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Case Study  ·  Energy Generation & Transmission

Enterprise Risk, Cybersecurity & IT Infrastructure Program — Regional Energy Cooperative

Engagement Type
Long-Term Embedded Consulting
Duration
19 Years (2007 – Present)
Sector
Energy Generation & Transmission
NERC CIPRisk ManagementCIRPBCPERPCMPFEMA NIMSCrisis ExercisesSalesforce RiskViewNOC700MHz WirelessPhysical Security
19
Years of Continuous Engagement
5
Service Areas Delivered
4
Contingency Plans Developed
1
NERC CIP-Aligned Program Built & Sustained

Client Overview

A regional electric cooperative responsible for generating and transmitting power to member distribution systems across its service territory. As a regulated bulk electric system operator, the cooperative operates under NERC CIP cybersecurity requirements and faces operational and security risks with direct consequences for the communities it serves.

Client identity withheld per confidentiality standard. Available for reference discussion upon request.

The Engagement

TDW has served as an embedded senior consultant to the cooperative's risk and security functions for nearly two decades — one of two concurrent long-term engagements that define TDW's consulting practice. Over that period, TDW has worked across cybersecurity, information security, enterprise risk management, emergency preparedness, physical security, and major IT infrastructure projects, functioning as a trusted extension of the internal team rather than a transactional outside vendor.

Enterprise Risk Management

TDW co-developed RiskView, a Salesforce-based enterprise risk management platform that documents the cooperative's critical business processes, assets, resources, and their interdependencies. The platform provides leadership with a structured, continuously maintained view of operational risk — supporting both internal risk governance and regulatory requirements.

TDW facilitated risk assessments with company leadership to identify and prioritize critical processes and assets, and performed business impact analysis (BIA) on potential loss scenarios to quantify the operational and financial consequences of disruption.

Emergency Preparedness & Contingency Planning

TDW developed a comprehensive suite of contingency plans aligned to FEMA NIMS, covering the full spectrum of scenarios a critical infrastructure operator must be prepared for:

  • Cyber Incident Response Plans (CIRP) — mitigation and recovery procedures for attacks on critical generation and transmission assets
  • Emergency Response Plans (ERP) — facility-level emergency response protocols for office, warehouse, and service center locations
  • Business Continuity Plans (BCP) — continuity procedures for critical business functions during disruption
  • Crisis Management Plans (CMP) — corporate-level coordination, communication, and decision-making frameworks for crisis events

TDW also designed and facilitated crisis exercises and scenario-based training to validate plan effectiveness and build organizational readiness.

Cybersecurity & NERC CIP

TDW participated on the cooperative's cybersecurity team to develop standards and controls aligned to NERC CIP guidelines — the primary federal cybersecurity regulatory framework for bulk electric system operators. TDW conducted cybersecurity assessments of critical corporate applications, identified vulnerabilities, and worked with IT and cybersecurity staff to remediate findings.

Information Security

TDW supported development of a corporate information security program — defining classification categories, information handling requirements, and controls for sensitive corporate information. TDW conducted information security assessments for assets identified as critical through the enterprise risk program, partnered with leadership to close identified gaps, and developed staff education materials on information security standards and protocols.

IT Project Management — Communications Network Upgrade

TDW managed a major communications network upgrade supporting management of the cooperative's electric grid assets. The project involved:

  • Establishing tools, standards, procedures, and policies for a new Network Operations Center (NOC)
  • Certifying new network segments for throughput and reliability compliance
  • Integrating multiple communication technologies: fiber (RPR), microwave, copper T1, and licensed 700MHz wireless
  • Troubleshooting technical constraints and developing workarounds for the new wireless communication system
  • Coordinating project communications across company leadership, staff, and external technology partners

Outcomes & Value

Continuously maintained enterprise risk platform (RiskView) giving leadership an auditable, real-time view of organizational risk.

Complete contingency plan suite — CIRP, ERP, BCP, CMP — exercised and maintained, providing documented regulatory compliance and genuine operational readiness.

NERC CIP-aligned cybersecurity standards and controls developed and sustained over a 19-year engagement.

Corporate information security program with documented classification framework, controls, and assessment methodology.

Modernized grid communications network with a fully operational NOC — delivered on scope and within technical constraints.

19-year trusted advisor relationship, with TDW functioning as an embedded member of the risk and security team.

The length of this engagement is itself a differentiator. Nineteen years of continuous service to a single critical infrastructure client reflects something that can't be manufactured: consistent delivery, deep institutional knowledge, and a client relationship built on genuine trust. TDW doesn't just understand this client's risk environment — TDW helped build the frameworks used to manage it.

Have a similar need in your organization? Let's talk about what TDW can do for you.

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