Over 370 Organizations Take Part in GridEx VIII Grid Security Exercise

Over 370 organisations took part this week in GridEx VIII, the largest security exercise dedicated to the electricity industry in North America, marking a rise of nearly 50% from two years ago. GridEx, which tests both cyber and physical security of the power grid, is organised every two years by the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC) of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).

This year’s exercise saw a 70 percent increase in participation by small- and medium-sized utilities and higher participation from Canadian partners, according to the event’s organisers. A report detailing the lessons learned from GridEx VIII is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2026.

The exercise tested participants’ emergency preparedness plans and protocols through a scenario reflecting real-world cyber and physical threats, with incidents this year including a ransomware attack targeting Nova Scotia Power and Volt Typhoon activity observed breaching a Massachusetts power utility. Written by Eduard Kovacs, November 21, 2025.