Michael Lewis, CEO of Uniper, has advocated for clear regulations and unified authority to protect critical infrastructure. While praising the direction set by the new KRITIS umbrella law, Lewis emphasized that greater clarity is still needed regarding remaining regulatory gaps. He further argued that a central state entity responsible for handling these threats-a truly bundled area of responsibility-is crucial. Currently, Lewis notes that in Germany, responses require coordinating with dozens of different agencies, depending on the type of threat or region involved, a process he deemed both laborious and ineffective.
The threat to Germany’s vital energy infrastructure has grown exponentially in recent years. Lewis warned that dangers are not confined to national borders, but are present throughout Europe. He stressed that beyond the threats posed by isolated criminals, institutions must now prepare for state actors who are using hybrid warfare to target its systems. While cyberattacks have become common knowledge, Lewis pointed out that the probability of physical attacks has also increased significantly.
