Genetec Helps Electric Co-op in Texas Secure Widespread Operations

  • Jun 04, 2015

Genetec, a manufacturer of open platform, unified IP security solutions today announced that South Plains Electric Cooperative (SPEC), a fast-growing electric cooperative in Texas, has chosen Genetec Security Center software to help secure its 32 substations, seven offices and a tower site for radio communications located across 6,600 square miles of Texas.

Noticing the steady increase of stringent regulations requiring electric facilities to enhance their physical security to reduce their vulnerability to any kind of physical attack or threat, SPEC decided to be proactive and start working towards revamping their security installation with a state-of-the-art system.  

SPEC's network and systems administrator Tim Warren knew he needed to find an enterprise-grade, open platform security system that would unify all of SPEC's physical security requirements, including video surveillance and access control, but also manage potential alarms triggered by their perimeter intrusion system. 

To help them with this project, SPEC turned to Lubbock-based Control Technologies, the largest independent building management systems supplier in West Texas. Following a thorough evaluation of different manufacturers, Control Technologies advised SPEC to work with Genetec's Security Center to secure their entire infrastructure.

"We cover over 6,600 square miles and are committed to providing reliable electricity to over 52,000 electric meters throughout West Texas, but until recently we had a very basic analog VMS system and access to our substations was still key-based,” explained Warren. “We needed our new security system to give us visual feedback of all our facilities at any time, and let us know who has accessed what area and when. With Genetec Security Center software, we are now able to monitor our 190+ cameras and 200+ access control-enabled doors from either our central operations center in Lubbock or from our mobile devices."

As part of its security installation revamp, SPEC also installed a state-of-the-art fiber optic perimeter intrusion system to secure its substations. Using video analytics on the edge, should an alarm be triggered by the intrusion system, SPEC's PTZ cameras will immediately focus on the breached area so that Security Center operators are able to immediately see the video and access control data from that location.

"Across all of our offices, where we don't need a fiber optic perimeter intrusion system, we have also set up Security Center so that the cameras will immediately react to the detection of movement from any large object such as a truck arriving, and automatically track that motion,” said Warren. “No other system we evaluated could do that in such an integrated manner.”

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services

  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.