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= OT Asset Visibility & Operational Awareness =
= Supply Chain Security, Resilience & Industry Trends =


[[File:OT Asset Visibility Dashboard.png|thumb|right|900px|Example OT Asset Visibility Platform]]
[[File:Supply Chain Model.png|thumb|right|900px|EPRI Supply Chain Model<ref>[https://www.epri.com/research/programs/112046/results/3002012753 EPRI Supply Chain Assessment Research Program]</ref>]]


== Executive Summary ==
== Executive Summary ==


Operational Technology (OT) Asset Visibility platforms have become foundational capabilities for utility cybersecurity, operational resilience, and asset management programs. As industrial environments become increasingly connected, organizations require accurate visibility into assets, communications, software, and network behavior across generation, transmission, distribution, and critical infrastructure environments.
Supply chains have become a strategic focus area for utilities and critical infrastructure operators. Globally sourced hardware, software, and connected technologies introduce cybersecurity, operational, and geopolitical risks that can impact reliability, resilience, and business operations.


Modern OT visibility platforms provide continuous asset discovery, protocol awareness, behavioral analysis, and integration with security operations tools. These capabilities help organizations improve situational awareness, reduce cybersecurity risk, and support operational decision-making.
At the same time, utilities are investing in advanced visibility and decision-support capabilities including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Supply Chain Control Towers, Digital Twins, and supplier-risk monitoring. These capabilities help organizations improve situational awareness, identify disruptions earlier, and strengthen long-term resilience.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Why OT Asset Visibility Matters
|-
|-
! Area
! Area
! Business Value
! Potential Impact
|-
| Reliability
| Equipment shortages, supplier outages, and logistics disruptions can affect maintenance schedules, project timelines, and grid modernization efforts.
|-
|-
| Cybersecurity
| Cybersecurity
| Identifies assets, communications, and potential security risks across OT environments.
| Third-party technologies may introduce new attack surfaces, software vulnerabilities, and unauthorized access pathways.
|-
|-
| Operations
| Operations
| Provides visibility into critical systems, communications flows, and operational dependencies.
| Limited visibility into suppliers and dependencies can delay the identification and resolution of operational disruptions.
|-
| Asset Management
| Supports inventory management, lifecycle planning, and modernization initiatives.
|-
|-
| Incident Response
| Resilience
| Accelerates investigations through improved asset context and network awareness.
| Organizations require the ability to anticipate, withstand, and recover from changing operational, geopolitical, and market conditions.
|}
|}


----
----


== Industry Context ==
== Key Supply Chain Risks ==
 
=== Technology & Asset Assurance ===
 
Recent industry assessments have highlighted the importance of understanding communications protocols, data flows, vendor connectivity, and remote access capabilities associated with modern energy technologies.<ref>[https://msites.epri.com/spn/research/112046/security-design-architecture-review%3A-solar-inverters EPRI Security Design Architecture Review: Solar Inverters (3002029720)]</ref>
 
Examples include:
 
* Cellular communications modules
* Wi-Fi connectivity
* Bluetooth interfaces
* Vendor remote-access capabilities
* Undocumented communications pathways
 
'''Why It Matters'''


Utilities continue integrating distributed energy resources (DERs), inverter-based resources (IBRs), intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), remote connectivity solutions, and cloud-enabled services throughout operational environments.
For utilities, uncertainty surrounding deployed technologies can complicate asset management, cybersecurity monitoring, incident response, and overall operational awareness. The challenge is often less about a specific technology and more about understanding exactly what has been deployed and how it communicates.


As OT ecosystems become more interconnected and complex, maintaining an accurate inventory of assets, communications pathways, protocols, and software dependencies becomes increasingly important.<ref>[https://www.epri.com/research/products/000000003002027430 EPRI Defensible Network Architectures: Criteria for Secure OT Deployment in Power Systems (3002027430)]</ref>
=== Software Supply Chain Risk ===


EPRI cybersecurity research continues to emphasize understanding network architectures, external communications, and asset inventories as foundational components of both cybersecurity and operational resilience programs.<ref>[https://msites.epri.com/spn/research/112046/security-design-architecture-review%3A-solar-inverters EPRI Security Design Architecture Review: Solar Inverters (3002029720)]</ref>
Modern utility operations depend on software vendors, cloud providers, embedded firmware, open-source components, and third-party integrators.


