Energy professionals are juggling grid modernization from multiple angles, including installations and maintenance of legacy systems. This transitional period presents several challenges that continue to develop as infrastructure becomes increasingly reliant upon digital assets. Experts can employ several strategies to mitigate stressors and streamline development despite system complexity.
The Threat of Increasing Cybersecurity Compromises
A significant 65% of energy organizations say cybersecurity oversights are the greatest threat to their stability, motivating increased investments. Digitization expands the attack surface and the number of vectors attackers can exploit. Incongruent assets also introduce compatibility issues, vulnerabilities and other backdoors that allow hackers to enter from multiple angles.
Attacks could lead to increased outages that ripple through countries. To address this, energy workers can adopt a multipronged approach to enhance diagnostic techniques. The most high-yield tactics include:
- Using data minimization to reduce density.
- Issuing patches and encouraging sustained servicing for technologies.
- Restricting access controls to crucial infrastructure.
Additionally, teams can provide more comprehensive and ongoing learning opportunities, ensuring workers stay informed about potential threats. Training creates a security-focused culture and improves digital literacy to minimize human error.
The Burden of Data Overload and Underutilization
Sensors, smart meters, control panels, transmissions and countless other endpoints create an overwhelming amount of data for energy workers to parse. Some data even gets stuck in silos, guarded by proprietary infrastructure. Data overload could lead to workers not utilizing information to its fullest potential, thereby hindering the enhancement of diagnostics or repair strategies.
Upskilling is essential to demystify data. As workers become more familiar with how to interpret and apply the insights, it will become second nature for them to use. For example, circuit breakers are recognized as one of the primary causes of power system failures. Teaching workers how to use data analytics platforms to identify the root cause of problems will make maintenance efforts more targeted.
Additionally, visualizations can make data density feel less intimidating, especially with simulation software that allows workers to see how a chosen maintenance strategy will impact the system. The ability to see data in multiple ways improves accessibility for energy workers. Combining visualizations with expanded data access and tools like cloud infrastructure also makes it more intuitive for professionals to leverage data frequently.
The Integration of Legacy Systems
Some grid infrastructure is as old as 70 years, and crucial components like transformers are aging to the point of becoming security threats. Utilities still rely on this equipment to function during the transition to a digital-first society. However, compatibility issues pose a hurdle to integration. A worker may install a sensor for a transmission cable, but it may be unable to translate data in a usable way to diagnose load concerns.
Regional modernization efforts can alleviate issues by planning before installation. Execution must include a phased replacement schedule for legacy systems. In the meantime, utilities must use middleware to bridge gaps between disparate technologies.
These strategies are vital as the energy mix becomes more diverse, with renewable generators incorporating assets like battery backups to further reduce stress on legacy hardware. Eventually, workers can establish dynamic communication in sections of the grid to enable real-time data analytics and oversight, allowing them to identify issues sooner.
From Complexity to Control
Every obstacle that arises from modernization efforts has an answer. Although the grid is becoming increasingly complex, requiring upskilling and data literacy to navigate, the workforce is capable of diagnosing and maintaining it. Organizations must incorporate these techniques into their operations to maintain uptime and protect citizens, allowing everyone to enjoy the benefits of digitized upgrades.
About the author: Ellie is a science writer specialising in astronomy and environmental science and is the Associate Editor of Revolutionized.
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 
This article is deeply amateurish. In terms of the DNOs and TSOs,
network security is easy and straightforward to implement. Dedicated
fibre. All urban, suburban and grid subs have telephone ducts +/- within
50mtrs. Use the ducts to build a private data comms network. Security
problem solved. My old DNO in the UK did that in the 1960s – 1980s &
operated the largest private data coms network in the NorthWest UK. In
the case of circuit breakers, vacuum and SF6 were widely available in
the early 1980s which removed reliability and maintenance problems.
Oil-circuit breakers? You know when they fail because where the
substation once was will be a large hole in the ground (vacuum & SF6
Fail? – brush & pan to clear up the glass – is all that is needed). In
terms of network data. System engineers are interested in events i.e.
when things go wrong. Thus exception reporting is the norm. In terms of
day-today network operation with rising levels of renewables in a
network segment: autonomous networks which self regulate. A concept much
discussed (within DNOs), but little implemented. TSOs? RED Electrica is
one of the better run ones and their level of automation (or lack
thereof) is reflected in the events in Spain of late April 2025. I have
been doing elec eng for perhaps 44 years so I’ve seen a bit and learnt a
bit. What I find unfortunate is well meaning amateurs such as the lady
in question doing a bit of reading and then writing an article which,
frankly is all over the place. (oh & the link on circuit breakers goes
to a US site – which is fine but US power networks are amongst the worst
performing in the world – being built down to a cost not up to a service
level).