HUNTSVILLE — Sentar has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research  grant from a new client – the U.S. Department of Energy, the Huntsville-based company announced today.

Sentar is a women-owned small business specializing in advanced cyber intelligence solutions and technology. The amount of the grant was not disclosed.

According to a news release, Sentar will develop a proof-of-concept solution intended to inform key nuclear plant stakeholders of predicted and observable operational performance disruptions that result from specific cyber-attacks. The effort is intended to promote cyber resilience in nuclear power plant environments – resulting in safer operations, updated facility and technology designs that prioritize cybersecurity, and preventative and restorative efforts following a cyber-attack, the release said.

“Cyber resilience and reliability must become an operational imperative for critical infrastructure,” said Gary Mayes, senior director of Research & Development at Sentar. “We are excited about the opportunity to work with the U.S. Department of Energy to bring an innovative solution to meet a critical need.

“It is essential to have the ability to mitigate damage once subjected to a cyber-attack and continue to maintain operations when systems or data have been compromised.”

The work will be performed in Huntsville.