Unlike traditional IT environments, operational networks often contain specialized systems, proprietary protocols, legacy devices, and safety-critical processes that cannot be actively scanned without introducing operational risk. OT visibility platforms help address these challenges through passive monitoring and protocol-aware analytics.
A compromise of a trusted software supplier can potentially affect multiple organizations simultaneously. As software ecosystems grow increasingly complex, visibility into software dependencies becomes more important.


----
EPRI's Technical Assessment Methodology (TAM) emphasizes evaluating attack surfaces, identifying security gaps, and validating security controls throughout technology deployments. <ref>[https://www.epri.com/research/programs/112046/results/3002021184 EPRI Technical Assessment Methodology (3002021184)]</ref> <ref>[https://www.epri.com/research/programs/112046/results/3002017149 EPRI Technical Assessment Methodology (3002017149)]</ref>


== Core Capabilities ==
=== Geopolitical & Supplier Risk ===


=== Asset Discovery ===
Global supply chains remain vulnerable to geopolitical developments, manufacturing concentration, transportation constraints, and evolving trade regulations.


OT visibility platforms use passive monitoring techniques to identify and inventory devices communicating across industrial networks without disrupting operations.
Examples include:


Commonly discovered assets include:
* Trade restrictions and tariffs
* Export controls
* Semiconductor shortages
* Critical mineral dependencies
* Transportation disruptions


* Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)
These events can affect equipment availability, increase lead times, and delay infrastructure investments across the utility sector.
* Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs)
* Distributed Control Systems (DCS)
* Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems
* Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs)
* Protection relays
* Engineering workstations
* Historians
* OT servers and network infrastructure


'''Why It Matters'''
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Common Supply Chain Risk Drivers
|-
! Risk Area
! Examples
|-
| Cybersecurity
| Third-party compromise, ransomware, software supply chain attacks
|-
| Technology
| Undocumented communications, firmware integrity concerns, unsupported products
|-
| Geopolitical
| Export controls, tariffs, regional instability
|-
| Logistics
| Shipping delays, port disruptions, inventory shortages
|}


Organizations cannot effectively secure assets they cannot identify. Comprehensive inventories provide the foundation for cybersecurity, compliance, vulnerability management, architecture reviews, and modernization initiatives.
----


EPRI's Technical Assessment Methodology (TAM) highlights asset awareness and attack surface understanding as foundational activities for evaluating cybersecurity risks across operational environments.<ref>[https://www.epri.com/research/products/000000003002012752 EPRI Technical Assessment Methodology (3002012752)]</ref>
== Supply Chain Cybersecurity ==


=== Asset Context & Intelligence ===
As utilities continue their digital transformation efforts, cybersecurity considerations increasingly extend beyond organizational boundaries and into supplier ecosystems.


Modern platforms go beyond simple inventory management by providing operational context through protocol analysis, communications monitoring, and relationship mapping.
Industry supply chain security programs focus on understanding software integrity, vendor access, communications pathways, and architectural risks before technologies are deployed.<ref>[https://msites.epri.com/spn/research/112046/security-design-architecture-review%3A-solar-inverters EPRI Security Design Architecture Review: Solar Inverters (3002029720)]</ref>


Examples include:
EPRI's Defensible Network Architectures guidance provides criteria for securely deploying operational technologies and reducing exposure to unauthorized access pathways.<ref>[https://www.epri.com/research/products/000000003002027430 EPRI Defensible Network Architectures: Criteria for Secure OT Deployment in Power Systems (3002027430)]</ref>


* Industrial protocol identification
'''Leading Practices'''
* Communications flow analysis
* Firmware visibility
* Device relationship mapping
* Network dependency analysis
* Asset criticality classification


These capabilities help organizations understand how devices interact and support more effective risk prioritization.
* Supplier cybersecurity assessments
* Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs)
* Hardware Bills of Materials (HBOMs)
* Vendor access reviews
* Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
* Network segmentation
* Continuous supplier monitoring


