Secure the Grid. Protect the Power.
NERC CIP compliant security solutions for power plants, substations, water treatment facilities, and critical energy infrastructure.
ZEI engineers NERC-CIP-aligned security for utilities, energy, and water — substation perimeter detection with thermal and radar, off-grid solar / cellular surveillance, copper-theft deterrence, drone detection, and tightly controlled physical and logical access. Designed for the systems that keep the lights on.
Technology Partners
A representative utilities & energy environment of the kind ZEI engineers infrastructure for.
What this industry deals with.
- NERC-CIP physical and logical access controls and audit retention
- Remote, unmanned substations vulnerable to copper theft and intrusion
- Long perimeters across generation and water-treatment sites
- Drone overflight risk over critical infrastructure
- OT (SCADA) network isolation alongside IT and security systems
Critical Infrastructure Security
Defending the systems that keep society running.
NERC CIP Compliance
Meet federal mandates.
Strict logical and physical access controls designed specifically to meet North American Electric Reliability Corporation standards.
Remote Substation Monitoring
Eyes on the edge.
Solar-powered, cellular-connected surveillance and access control for unmanned, remote utility sites.
Thermal Intrusion
Detect before the fence.
Long-range thermal cameras with AI analytics to detect intruders in complete darkness or harsh weather.
Drone Detection
Secure the airspace.
Radar and RF sensors to detect, track, and mitigate unauthorized drone flights over critical facilities.
How this gets applied.
Substation perimeter and thermal
Long-range thermal and radar with AI classification at unmanned distribution substations; cellular or satellite communication when WAN unavailable.
Copper-theft deterrence
Active deterrence with audio talk-down speakers, strobes, and live monitoring agents responding to verified events before equipment is destroyed.
NERC-CIP physical access
Multi-factor access at electronic security perimeters with audit retention aligned to CIP-006 and CIP-007.
Drone detection over generation
Radar and RF sensors detecting and tracking unauthorized drone flights over plants and substations with documented response.
Systems we typically deploy.
An opinionated, ordered stack — what most utilities & energy engagements include, in priority order.
Video Surveillance
ZEI engineers commercial video surveillance systems built around modern IP cameras, edge AI analytics, and cloud or on-premise video management
Access Control
ZEI deploys cloud-managed and enterprise access control across single-door deployments and multi-site campuses
Intrusion Alarm
ZEI engineers commercial intrusion detection systems that integrate with video surveillance and access control to verify threats before responders are dispatched
Physical AI
ZEI deploys physical AI — computer vision, behavioral analytics, and machine learning — that turns existing camera infrastructure into intelligent sensors
Cloud Infrastructure
ZEI hosts and manages cloud infrastructure for physical security, video, and building systems on AWS, GCP, and Azure
Networking & Wifi
ZEI engineers commercial network infrastructure that the rest of your facility depends on — structured cabling, managed switching, Wi-Fi 6E / 7, next-generation firewalls, and SD-WAN
Built to the standards that apply.
NERC CIP-006 / CIP-007
Physical security and electronic security perimeter requirements for bulk electric system facilities.
NERC CIP-014
Threat assessment and physical security plan for designated transmission stations.
TSA Pipeline Security Guidelines
Where applicable, surveillance and access controls supporting pipeline-operator security plans.
NDAA Section 889
Hardware sourcing requirements at federally regulated utility facilities.
Utility Environments
Protecting generation vs. distribution.
Generation Plants
High-security for power plants and water treatment facilities.
- Vehicle barrier systems
- Strict visitor management
- Process monitoring video
- Control room security
- Biometric access
Distribution Substations
Securing remote, unmanned infrastructure.
- Copper theft deterrence
- Thermal perimeter defense
- Off-grid power solutions
- Cellular/Satellite comms
- Automated audio warnings
From the engineering blog.
Background reading our team draws from when designing infrastructure for utilities & energy.
The 2025 Guide to NERC CIP-014 Physical Security Mandates
NERC CIP-014 requires transmission station owners to perform threat assessments and implement physical-security plans for designated critical substations.
Stopping Copper Theft: How Radar-Based Detection Cut Substation Losses by 98%
Copper theft at electric utility substations is not a nuisance crime. It is a safety emergency.
Thermal vs. Optical: Choosing the Right Sensor for Substations
Thermal and optical cameras solve different problems at electric substations. This guide compares range, accuracy, and cost so you can pick the right tool.
Frequently asked.
Are your systems NERC-CIP compliant?
How do you secure unmanned substations?
How do you handle drone detection?
What about OT / SCADA integration?
Talk to an engineer.
Tell us about your utilities & energy facility and what you're trying to solve. Our engineering team will respond with a system design tailored to your environment.
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