Forge Institute was awarded $2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for the Secure Energy Defenders Program (SEDP), a cybersecurity training and technical assistance offering for specific Arkansas electric utilities over a two-year timespan.
SEDP will provide specific Arkansas rural and municipal electric utilities with a fully funded path to a stronger cybersecurity posture — at no cost to participants.
Forge Institute is a non-profit “do-tank” that trains cyber defenders, accelerates new defense technology, and helps protect America’s critical infrastructure.
“Rural and municipal utilities are on the front lines of a threat most of the country never sees — and they’ve been asked to defend against nation-state-level adversaries with a fraction of the resources. The Secure Energy Defenders Program helps close that gap. This is exactly why Forge exists: to bring national-grade expertise and federal resources to the communities that could never access it alone, and to help build resilience to ensure our communities stay one step ahead,” said Lee Watson, Forge Institute Chairman & CEO.
SEDP takes an assessment-led approach that will provide:
Tiered training for every level of a utility’s workforce — foundational cyber hygiene for general staff, risk and decision-making content for leadership (including board members), and deep technical training in industrial control systems for technical staff.
Hands-on technical assistance, including tabletop exercises, incident response planning, OT sensor placement strategy, and supply chain risk reviews.
Direct access to Idaho National Laboratory’s cybersecurity expertise, backed by more than 2,000 hours of dedicated INL analyst time committed to the program.
Ongoing threat intelligence and peer information sharing through Forge’s Emerging Threat Center (ETC).
“Securing our electric grid is vital for our national and our state’s security, ensuring that we have a strong and resilient grid that will withstand cyberattacks,” said Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald. “The new Secure Energy Defenders Program will be an important program for our state’s electric cooperatives and municipal utilities, providing valuable training and technical assistance through the Forge Institute.”
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