=== Behavioral Visibility ===
----


OT visibility platforms establish baseline operational behavior by continuously monitoring communications between assets.
== Artificial Intelligence in Supply Chains ==


Behavioral analytics can identify:
[[File:Audit AI Agent.jpg|thumb|right|450px|AI-Enabled Supply Chain Analytics]]


* Unexpected communications
Artificial Intelligence is helping organizations move beyond reactive supply chain management by improving forecasting, disruption analysis, inventory planning, and supplier-risk identification.
* Unauthorized devices
* Configuration changes
* Abnormal protocol behavior
* Potential cyber threats


Rather than relying solely on signature-based detection, organizations gain visibility into deviations from established operational patterns.
Current applications include:


=== Security Operations Integration ===
* Demand forecasting
* Inventory optimization
* Supplier risk monitoring
* Predictive maintenance
* Transportation optimization
* Procurement analytics


Asset visibility platforms increasingly integrate with enterprise cybersecurity programs.
As supply chains become increasingly complex, digital tools are being adopted to improve operational awareness and support planning activities across utility operations.<ref>[https://top.epri.com/research-area/inverter-based-resources-and-grid-interconnection EPRI Inverter-Based Resources and Grid Interconnection Research Area]</ref>


Common integrations include:
=== Emerging Trend: Agentic AI ===


* Splunk
Industry leaders are evaluating AI systems capable of performing approved actions on behalf of supply chain personnel. Potential applications include supplier evaluation, inventory balancing, logistics optimization, and disruption-response activities.
* Microsoft Sentinel
* IBM QRadar
* ServiceNow
* Palo Alto Networks
* Cisco XDR
* CrowdStrike
* Microsoft Defender XDR


These integrations enable OT asset intelligence to support security operations centers (SOCs), incident response teams, threat hunting programs, and enterprise risk management activities.
While still emerging, Agentic AI is expected to become a major area of investment over the next several years.


----
----


== Operational & Cybersecurity Benefits ==
== Supply Chain Visibility & Control Towers ==


{| class="wikitable"
[[File:Supply Chain Control Tower.png|thumb|right|650px|Supply Chain Control Tower]]
|+ Benefits of OT Asset Visibility
|-
! Capability
! Benefit
|-
| Asset Inventory
| Establishes a comprehensive view of OT devices, software, and communications.
|-
| Protocol Awareness
| Improves visibility into industrial communications and operational dependencies.
|-
| Risk Prioritization
| Helps focus resources on critical systems and high-value assets.
|-
| Threat Detection
| Identifies abnormal behavior and unauthorized activity.
|-
| Incident Response
| Improves investigation speed and asset understanding.
|-
| Compliance Support
| Assists with asset identification, security reviews, and audit readiness.
|}


----
A Supply Chain Control Tower provides a centralized view of suppliers, inventory, logistics networks, external risks, and operational dependencies.


== OT Visibility Platform Landscape ==
Rather than relying on disconnected data sources, organizations can monitor critical supply chain activities from a single operational picture and identify disruptions earlier.


Several OT visibility platforms have become widely adopted across utility, industrial, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure sectors.
The same industry drivers accelerating adoption of digital twins, advanced analytics, and operational visibility platforms are also increasing demand for comprehensive supplier awareness and dependency mapping.<ref>[https://www.epri.com/research/programs/112046/results/3002012753 EPRI Supply Chain Assessment Research Program]</ref>


