Expert warns: one attack can cause a blackout

• Ewa Kwapis, vice president of TT-Systems, emphasizes in an interview with WNP the importance of local IT solutions for the stability of the Polish energy market.
• Energy security requires reliable infrastructure and team knowledge.
• Local companies like TT-Systems offer full control over investments and cybersecurity.

- Energy security begins with solid technological foundations - said Ewa Kwapis, vice president of TT-Systems, during Energy Days in Katowice .

In the interview at the CIS, the expert emphasized the enormous importance of solutions designed locally and with the specificity of the Polish market in mind for the stability of the system.

Technology in the service of energy stability

"The IT systems we create are crucial to the energy market in Poland," WNP's interlocutor emphasized. TT-Systems participates in the country's largest investments, including the construction of CCGT units, offshore wind farms, and energy storage facilities.

She emphasized that the security of the entire system depends on the quality of the IT infrastructure . "These systems must be reliable, proven, operational 24/7, and must function optimally," she emphasized, clarifying that this is why not only the technology but also the team's knowledge is crucial. "We need to have people on board, engineers, who deeply understand the client's processes and translate this into IT systems," she added.

Local Capital and Cybersecurity

The origin of technology and the security of component supply are becoming increasingly important in energy projects. "We are a company with 100% Polish capital, and this is important, for example, in energy storage facilities, where Chinese technologies are often used," the expert noted.

In her opinion, local companies are able to ensure full control over the investment – ​​from communication with the operator to control systems and protection against attacks: - We, as a Polish company, are able to secure such a large investment, from communication with the operator to control of a given warehouse, and also secure it in terms of cybersecurity - she said.

This is especially important in the face of increasingly aggressive cyberattacks.

One attack, for example in the control system, can cause a blackout, i.e. compromise the stability of our entire system.

Effective solutions require close cooperation

A TT-Systems representative noted that the effectiveness of IT solutions in the energy sector requires close collaboration with customers: "We are always close, collaborating with our clients. Our job is to learn about the business processes within a given organization and adapt IT systems," she argued.

According to Ewa Kwapis, a partnership approach is the key to a quick response to regulatory changes and market needs.

The WNP interlocutor emphasized that in the future, the key to flexibility will be the use of artificial intelligence to optimize processes .

"We want to use AI to optimize business processes. First and foremost, we want to engage in algorithm training, use AI for forecasting, automated trading, and optimization," she said. The expert emphasized that automation and prediction will become increasingly important in the context of energy transformation: "It's quite important, given the growing number of renewable energy sources, to do it very effectively."

Energy Days in Katowice is one of the most important events dedicated to technology, energy transformation, and critical infrastructure security in Poland. The discussion demonstrates that the strength of the Polish energy sector is increasingly determined not only by megawatts of power but also by megabits of expertise—knowledge, engineering, and cybersecurity.