How Cyberattacks Can Turn Battery Farms Into Grid Blackouts

Critical Infrastructure Security , Events , Governance & Risk Management How Cyberattacks Can Turn Battery Farms Into Grid Blackouts Centrii's Rafael Narezzi on Dangers of Weak Controls in Decentralized Energy Systems Michael Novinson (MichaelNovinson) • March 25, 2026     Credit Eligible Get Permission Rafael Narezzi, CEO, Cyber Energia Decentralized energy systems are now essential parts of energy grids as power demands for artificial intelligence-enabled data centers skyrockets. But cybersecurity for these systems hasn't kept pace, leaving battery energy storage resources exposed as they play a growing role in grid stability, said Rafael Narezzi, CEO at Centrii. See Also: How Continuous Compromise Assessment Is Changing SecOps Strategy In fact, in December 2025 in Poland, cyberattackers demonstrated how they can disrupt grid balancing rather than halt production outright. The lesson for the energy sector is that weak controls in decentralized systems can quickly go from a localized disruption to major problems affecting the entire grid, he said. "They didn't stop the production of the energy itself. They created unbalancing problems, which can degrade the grid and then actually fall down or create a blackout," Narezzi said. In this video interview with Information Security Media Group at RSAC Conference 2026, Narezzi also discussed: Regulations pushing asset owners to increase cyber maturity; Centrii's approach to unifying visibility across energy assets; Malware-driven turbine underperformance and legacy router exposure. Narezzi leads strategy, growth, operations and stakeholder engagement for cybersecurity and energy tech firm Centrii. He has more than 25 years of experience in cybersecurity, digital transformation and technology leadership, and previously held senior roles at CFP Energy, NextEnergy Capital and TS Lombard.