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Representative OT Asset Visibility Platforms
|-
|-
! Platform
! Capability
! Primary Strengths
! Business Value
! Common Utility Use Cases
|-
| '''Nozomi Networks'''
| Deep OT protocol visibility, asset discovery, anomaly detection, vulnerability identification
| Substations, generation facilities, transmission environments, control center monitoring
|-
|-
| '''Dragos'''
| Real-Time Visibility
| Asset inventory, ICS threat detection, threat intelligence, incident response support
| Improves awareness of inventory, suppliers, shipments, and operational dependencies.
| OT security operations, threat hunting, industrial cyber defense
|-
|-
| '''Claroty'''
| Risk Monitoring
| Asset discovery, exposure management, risk analysis, secure remote access
| Identifies supply chain disruptions, supplier issues, and emerging risks earlier.
| Enterprise OT visibility and asset management programs
|-
|-
| '''Microsoft Defender for IoT'''
| Decision Support
| Agentless monitoring and strong integration with Microsoft security products
| Enables faster and more informed operational and procurement decisions.
| Organizations utilizing Microsoft Sentinel, Defender XDR, and Azure services
|-
|-
| '''Armis'''
| Executive Reporting
| Agentless asset visibility, IT/OT convergence, vulnerability and exposure management
| Provides leadership with a consolidated view of supply chain performance and risks.
| Enterprise-wide visibility across IT, OT, IoT, and connected devices
|}
|}


''Inclusion in this table does not imply endorsement. Organizations should evaluate solutions based on operational requirements, cybersecurity objectives, architecture constraints, and integration needs.''
=== Selection Considerations ===
Organizations commonly evaluate OT visibility platforms based on:
* OT protocol coverage (DNP3, IEC 61850, Modbus, OPC, ICCP, Ethernet/IP, Profinet)
* Passive monitoring capabilities
* Integration with existing SIEM and SOC workflows
* Asset inventory accuracy
* Threat detection maturity
* Scalability across substations and operational sites
* Cloud versus on-premises deployment requirements


----
----


== Utility Use Cases ==
== Digital Twins & Scenario Planning ==
 
=== Asset Inventory Modernization ===
 
Many organizations begin OT visibility initiatives to establish accurate and continuously updated inventories across substations, generation facilities, control centers, battery energy storage systems, and field operations.
 
=== Cybersecurity Monitoring ===
 
Asset context enhances threat detection and incident response by helping analysts understand device roles, communications pathways, and operational importance.


=== Vulnerability & Risk Management ===


Visibility platforms help organizations identify vulnerable devices, unsupported operating systems, legacy technologies, outdated firmware, and insecure communications.
Digital Twins create virtual representations of suppliers, transportation networks, inventory, and operational dependencies.


=== Architecture & Communications Reviews ===
These environments allow organizations to evaluate potential disruptions before they occur and better understand downstream operational impacts.


EPRI assessments increasingly emphasize understanding communications pathways, protocol usage, and external connectivity as part of secure-by-design deployment approaches.<ref>[https://msites.epri.com/spn/research/112046/security-design-architecture-review%3A-solar-inverters EPRI Security Design Architecture Review: Solar Inverters (3002029720)]</ref>
As utilities adapt to increasing levels of inverter-based resources, distributed energy resources, and interconnected technologies, advanced modeling and simulation capabilities are becoming essential tools for planning, resilience analysis, and operational decision-making.<ref>[https://top.epri.com/research-area/inverter-based-resources-and-grid-interconnection EPRI Inverter-Based Resources and Grid Interconnection Research Area]</ref>


=== Operational Resilience ===
Common scenarios include:


Understanding dependencies between devices and systems enables more effective planning, troubleshooting, maintenance, recovery, and operational decision-making.
* Supplier failures
* Transportation disruptions
* Severe weather events
* Equipment shortages
* Grid modernization delays


----
----


== Recommended Practices ==
== Recommendations ==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Recommended Implementation Approach
|-
|-
! Focus Area
! Area
! Recommended Actions
! Recommended Actions
|-
|-
| Discovery
| Procurement
| Deploy passive sensors to establish visibility without disrupting operational processes.
| Require SBOMs and HBOMs, assess supplier security practices, review remote-access capabilities, and validate vendor security programs.
|-
| Inventory
| Develop and maintain complete inventories of OT assets, firmware, software, and communications pathways.
|-
|-
| Architecture
| Visibility
| Document trust boundaries, external connectivity, and protocol dependencies.
| Maintain supplier inventories, map critical dependencies, improve traceability, and understand technology communications pathways.
|-
| Integration
| Integrate OT telemetry into SIEM, SOC, and incident response platforms.
|-
|-
| Monitoring
| Monitoring
| Establish behavioral baselines and continuously monitor for abnormal activity.
| Continuously assess supplier risks, geopolitical developments, software vulnerabilities, and emerging threats.
|-
|-
| Governance
| Security
| Incorporate OT visibility into cybersecurity, risk management, compliance, and asset management programs.
| Eliminate default credentials, implement MFA, restrict remote access, validate firmware integrity, and segment networks.
|}
|}


