AEP Ohio funds research on protecting power grids from cyberattacks

In March, the U.S. government revealed concerns about foreign cyberattacks into the operating systems of domestic electric power infrastructure and noted that the efforts to disrupt the grid date back to 2013. These cyberattacks have the potential to bring down all or part of our electricity service.

AEP Ohio is responsible for delivering electricity to 1.4 million Ohioans through a network of thousands of miles of power lines that crisscross the state. American Electric Power, AEP Ohio’s parent company, has 224,000 miles of electric lines across 11 states. They are responsible for providing the physical and cyber security for these lines and the systems that support them. The company is acutely aware of these emerging threats and security risks. And by way of a grant to The Ohio State University, AEP Ohio is converting awareness to action.

The recently announced $250,000 grant will fund Electrical and Computer Engineering Assistant Professor J.K. Wang’s research on cyber-resilient power grids. Wang leads Ohio State’s Electric Power Grid Research Group, which is focused on electric power distribution networks to make electricity supply more reliable, cyber-secure, energy-efficient and environment friendly. 

"The word ‘cyber’ gets a lot of attention at my company," AEP Ohio President and Chief Operating Officer Julie Sloat said. “Increased connectivity creates new entry points for potential attackers and poses new challenges for grid security, so we are thrilled we are able to provide this funding."

Ohio State and AEP Ohio enjoy a longstanding partnership, which recently has extended into their collective work with Columbus 2020 and Smart Columbus.

College of Engineering Dean David B. Williams cited the grant as another example of AEP Ohio’s generosity to support continued collaboration ranging from student support to critical research.

“Electric power generation and distribution are areas of great interest to all of us, not just now but into the future,” said Williams. “The tie-in with cybersecurity is an area that we in the college are deeply interested in broadening. The security of our electric power system goes right to the heart of our civilization."

Sloat earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Ohio State.

"To be here on behalf of AEP Ohio, it blows my mind that I get to do this."