However, the introduction of digital components in old and unprotected industrial equipments also exposes the energy industry to the cyber risk. The 2015 cyber attack on the Ukraine power grid, which deprived about 200 000 people of electricity for a few hours in the middle of the winter, is one of the most compelling example of the type of threat the industry is facing. This extremely well coordinated cyber attack makes the issue of likely intentional threats to energy systems both substantial and urgent to tackle. In that respect, the protection against malicious attacks has become a key concern for the European Union. This Energy Breakfast Roundtable will deal with the vulnerabilities of the European energy industry and the role of the EU in alleviating the risks.

Chair: Marie-Claire Aoun, Director of the Ifri Center for Energy 

Speakers:

• Cyber attacks: a new threat to the energy industry
  Gabrielle Desarnaud, Research Fellow, Ifri Center for Energy, author of the Ifri study "Cyberattacks and energy systems: facing the risks"

• Industries facing cyber threats, presentation of the WEC report "The road to resilience: managing cyber risks"
  Einari Kisel, Regional Manager Europe, World Energy Council

• Cybersecurity and critical energy infrastructures in the Baltic States
  Sigitas Rokas, Civil Expert on cybersecurity, NATO, and Information Security Advisor, NRC CS, Lithuania

• The EU taking the lead on cybersecurity for critical energy infrastructures
  Manuel Sanchez Jimenez, Team Leader Smart Grids, DG ENER, European Commission 

• Q&A

The debate will be held under Chatham House rule.