----
----


== Industry Trends ==
== Emerging Trends ==


Several trends continue shaping the OT visibility market and broader utility cybersecurity landscape.
Utilities continue to monitor several technologies and practices that may significantly influence future supply chain operations, resilience, and risk management.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Market Direction
|+ Industry Watchlist
|-
|-
! Trend
! High Priority
! Description
! Emerging Areas
|-
|-
| IT/OT Convergence
|
| Increased visibility across enterprise and operational environments.
* Agentic AI
|-
* Supply Chain Control Towers
| Exposure Management
* Digital Twins
| Prioritization of exploitable vulnerabilities and operational risks.
* Software Supply Chain Security
|-
* Third-Party Risk Monitoring
| AI-Assisted Analysis
|
| Automated asset classification, alert triage, and risk identification.
* Autonomous Logistics
|-
* Robotics
| Secure Remote Access
* IoT Asset Tracking
| Enhanced management and monitoring of vendor and contractor connectivity.
* Digital Product Passports (DPPs)
|-
| Grid Modernization
| Greater visibility requirements resulting from DER, IBR, and BESS deployments.
|-
| Digital Twins
| Enhanced modeling of operational assets and system interdependencies.
|}
|}


As utilities deploy increasing numbers of inverter-based resources, intelligent electronic devices, and connected operational technologies, maintaining accurate visibility into assets, communications, and dependencies is becoming a foundational requirement for cybersecurity, resilience, and operational excellence.<ref>[https://top.epri.com/research-area/inverter-based-resources-and-grid-interconnection EPRI Inverter-Based Resources and Grid Interconnection Research Area]</ref>
'''Digital Product Passports (DPPs)'''
 
Digital Product Passports are emerging as a mechanism for improving product traceability and lifecycle transparency. Driven largely by international regulatory initiatives, DPPs may influence future procurement, supplier reporting, asset lifecycle management, and supply chain visibility programs.


----
----
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== EPRI Resources ==
== EPRI Resources ==


* [https://www.epri.com/research/programs/112046/results/3002012753 EPRI Supply Chain Assessment Research Program]
* [https://msites.epri.com/spn/research/112046/security-design-architecture-review%3A-solar-inverters EPRI Security Design Architecture Review: Solar Inverters (3002029720)]
* [https://www.epri.com/research/products/000000003002012752 EPRI Technical Assessment Methodology (3002012752)]
* [https://www.epri.com/research/products/000000003002027430 EPRI Defensible Network Architectures: Criteria for Secure OT Deployment in Power Systems (3002027430)]
* [https://www.epri.com/research/products/000000003002027430 EPRI Defensible Network Architectures: Criteria for Secure OT Deployment in Power Systems (3002027430)]
* [https://www.epri.com/research/products/000000003002012752 EPRI Technical Assessment Methodology (3002012752)]
* [https://msites.epri.com/spn/research/112046/security-design-architecture-review%3A-solar-inverters EPRI Security Design Architecture Review: Solar Inverters (3002029720)]
* [https://top.epri.com/research-area/inverter-based-resources-and-grid-interconnection EPRI Inverter-Based Resources and Grid Interconnection Research Area]
* [https://top.epri.com/research-area/inverter-based-resources-and-grid-interconnection EPRI Inverter-Based Resources and Grid Interconnection Research Area]


== Related Topics ==
== Related Topics ==


* Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs)
* Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
* Supply Chain Cybersecurity
* Operational Technology (OT) Security
* Operational Technology (OT) Security
* Industrial Control Systems (ICS)
* SCADA Security
* Asset Management
* Security Operations Centers (SOC)
* Industrial Threat Detection
* Network Architecture
* Zero Trust Architecture
* Cyber-Informed Engineering
* Digital Twins
* Digital Twins
* Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs)
* Artificial Intelligence
* Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
* Supplier Risk Management
* Grid Modernization

Latest revision as of 20:04, 5 November 2026

Supply Chain Security, Resilience & Industry Trends

EPRI Supply Chain Model[1]

Executive Summary

Supply chains have become a strategic focus area for utilities and critical infrastructure operators. Globally sourced hardware, software, and connected technologies introduce cybersecurity, operational, and geopolitical risks that can impact reliability, resilience, and business operations.

