America’s electric cooperatives are the quiet backbone of the nation’s infrastructure. They power over half the U.S. landmass, serve more than 42 million people, and often operate in some of the most rural and remote regions of the country. However, despite their critical role in daily life, many of these co-ops face a growing vulnerability: a significant and fast-growing vulnerability in IT and cybersecurity readiness—one that could threaten grid reliability, public safety, and operational continuity.
Recent research confirms what many in the industry have long suspected: electric co-ops are critically understaffed when it comes to IT and cyber protection. With only about 20% of utility leaders expressing confidence in their current technical capacity and more than 450,000 cybersecurity roles currently unfilled nationwide, the cracks are no longer theoretical.
“Most co-ops can’t afford a 10-person IT team,” says Travis Barker, founder of EZ IT Solutions, a firm that supports rural organizations. “But if you’re running an electric cooperative, you also can’t risk having just one person—or half a person—who knows your system inside and out.”
The Scope of the Talent Shortage
Co-ops face unique challenges in the tech talent market. Unlike large investor-owned utilities, most co-ops are small, member-owned nonprofits that operate in low-density service areas. That economic and geographic profile makes it hard to attract, train, and retain specialized professionals.
In many cases, co-op employees wear multiple hats. A single person might handle IT help desk tickets, SCADA system troubleshooting, and cybersecurity compliance reporting. The result? Burnout, gaps in coverage, and increased exposure to risk.
Industry data reveals that:
- The energy and utility sector faces one of the sharpest cybersecurity workforce shortages in the U.S.
- Co-ops struggle to compete with urban employers on salary, benefits, and career advancement.
- Technical positions, such as substation engineers or cybersecurity analysts, often require national searches and multiple recruiters.
The Real Cost of Understaffing
Lacking dedicated IT and cyber staff doesn’t just slow operations—it creates measurable business risk. According to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), under-resourced co-ops are at higher risk for:
- Ransomware attacks and data breaches that disrupt service and damage public trust
- Regulatory penalties due to missed compliance benchmarks
- Increased insurance premiums following cyber incidents
- Emergency outsourcing costs for consultants brought in post-breach
“When something breaks, or a breach occurs, and no one internally understands your infrastructure, the cost of emergency response triples, Barker explains. You’re not just fixing the problem. You’re rebuilding trust, compliance, and operational continuity.”
One NRECA pilot program revealed that proactive cybersecurity staffing could reduce long-term risk exposure and business losses by up to 40%.
Why the Old Models Don’t Work
Traditionally, many co-ops have relied on generalist staff or basic third-party providers for IT and cybersecurity support. But that approach is rapidly becoming unsustainable.
Grid modernization, IoT devices, AI-enabled energy forecasting, and distributed energy resources have dramatically expanded the attack surface for even small utilities. At the same time, cyber threats have evolved: ransomware actors now target operational technology (OT), not just email accounts.
Still, many co-ops can’t justify the cost of hiring five or more full-time technical staff. According to industry benchmarks:
- A core IT/cyber team for a mid-sized co-op would include 3–5 FTEs
- Salaries range from $50K to $150K+ per position
- Total cost: upwards of $400,000 per year—not including training, benefits, or tech investments
That’s a non-starter for co-ops already operating on tight margins.
A New Model: Shared Infrastructure, Aligned Support
As cybersecurity demands outpace the capacity of small co-op teams, some electric cooperatives are turning to outside partners who specialize in supporting lean utility operations. These providers often offer flat-rate, no-contract support models that fit within tight budgets, along with pre-configured IT systems designed to reduce recurring issues and downtime.
One such approach is EZ IT Solutions’ Safe Haven 7™ program, which aims to eliminate up to 83% of recurring IT problems within the first week of deployment. The system is designed specifically for operational technology (OT) environments commonly found in co-ops. The program is supported by tailored service-level agreements (SLAs) designed to ensure operational continuity in high-risk, rural environments.
“Our goal isn’t to replace internal staff,” says Travis Barker, founder of EZ IT Solutions. “It’s to strengthen them—fill the gaps, reduce exposure, and eliminate the fear that comes from being understaffed in a high-risk environment.”
For many co-ops, this kind of hybrid support—lean internal teams backed by dedicated external partners with deep utility knowledge—offers a viable path forward without the cost burden of building large IT departments from scratch.
This shift from hourly vendors to strategic partners is gaining momentum, particularly as DOE-funded programs like Project Guardian and RC3 increase awareness and funding for cooperative cybersecurity initiatives.
The Role of Industry and Government Support
National efforts are underway to address the issue. The Department of Energy and NRECA have launched programs to help co-ops build IT pipelines through:
- Regional training programs
- Cybersecurity planning handbooks (e.g., RC3)
- $4M–$5M grants for tech upgrades and staffing pilots
- Cross-sector collaboration between co-ops, colleges, and private-sector experts
But progress is slow. As the threat landscape evolves, the speed of policy support often lags behind the urgency of frontline operational needs.
Building a Resilient Co-Op Future
Looking ahead, the most resilient co-ops will be those that build a hybrid support model: lean internal staff supported by trusted external teams, clear documentation, and preventive systems.
Rather than outsourcing everything, co-ops need embedded knowledge, proactive monitoring, and aligned service models that understand their regulatory, financial, and geographic context.
Conclusion: Closing the Cyber Gap Starts Now
Electric cooperatives face a uniquely complex future. They must modernize, digitize, and protect their systems—without the budget or headcount of their urban counterparts. That requires rethinking how IT and cyber support are structured, staffed, and sustained.
The risks are real. But so are the solutions.
With the right partnerships, co-ops can close the cyber gap not with excess but with precision. And that, ultimately, is what 21st-century grid resilience truly demands.
Travis Barker is the CEO and founder of EZIT Solutions, an IT and cybersecurity firm serving rural enterprises across sectors like agriculture, food production, and critical infrastructure
