The 4th edition of the Cybersecurity in Energy Forum, organized by Distribuție Energie Electrică Romania (DEER), a member company of the Electrica Group, has come to a close.
Held on 29–30 October, the event brought together more than 450 participants and approximately 50 speakers, including representatives of central and European authorities, leaders of major energy companies, technology and cybersecurity experts, and representatives of academia.
Over the course of the two days, discussions highlighted the current challenges facing the energy sector, ranging from the need to accelerate investments and strengthen the security of critical infrastructure to the adoption of new technologies, the training of specialists, and the development of cyber incident response capabilities.
At the opening of the event, Mihaela Rodica Suciu, CEO of DEER, emphasized that protecting distribution networks and ensuring continuity of energy supply must remain priorities throughout the modernization and digitalization process. “Security of supply cannot wait for the next budget,” she stated, highlighting the need for practical solutions, investments, and cooperation between energy operators, public authorities, and technology companies.
Maria Forna, Prefect of Cluj County, pointed out that cybersecurity represents “a strategic investment in the future”, essential for ensuring the continuity of public services and the safety of communities. In turn, Dan Tarcea, Deputy Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, stressed that “Cybersecurity in the energy sector is a public safety objective”, directly linked to the operation of a city’s essential services.
The first day of the Forum featured three thematic panels focusing on public policies and regulation, the responsibility of energy company management, and technological solutions for critical infrastructure.
Panel 1 – “Cybersecurity in Energy: Public Policies, Regulation and National Resilience” brought together representatives of the European Parliament, the Romanian Parliament, the Ministry of Energy, ANRE, STS, and DNSC. Discussions focused on adapting legislation, financing investments, and cooperation to protect critical energy infrastructure.
Daniel Buda, Member of the European Parliament, highlighted the role of European funds and specialist training, pointing out that security must be integrated into all energy projects: “Without them, it is as if each of us were building a house but failing to install doors.”
Sorin Elisei, Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy, advocated prioritizing investments in infrastructure, digitalization, and cybersecurity within European funding programmes for 2028–2034. “Infrastructure should become a priority,” the official emphasized.
Mircea Man, Secretary General of ANRE, described investments in networks as “the only viable solution for Romania”, explaining that tariffs are established in accordance with the regulatory methodology and that cybersecurity financing solutions can be assessed by the authority.
Bende Sándor, Chairman of the Committee for Industries and Services of the Chamber of Deputies, emphasized that distribution tariffs reflect each operator’s costs rather than political decisions. He supported the possibility of recognizing cybersecurity costs within regulated tariffs and raised the question: “But what happens if we do not make these investments?”
Mădălin Borș, Vice-Chairman of the Committee for Information Technology and Communications of the Chamber of Deputies, presented the legislative initiative recently approved by the Chamber of Deputies, which expands the cybersecurity framework in the energy sector and provides for the possibility of recognizing the associated costs in future tariffs. “However, security does not mean just a procedure; it also means taking action,” he pointed out.
Ovidiu Cîmpean, Member of the Chamber of Deputies, advocated including digitalization and cybersecurity in investment programmes, noting that “Artificial intelligence will be omnipresent in the energy sector.”
Gabriel David, First Deputy Director of STS, presented Exercise Aurora, during which communications were tested in a national blackout scenario. “At this moment, we are prepared; we know what we have to do,” he stated, highlighting the role of redundancy and cooperation.
Gabriel Dinu, Deputy Director of DNSC, warned about the growing number of cyber incidents and the risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence: “We are seeing more and more systemic vulnerabilities emerging.” He emphasized the need for prevention and coordinated response.
The discussions confirmed the need for a joint effort by public authorities and energy operators to finance cybersecurity, prevent incidents, and strengthen resilience.
Panel 2 – “Cybersecurity on the CEO Agenda: Leadership, Investments and Operational Continuity” highlighted the responsibility of energy company executives in managing cyber risks. Leaders from companies such as DEER, Electrica, Evryo, Hidroelectrica, ELCEN, and Adrem discussed integrating security into investment strategies, protecting infrastructure, and ensuring operational continuity.
Panel 3 – “The Future of Cybersecurity in Energy: Innovation, Emerging Technologies and Solutions for Critical Infrastructure” focused on new technologies and solutions for protecting energy systems. Discussions addressed the security of IT and OT environments, the use of artificial intelligence, the automation of security processes, and the adaptation of infrastructure to emerging cyber threats.
The first day’s programme also included technical presentations showcasing solutions, services, products, and technological innovations delivered by the Forum’s partners and technology providers, offering participants the opportunity to explore practical applications and tools for strengthening the security of critical infrastructure.
The second day of the Forum featured two thematic panels and specialized technical presentations.
Panel 4 – “Universities and Employers in the AI Era: Who Is Training Tomorrow’s Cybersecurity Specialists?” highlighted the shortage of specialized skills and the need to strengthen cooperation between academia and energy companies. Discussions emphasized the importance of adapting educational programmes to the industry’s current requirements, as well as the role of internship, mentoring, and practical training programmes in preparing future specialists.
Panel 5 – “Cyber Resilience of the Energy System: How Quickly Can We Recover from an Attack?” addressed organizations’ ability to prevent, identify, and manage cyber incidents, as well as restore the operation of critical infrastructure under safe conditions. Discussions highlighted the importance of continuous monitoring, rapid response, and cooperation between technical specialists and management teams.
Particular emphasis was placed on the use of artificial intelligence for early threat detection and decision-making support, while responsibility for decisions and interventions remains with human operators. The importance of employees and partners complying with security rules was also underlined.
The conclusions of the 4th edition of the Forum confirm that cybersecurity is a strategic component of energy security and must be integrated into every stage of infrastructure development and modernization. Investments, high-performance technologies, an adapted regulatory framework, and workforce training are essential elements in strengthening the resilience of the energy sector.
By organizing this event, Distribuție Energie Electrică Romania reaffirms its commitment to supporting dialogue and cooperation between public authorities, the energy industry, technology companies, and academia, further consolidating the Cybersecurity in Energy Forum as a leading platform for exchanging experience and best practices and identifying the solutions needed to protect critical energy infrastructure.
The success of the 4th edition of the Cybersecurity in Energy Forum was made possible through collaboration with the event’s partners, who contributed to strengthening a platform for dialogue and the exchange of expertise in cybersecurity, IT & Tech: Vodafone, Eximprod Grup, Arctic Stream, DataCore Systems, Fortinet, Cisco, Splunk, ADREM, certSIGN, Atos, Thales, Claroty, EnergoBit – VINCI Energies, Veeam, NTT DATA, HPE, Bitdefender, TrendAI, SPAN, Waterfall, UiPath, Trellix, Ingram Micro, Brinel, IQANTO, CrowdStrike, HP, ALEF, Dendrio, Kontron, Asee, One Software, SAP, and Focality.
The visibility and promotion of the 4th edition of the Cybersecurity in Energy Forum were supported by the event’s media partners: Focus Energetic, InvesTenergy, Financial Intelligence, The Diplomat, Transilvania Business, Energia.ro, Energynomics, NewsEnergy, Antena 3, and TVR.