive and moved registration onto the critical path. The order creates the computational load entity, sets the December 31 and March 1 deadlines, and leaves the AI Reliability Boundary, the line between what the grid must command and what it leaves to private contract, for Phase II to draw. What is settled, what is not, and what to do in the next ninety days.
Computational Load and the Convergence Problem: What NERC's May 2026 Actions Mean for Critical Infrastructure
Documented load losses approaching one thousand megawatts in seconds. A Level 3 Essential Action Alert. A final Reliability Guideline. Proposed registration of a new Computational Load Entity. NERC's May 2026 actions mark a structural shift in how data centers, hyperscale AI training, and cryptocurrency mining are treated under the North American grid reliability framework.
Monitoring Meets Mandate: Will the Next CIP-015 Standard Deliver on FERC’s Vision?
FERC approved CIP-015-1, but also ordered NERC to expand it. The new SAR outlines how INSM requirements will extend beyond the ESP to include EACMS and PACS systems. This post breaks down how the SAR aligns with FERC’s directive, what still needs attention, and why internal visibility is no longer optional.
Embracing AI for the Electric Grid: Insights from NERC
In the rapidly evolving landscape of the electric sector, the integration of cutting-edge technologies is not just an option; it's a necessity. Among these, artificial intelligence (AI) stands out as a transformative force, offering unprecedented opportunities to enhance grid reliability, security, and efficiency. Recognizing this potential, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has provided insightful comments on how AI can be harnessed to address the challenges and opportunities within the electric grid.
Alexa, can you tell me when my grid is hacked?
A new addition to the NERC CIP regulation is coming for the electric sector requiring anomaly detection and internal network security monitoring to detect active attacks on critical systems.