Slovenia’s transmission system operator ELES has joined the European Network for Cyber Security (ENCS), in a move aimed at bolstering Europe-wide defences against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats to high-voltage electricity networks.
ELES will now be part of a growing community of grid operators, equipment vendors and security specialists working together to harden operational technology (OT) systems across the continent. Other members include Ireland’s EirGrid and the UK’s National Grid.
Under the partnership, ELES will gain access to ENCS’s shared threat intelligence, specialist training and technical expertise, supporting its efforts to detect, prevent and respond to cyber incidents on Slovenia’s transmission network. In practice, that means closer alignment on standards, testing and incident response with peers across Europe – something that ultimately matters for UK system stability given the increasingly integrated nature of European power flows.
The announcement comes against a backdrop of rising concern about cyber risks to critical energy infrastructure. According to the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity’s Threat Landscape 2025 report, OT systems that underpin electricity networks face a growing range of attacks, with incidents increasing in both frequency and sophistication. Nation-state activity, together with a proliferation of consumer-connected devices at the grid edge, is expanding the attack surface that operators must defend.
“Europe’s power systems are only as strong as their weakest link,” said Anjos Nijk, Managing Director of ENCS.
“ELES’s new membership strengthens our joint defences and brings valuable regional expertise to the table. As Slovenia’s grid underpins stability across Central Europe, their participation will help drive the shared strategies and capabilities needed to counter evolving cyber threats.”
For operators across Europe, including those in Great Britain and on the island of Ireland, the message is clear: cyber resilience is no longer a matter for individual companies alone, but for coordinated, cross-border action.
“Grid cybersecurity is a team effort,” added Gorazd Rolih, SOC Manager at ELES.
“Joining ENCS allows us to both contribute to and benefit from Europe-wide collaboration, sharing intelligence, best practices and operational insights that make every member stronger. Together, we look forward to building the resilience our energy systems needs for the future.”
ELES’s decision to join ENCS follows the network’s 8th annual Cybersecurity Forum, held in Brussels last month. Co-organised with E.DSO, EE-ISAC and ENISA, the event brought together more than 200 European energy and cybersecurity leaders to discuss how best to embed security into new technologies and strengthen collaboration across electricity networks.
