Workbench announces NERC CIP Compliance for its Remote Operations Center (ROC)

Workbench Energy’s ROC Achieves NERC CIP Compliance

What is it, why it matters, and what it means for your project.

Workbench announces NERC CIP Compliance for its Remote Operations Center (ROC). As battery energy storage becomes a larger part of the North American grid, the regulatory requirements governing how these assets are operated are growing alongside it. Achieving NERC CIP compliance is a milestone that reflects how the Workbench ROC already operates and gives our clients confidence that their projects meet compliance requirements for successful operations.

What is NERC CIP?

NERC’s Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards establish the cybersecurity and operational requirements for assets connected to the Bulk Electric System (BES). Assets are categorized by impact level, High, Medium, or Low, based on their potential to impact grid reliability.

NERC CIP Low-Impact applies to utility-scale BESS facilities under 1500 MW that participate in ISO/RTO markets, which do not pose a significant reliability risk to the broader grid. For these assets, registered entities are required to develop, implement, and maintain documented cybersecurity policies and controls covering:

• Physical security
• Electronic access management
• Cybersecurity awareness and incident response
• Transient cyber asset

Compliance is monitored and enforced by regional entities under the NERC Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program (CMEP).

What This Means for Your Project

This compliance milestone formalizes the operational discipline the Workbench team has been building and reinforces our position as a trusted, accountable operator for grid-connected BESS projects across North America.

For our clients, this means:

• Workbench holds NERC Generator Operator (GOP) registration, or regionally specific equivalent, and can assume that role from day one of commercial operations.
• Your project is operated within a NERC CIP-compliant environment, with documented controls across cybersecurity policy, physical security, incident response, and electronic access management.
• You can reference a NERC CIP-compliant operator in off-taker agreements, interconnection applications, and project financing conversations, providing stakeholders with auditable evidence of operational standards.
• As grid operators and regulators continue to raise the bar for secure telemetry and operational oversight, Workbench is already meeting that standard.

Working with a NERC CIP-compliant, NERC-registered GOP means asset owners have an operator that is accountable to the same regulatory framework that governs the grid itself.

Workbench Energy’s ROC

The Workbench ROC provides 24/7 remote operations for utility-scale BESS projects, acting as the NERC registered GOP for each facility under management. Our team handles the full scope of day-to-day operations, from routine facility management and real-time market coordination to utility response and emergency escalation.

The ROC connects to each site through our SCADA and integration platform, with two-way communication for dispatch signals and status monitoring over a secure VPN. We support a wide range of battery OEMs and system integrators using DNP3 or Modbus protocols, and our monitoring gives our team continuous, live visibility into battery state of charge, availability, and equipment status across every project.

Services include:

• Remote Operations – manages day-to-day facility operations, including 24/7 alarm response, breaker operations, setpoint control, utility coordination, and emergency response.
• Monitoring and Reporting – provides real-time visibility into facility performance through customizable alerts and routine operational checks, supported by monthly and annual reports covering KPIs, maintenance indicators, battery warranty performance, and contract compliance.
• Market Operations Services – manages participation in ISO/RTO energy and ancillary services markets, handling scheduling, dispatch integration, settlement reconciliation, and outage management to maximize revenue and maintain compliance with market rules and contract obligations.

We look forward to continuing to raise the standard for what responsible, expert battery storage operations looks like.