16. June 2026

How are municipal utilities and regional energy suppliers faring?

The KRITIS Conference 2026 will kick off in Düsseldorf on 16 June 2026. “New threats, new responsibilities: resilience and security for critical infrastructure” is the title of the conference. It brings together politics, business and security authorities to

  • provide guidance on regulation,
  • communicate practical resilience strategies,
  • and promote a security culture that goes beyond compliance.

This describes the current situation and the challenges currently facing the energy sector. We asked: How are municipal utilities and regional energy suppliers faring in particular?

THE CURRENT SITUATION

“IT is the biggest challenge to security of supply,”

according to the findings of a representative survey of 150 municipal utilities and regional suppliers across Germany conducted in February/March 2026.

There are two main reasons for this:

The threat landscape has become significantly more severe: 97% of the companies surveyed now regard cyberattacks as the greatest threat to security of supply. Attacks are therefore no longer isolated incidents, but part of the operational reality.

Furthermore, regulatory requirements now extend to the energy supply sector. The redefinition of the KRITIS thresholds has meant that an increasing number of facilities and operators are classified as critical infrastructure and must meet particularly stringent legal requirements. In addition, NIS2 significantly broadens the scope of application by, for the first time, also covering those suppliers that previously fell below these thresholds but are considered relevant to the supply of energy.

HIDDEN CHAMPIONS

For decades, municipal utilities and regional suppliers have been delivering what is often taken for granted: they ensure the local energy supply – reliably, consistently and under increasingly challenging conditions. They invest in networks, drive the energy transition forward and maintain operations even in exceptional circumstances.

Current requirements are not merely seen as a duty, but increasingly as part of their own identity. Security of supply has always been at the heart of their mission – it is now being further developed under changed conditions.

CHALLENGES

The rise in investment and the shortage of IT specialists are putting pressure on the sector. 85% of companies have already increased their investment in security measures. A drastic increase in investment costs is expected. Yet only 15% of companies plan to recruit additional staff for this purpose. Suitable IT specialists are in short supply. And all this despite the assessment that “IT security: increasingly complex issues, very labour-intensive.”

Relax. Start your project.
That’s where LÖSUNG|N comes in.
Those who ensure supply, shape transformation and build security today are taking on responsibility at the highest level.

Sources::

  • THÜGA, Press release dated 7 April 2026: https://www.thuega.de/pressemitteilungen/stadtwerke-it-ist-groesste-herausforderung-fuer-die-versorgungssicherheit/
  • BDEW, Municipal Utilities Study 2026: https://www.bdew.de/energie/stadtwerke-studie/