ManagementEnergyCybersecurityCIO Pulse

Utility Resilience And Security I CIO Talk Network

CIO Talk Network
CIO Talk Network•Mar 30, 2026

Why It Matters

Utility resilience directly affects national economic stability; strengthening cyber‑security and collaborative defenses safeguards the power grid that underpins all critical services.

Key Takeaways

  • •Aging infrastructure, extreme weather, and smart‑meter cyber risks dominate
  • •Public‑private information sharing essential to counter nation‑state cyber attacks
  • •CIOs view IT as custodian for utility cyber‑security across departments
  • •Multi‑layered network fragmentation and NERC standards guide resilience strategy
  • •Over‑regulation risks stifling innovation; balanced standards needed industry‑wide

Summary

The CIO Talk Network episode spotlights utility resilience and security, featuring Ma Chamari, CMS Energy’s vice‑president and chief information officer. The conversation frames the smart‑grid rollout as a catalyst for new physical and cyber threats that utilities must confront.

Chamari identifies three primary resilience challenges: aging physical assets, increasingly unpredictable extreme weather, and the cyber‑risk exposure introduced by two‑way smart meters. She stresses that resilience means not only preventing outages or attacks but also restoring service swiftly, which requires a blend of robust infrastructure and rapid response capabilities.

A key theme is the necessity of public‑private information sharing. Chamari cites her recent endorsement of the SH‑bill, which would grant utilities timely intelligence on threat origins—illustrated by recent ambiguous traffic from Turkey that may mask Chinese actors. She also references mandatory NERC standards, triennial audits, and regular tabletop exercises that simulate coordinated physical‑cyber attacks.

The discussion underscores that utilities must allocate capital to integrated IT/OT security, adopt multi‑layered network segmentation, and foster industry‑wide collaboration to stay ahead of evolving threats. Balanced regulation—strong enough to enforce standards without stifling innovation—will be critical as power remains the backbone of all other critical infrastructure.

Original Description

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭.
Utilities have always been built for reliability.
But today, they must be built for disruption.
From natural disasters to cyber threats and evolving smart grid complexity, resilience is no longer an operational capability. It is a strategic necessity.
In this CIO Talk Network conversation, Sanjog Aul speaks with Mamatha Chamarthi, Vice President and CIO at CMS Energy, on how utilities are rethinking resilience and security in an increasingly connected world.
This discussion explores how leaders can strengthen infrastructure, secure digital ecosystems, and ensure continuity in the face of growing risk.
Key Discussion Points
• Why resilience in utilities now extends beyond physical infrastructure
• The evolving cybersecurity threat landscape in energy and utilities
• How smart grids are increasing both capability and risk
• Balancing innovation with operational stability and security
• Building enterprise-wide resilience across IT and OT environments
• Leadership’s role in aligning security, risk, and business continuity
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Context
01:10 Why Resilience in Utilities Is Being Redefined
02:40 Expanding Threat Landscape Across Utilities
04:15 Cybersecurity Challenges in Energy Infrastructure
06:00 Smart Grids: Capability vs Risk Tradeoff
07:45 Integrating IT and OT for Resilience
09:30 Building Enterprise-Wide Security and Continuity
11:10 Leadership Alignment Across Risk and Operations
12:40 Balancing Innovation with Operational Stability
14:00 Key Takeaways for Utility Leaders
15:10 Closing Thoughts
Why This Matters
Utilities are no longer isolated systems.
They are interconnected, data-driven, and exposed.
As the grid becomes smarter, the attack surface expands.
And resilience becomes a continuous discipline, not a one-time investment.
About CIO Talk Network
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