Final rule · 2026-05716

Order No. 919; Virtualization Reliability Standards

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves 11 modified Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Reliability Standards. The Commission also approves four new definitions and 18 modified definitions in the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Glossary of Terms Used in Reliability Standards. To address concerns regarding a proposed self-implementing exception phrase ("per system capability") that appears in multiple provisions of the modified CIP Reliability Standards, the Commission directs NERC to develop a clear set of criteria that satisfies the fundamental needs for oversight, consistency, and alternative mitigation when a responsible entity invokes the per system capability exception. NERC, the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization (ERO), submitted the proposed modifications to update the CIP Reliability Standards to enable the application of virtualization and other new technologies in a secure manner.