The evolving risk of a coordinated, catastrophic, cyberattack on U.S. energy delivery systems (collectively known as “the power grid”) via vulnerable Industrial Control Systems (ICS), resulting in wide spread, prolonged power outages, is not a new concern to energy industry executives or government policy makers. Owners and operators of energy sector assets understand the possible impact of coordinated physical and cyber- attacks which threaten the reliability and resilience of U.S. energy delivery systems. They lived through the havoc and disruptive economic and social impact of the prolonged power outages over wide-spread areas resulting from the 2003 North East Blackout and the 2011 Southwest Blackout events.
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Earl Shockley
President and CEO of INPOWERD
earl.shockley@INPOWERD.com
Short Bio
Earl W. Shockley is the President and CEO of INPOWERD LLC and one of the electric-utility industry’s most respected authorities on NERC reliability, compliance strategy, and grid-risk governance. With more than 40 years of experience spanning real-time system operations, transmission planning, regulatory oversight, and enterprise risk management, Earl brings rare depth to the technical and institutional challenges facing today’s grid. A former NERC executive and certified auditor, Earl has led or supported over 100 compliance enforcement engagements, including audits, certifications, investigations, and major blackout reviews. His experience includes decades of hands-on system operations and planning, development of national compliance and enforcement frameworks, and direct involvement in interpreting and implementing NERC Reliability Standards across diverse operating environments. Through INPOWERD, Earl helps registered entities build practical, audit-ready compliance programs and internal controls that align regulatory requirements with day-to-day system operations. Drawing on his experience as a former regulator and industry consultant, he focuses on clear accountability, defensible decisions, and sustainable reliability outcomes. His work emphasizes practical execution and disciplined risk management to support a secure and reliable Bulk Power System.
