This third part explores how central is energy policies in shaping public policy and geopolitical dynamics, mandating the construction of a resilient energy sector.
Energy infrastructures : targets of sabotage
A new harassment strategy, including drone reconnaissance and sabotage against critical allied infrastructure (military bases, airports, energy facilities), compromises their resilience. Attacks, even on decarbonized facilities like the Val Jaskolski hydroelectric plant in Finland, target decentralized, digitally dependent energy production to destabilize the energy transition and national grids.
In the face of this vulnerability, protection, and regulation of energy data have become imperatives for security and sovereignty. This data, now an instrument of leverage in international relations, is a prime target for cyberattacks and sabotage. The dependence of power plant control systems and supply chains on digital data directly conditions the resilience of critical infrastructure. Furthermore, it provides a decisive competitive advantage to states capable of guaranteeing a stable supply of decarbonized energy to maintain digital activities.
A lever of influence in international negotiations
The threat to subsea infrastructure, particularly energy and data transmission lines, is proven and manifests in a hybrid form. Russia is deploying sophisticated espionage capabilities, including the use of drones and electromagnetic equipment, aimed at mapping the seabed to identify and sabotage subsea cables. The interception of data and electron flows constitutes a direct risk to communication integrity and economic sovereignty, potentially allowing for the real-time mapping of the target states’ industrial activity.
This exposition was particularly illustrated by a recent incident off the Saint-Nazaire’s coast involving a Beninese vessel originating from Saint-Petersburg. Beyond the presumed circumvention of international sanctions through the illicit transport of oil, it is strongly suspected of having conducted surveillance operations on critical assets. This area, which houses the Saint-Nazaire offshore wind farm, covering 20% of the Loire-Atlantique region’s consumption,represents a nerve center and a choke point. Its exposure to sabotage or the interception of sensitive data regarding energy production is thus significantly increased.
Energy as a strategic tool
France views energy data as a key strategic asset crucial for geostrategic and geoeconomic planning, competitiveness, and attractiveness. Its national availability of decarbonized, renewable energy makes France a credible alternative to the US, especially for hosting critical infrastructure like AI data centers. Decarbonized energy is now the main competitive advantage, surpassing taxation, requiring a guaranteed stable supply of « green electrons » to attract global tech expansion. Emmanuel Macron’s « Plug, baby, Plug » response, echoing Donald Trump’s « Drill, baby, drill, » was specifically intended to attract US data centers through a favorable energy mix and regulatory framework.
Beyond its technical role, energy data is considered a strategic input whose mastery is a national security imperative. Its analysis makes it possible to determine the industrial pulse and anticipate economic shifts. In international relations, energy data becomes a lever for geoeconomic negotiation. In-depth knowledge of this data also allows an adversary to identify a country’s production vulnerabilities for intelligence purposes. Finally, the capacity to control, or even paralyze, the energy supply of Data Centers represents the most advanced stage of hybrid warfare and a major challenge for national resilience.
Building energy and digital resilience
To counter the growing cyber threats targeting the energy sector, responses focus on normative and technological measures. Regulation is tightening for critical operators; the EU’s NIS2 Directive (2023) mandates strict reporting and resilience. The USA reinforced infrastructure protection in 2021 through public-private cooperation. In France, the National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) drives a national plan to secure vital information systems, asserting digital sovereignty.
Simultaneously, the effort toward systemic resilience relies on technological innovation. The deployment of AI now enables real-time detection of intrusions and anomalous behavior, while strict network isolation and segmentation limit the lateral spread of attacks. These technical measures are complemented by increased international cooperation, notably within NATO and the European Union, although this synergy is still hampered by persistent mistrust between powers, affecting the fluidity of critical information sharing.
However, this dynamic faces significant structural limits. The asymmetry between the agility of attackers and the responsiveness of defense structures persists. Furthermore, the energy transition, with the rise of smartgrids and decentralization of renewable energies, mechanically increases the attack surface. Consequently, it is imperative for France to accelerate sovereign technologies development to reduce dependencies, harmonize security standards by strengthening transatlantic cooperation, and sanctify energy data through increased awareness among decision-makers at all levels.
The shift to a decarbonized and digitized energy model makes energy cybersecurity a strategic necessity for state sovereignty and global security. Future resilience hinges on adopting common standards, developing sovereign technologies, and raising awareness of critical infrastructure vulnerabilities. Protecting these essential networks is key to future energy resilience. Moreover, the French energy mix serves as a tool for economic diplomacy and a normative foundation for establishing standards of technological sovereignty.
Click below to read parts I and II, by Léane GABELLEC and Cem OZ:
– Blog Bio Ressources – Energy Under Siege : The Birth of the Invisible War
– Blog Bio Ressources – Energy Under Siege : The Birth of the Invisible War « Part 2 »
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