NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP), are you Ready?

(PRWEB) April 22, 2008 -- Aegix Consulting and Complyant Solutions, two leading NERC compliance consulting companies have partnered to provide clients with reliability and cyber security best practices and analysis on achieving compliance with the government's new energy reliability standards. Together, this unique teaming relationship will assist energy companies facing this new regulatory oversight environment by helping energy compliance executives with reviewing, creating, refocusing, and re-energizing their compliance practices. In the absence of skilled cyber security resources dedicated to CIP compliance, many energy companies will be in need of outside assistance possessing skilled resources dedicated to NERC compliance and cyber security expertise.

Together, Aegix Consulting and Complyant Solutions will provide a full spectrum of NERC CIP preparedness and compliance services:

* Compliance Program Readiness and Implementation

* Compliance Management

* Critical Asset and Critical Cyber Asset Identification

* Remediation Solution Design and Implementation

* CIP Training and Awareness

* Audit Documentation Preparation and Self Certification Assistance

* Resource Staffing and Co-sourcing

"Cyber attacks can damage substation and generator control equipment, and possibly cause widespread cascading outages that would adversely impact the bulk electric system and vital services," said Sherri Palmer, Cyber Security Practice Leader, Complyant Solutions. "Aegix Consulting and Complyant Solutions believe the best way to help clients achieve their compliance goals is to represent them strategically using cost-effective teams with the right mix of industry and cyber security expertise, insight, and judgment.

"We are excited about the partnership between Aegix Consulting and Complyant Solutions because this unique collaboration will ensure that our clients have complete regulatory compliance information and individually-tailored assistance they need to make the forward thinking business decisions that will determine their competitiveness, secure and reliable energy systems, and, ultimately, their regulatory compliance success."

"Focused on on-site plant audits and NERC Regional 'Mock Audits', Aegix Consulting has performed more NERC Compliance Audits than any other compliance vendor. Based on our strong audit background and knowledge of the NERC Reliability Standards associated with the energy industry, Aegix expects to further assist our clients by teaming with Complyant Solutions to perform specialized cyber security services and identify opportunities for improvement," commented Trey Cross, Senior Partner, Aegix Consulting.

About Complyant Solutions

Complyant Solutions' Cyber Security Practice is an integrated team of cyber security consultants, information and control systems technology specialist, and legal counsel professional who focus on the unique needs of responsible entities to protect the reliability of the Bulk Electric System.

Within the Cyber Security Practice, our professionals deliver consulting services, technology solutions, and IT operations with energy industry expertise to manage compliance, audits, and enforcement actions with the National Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP reliability requirements and reduce the risks to the Bulk Electric System.

The entire Complyant Solutions team is committed to delivering cost0effective, practical solutions and proactive cyber security services with the quality clients expect and is passionate about teaming with responsible entities that promote strategic improvements in the protection and security of our nationally critical infrastructures and key assets. For more information about Complyant Solutions' Cyber Security Services, visit www.complyantsolutions.com

About Aegix Consulting

Aegix Consulting is a Houston Texas based NERC compliance solutions organization that has created a compliance methodology to protect the 2,400 NERC Registered Entities from these catastrophic fines.

Aegix Consulting's staff of 24 employees has at least 70 years of providing compliance solutions to Fortune 500 firms and holds at least a PMP or CISA certification. With the average NERC consulting rate at more than $350+ per hour by other consulting firms with little to no plant audit experience for the new NERC Compliance Standards, Aegix Consulting's lower rates are known by our clients as the best value in the industry. For more information about our services and rates, please contact us at information(at)aegixconsulting.com, www.aegixconsulting.com, or at 713-664-6372.

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