At the same time, utilities are investing in advanced visibility and decision-support capabilities including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Supply Chain Control Towers, Digital Twins, and supplier-risk monitoring. These capabilities help organizations improve situational awareness, identify disruptions earlier, and strengthen long-term resilience.

Area Potential Impact
Reliability Equipment shortages, supplier outages, and logistics disruptions can affect maintenance schedules, project timelines, and grid modernization efforts.
Cybersecurity Third-party technologies may introduce new attack surfaces, software vulnerabilities, and unauthorized access pathways.
Operations Limited visibility into suppliers and dependencies can delay the identification and resolution of operational disruptions.
Resilience Organizations require the ability to anticipate, withstand, and recover from changing operational, geopolitical, and market conditions.

Key Supply Chain Risks

Technology & Asset Assurance

Recent industry assessments have highlighted the importance of understanding communications protocols, data flows, vendor connectivity, and remote access capabilities associated with modern energy technologies.[2]

Examples include:

  • Cellular communications modules
  • Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Bluetooth interfaces
  • Vendor remote-access capabilities
  • Undocumented communications pathways

Why It Matters

For utilities, uncertainty surrounding deployed technologies can complicate asset management, cybersecurity monitoring, incident response, and overall operational awareness. The challenge is often less about a specific technology and more about understanding exactly what has been deployed and how it communicates.

Software Supply Chain Risk

Modern utility operations depend on software vendors, cloud providers, embedded firmware, open-source components, and third-party integrators.

A compromise of a trusted software supplier can potentially affect multiple organizations simultaneously. As software ecosystems grow increasingly complex, visibility into software dependencies becomes more important.

EPRI's Technical Assessment Methodology (TAM) emphasizes evaluating attack surfaces, identifying security gaps, and validating security controls throughout technology deployments. [3] [4]

Geopolitical & Supplier Risk

Global supply chains remain vulnerable to geopolitical developments, manufacturing concentration, transportation constraints, and evolving trade regulations.

Examples include:

  • Trade restrictions and tariffs
  • Export controls
  • Semiconductor shortages
  • Critical mineral dependencies
  • Transportation disruptions

These events can affect equipment availability, increase lead times, and delay infrastructure investments across the utility sector.

Common Supply Chain Risk Drivers
Risk Area Examples
Cybersecurity Third-party compromise, ransomware, software supply chain attacks
Technology Undocumented communications, firmware integrity concerns, unsupported products
Geopolitical Export controls, tariffs, regional instability
Logistics Shipping delays, port disruptions, inventory shortages

Supply Chain Cybersecurity

As utilities continue their digital transformation efforts, cybersecurity considerations increasingly extend beyond organizational boundaries and into supplier ecosystems.

Industry supply chain security programs focus on understanding software integrity, vendor access, communications pathways, and architectural risks before technologies are deployed.[5]

EPRI's Defensible Network Architectures guidance provides criteria for securely deploying operational technologies and reducing exposure to unauthorized access pathways.[6]

Leading Practices

  • Supplier cybersecurity assessments
  • Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs)
  • Hardware Bills of Materials (HBOMs)
  • Vendor access reviews
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Network segmentation
  • Continuous supplier monitoring

Artificial Intelligence in Supply Chains

AI-Enabled Supply Chain Analytics

Artificial Intelligence is helping organizations move beyond reactive supply chain management by improving forecasting, disruption analysis, inventory planning, and supplier-risk identification.

