Transforming Operations with Dual-Purpose Security Tools

In 2024, the E-ISAC helped the electric industry protect itself against an unprecedented range of security threats, from sophisticated cyber actors backed by nation-states to physical threats, like targeting of fiber optic cables, ballistic damage, drones, and copper theft. These incidents don’t make the headlines, and just 3% of them resulted in any impact on the larger electricity grid. 

Yet, those threats are driving significant increases in physical security spending — more than 10% each year globally. That spending growth is a recognition of the critical role that electricity plays in modern life. When the power goes down, so does everything else. 

But it isn’t happening in a vacuum. Utilities are facing a rapidly-changing world that poses new challenges to grid operations, like rising demand from new data centers and the integration of distributed energy resources. Evolving compliance requirements that cover everything from cybersecurity to safety to operations also contribute to this challenge. 

Forward-looking utilities should examine an emerging trend to address this rise in operational complexity and rising costs. Advanced security technology, like audio sensors and cameras, can be deployed for operational purposes. When deployed as integrated platforms, it reduces operational complexity while simultaneously enhancing efficiency and compliance across multiple departments.

Security Tools Find New Life in Operations

Utilities across the country are discovering that their security investments can pull double duty. Those thermal imaging cameras installed for perimeter security can also flag overheating transformers before they fail. The same sensors that watch for intruders are catching equipment problems that could have meant costly outages. Others are using the same sensors that detect unauthorized drones to also track vehicle traffic patterns around substations, helping to avoid accidents with nearby vehicles and pedestrians.

While many of these deployments are still in early stages, the initial results are promising enough that they are beginning to influence how some utilities think about technology investments. Instead of automatically buying single-purpose tools, a growing number of companies are exploring whether integrated platforms might serve multiple departments and deliver compound value.

Connecting Siloed Data to Improve Performance

Much of the value in modern security technology lies not just in what it sees, but in what it records. Digital systems like thermal cameras and badge readers generate a constant stream of time-stamped, high-fidelity data. That data is increasingly used beyond its original intent to support maintenance, safety, and performance monitoring across the utility landscape.

A thermal camera might detect a heat signature at a fence line, but it can just as easily spot a failing transformer. Access logs can show not only who entered a secure area, but also which crew responded to a fault and when. Cameras designed to catch intruders now flag whether staff are wearing proper PPE. In short, security tools are quietly becoming operational tools.

This dual-purpose functionality may allow utilities to shift costs from an operational expense to a capital budget. If a security camera also performs predictive maintenance, a larger proportion of its cost may be able to be capitalized, rather than expensed immediately. This creates budget flexibility for both security teams and operations teams alike. 

The challenge is that these insights often live in separate systems. Security teams operate on one platform and operations on another. Each has its own interface, reporting format, and blind spots. When an audit rolls around or when something goes wrong, utilities are forced to reconcile siloed data to reconstruct what happened.

Some utilities are working to break down those barriers. Instead of treating security, safety, and operations as separate domains, they are investing in integrated platforms that bring all that data together. These systems offer a unified view for situational awareness of what’s happening on the ground, across facilities, functions, and timeframes. That means faster troubleshooting, better planning, and less duplication of effort.

There are downstream benefits as well. With more complete and centralized records, utilities are better prepared for inspections and compliance audits. Instead of chasing paperwork, they can produce audit-ready reports with confidence, demonstrating not only that they met the standard, but how and when they did it.

Breaking Down Departmental Barriers

Technology is only half of the equation. The utilities seeing the biggest returns are the ones that have restructured how their departments work together. Security incidents get evaluated for operational impact, equipment failures trigger security assessments, and safety violations prompt immediate cross-departmental response.

This collaboration is turning compliance from a reactive burden into a strategic advantage. When departments share information and coordinate responses, they can identify patterns that individual teams might miss. A series of minor security alerts might reveal equipment maintenance needs. Unusual operational data might indicate security vulnerabilities.

The result is that utilities are moving from a defensive posture — scrambling to meet compliance requirements — to a proactive strategy that uses regulatory frameworks as a foundation for operational excellence. Compliance becomes a value driver rather than a cost center, and the same systems that satisfy auditors also improve day-to-day performance.

A Foundation for Digital Transformation

The regulatory environment and technological capabilities have reached a tipping point. The tools are there, the compliance framework supports it, but utilities need to get serious about breaking down departmental barriers and working together across the organization.

The utilities that crack this code will be doing more than making their security expenditures more efficient. They’ll be building a roadmap for long-term digital transformation. The early movers are already seeing advantages that stretch well beyond keeping their facilities secure. They’re operating more efficiently, responding faster to issues, and positioning themselves for the grid challenges ahead.