Current applications include:

  • Demand forecasting
  • Inventory optimization
  • Supplier risk monitoring
  • Predictive maintenance
  • Transportation optimization
  • Procurement analytics

As supply chains become increasingly complex, digital tools are being adopted to improve operational awareness and support planning activities across utility operations.[7]

Emerging Trend: Agentic AI

Industry leaders are evaluating AI systems capable of performing approved actions on behalf of supply chain personnel. Potential applications include supplier evaluation, inventory balancing, logistics optimization, and disruption-response activities.

While still emerging, Agentic AI is expected to become a major area of investment over the next several years.

Supply Chain Visibility & Control Towers

Supply Chain Control Tower

A Supply Chain Control Tower provides a centralized view of suppliers, inventory, logistics networks, external risks, and operational dependencies.

Rather than relying on disconnected data sources, organizations can monitor critical supply chain activities from a single operational picture and identify disruptions earlier.

The same industry drivers accelerating adoption of digital twins, advanced analytics, and operational visibility platforms are also increasing demand for comprehensive supplier awareness and dependency mapping.[8]

Capability Business Value
Real-Time Visibility Improves awareness of inventory, suppliers, shipments, and operational dependencies.
Risk Monitoring Identifies supply chain disruptions, supplier issues, and emerging risks earlier.
Decision Support Enables faster and more informed operational and procurement decisions.
Executive Reporting Provides leadership with a consolidated view of supply chain performance and risks.


Digital Twins & Scenario Planning

Digital Twins create virtual representations of suppliers, transportation networks, inventory, and operational dependencies.

These environments allow organizations to evaluate potential disruptions before they occur and better understand downstream operational impacts.

As utilities adapt to increasing levels of inverter-based resources, distributed energy resources, and interconnected technologies, advanced modeling and simulation capabilities are becoming essential tools for planning, resilience analysis, and operational decision-making.[9]

Common scenarios include:

  • Supplier failures
  • Transportation disruptions
  • Severe weather events
  • Equipment shortages
  • Grid modernization delays

Recommendations

Area Recommended Actions
Procurement Require SBOMs and HBOMs, assess supplier security practices, review remote-access capabilities, and validate vendor security programs.
Visibility Maintain supplier inventories, map critical dependencies, improve traceability, and understand technology communications pathways.
Monitoring Continuously assess supplier risks, geopolitical developments, software vulnerabilities, and emerging threats.
Security Eliminate default credentials, implement MFA, restrict remote access, validate firmware integrity, and segment networks.

Emerging Trends

Utilities continue to monitor several technologies and practices that may significantly influence future supply chain operations, resilience, and risk management.

Industry Watchlist
High Priority Emerging Areas
  • Agentic AI
  • Supply Chain Control Towers
  • Digital Twins
  • Software Supply Chain Security
  • Third-Party Risk Monitoring
  • Autonomous Logistics
  • Robotics
  • IoT Asset Tracking
  • Digital Product Passports (DPPs)

Digital Product Passports (DPPs)

Digital Product Passports are emerging as a mechanism for improving product traceability and lifecycle transparency. Driven largely by international regulatory initiatives, DPPs may influence future procurement, supplier reporting, asset lifecycle management, and supply chain visibility programs.

References

  1. ↑ EPRI Supply Chain Assessment Research Program
  2. ↑ EPRI Security Design Architecture Review: Solar Inverters (3002029720)
  3. ↑ EPRI Technical Assessment Methodology (3002021184)
  4. ↑ EPRI Technical Assessment Methodology (3002017149)
  5. ↑ EPRI Security Design Architecture Review: Solar Inverters (3002029720)
  6. ↑ EPRI Defensible Network Architectures: Criteria for Secure OT Deployment in Power Systems (3002027430)
  7. ↑ EPRI Inverter-Based Resources and Grid Interconnection Research Area
  8. ↑ EPRI Supply Chain Assessment Research Program
  9. ↑ EPRI Inverter-Based Resources and Grid Interconnection Research Area

EPRI Resources

Related Topics

  • Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs)
  • Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
  • Supply Chain Cybersecurity
  • Operational Technology (OT) Security
  • Digital Twins
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Supplier Risk Management
  • Grid Modernization
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