Hull Street Energy Streamlines Plant Integration with Cloud-Based IT Solutions

Overview

Hull Street Energy, LLC, based in Bethesda, Maryland, is a private equity firm focused on investments in independent power generation assets. Unlike many firms in the sector, Hull Street Energy directly operates the facilities it acquires, managing both IT and operational technology (OT) infrastructure across its portfolio.

The Challenge

In 2020, Hull Street Energy acquired a portfolio of hydroelectric plants from Enel, forming the subsidiary Central Rivers Power U.S. (CRP). The transition encompassed five offices, 34 hydroelectric facilities, and 52 employees.
Several key challenges surfaced during the integration:

• IT and OT consolidation: Enel’s distributed infrastructure needed to be securely unified under Hull Street Energy’s management.
• Remote operations: Many facilities located in remote river basins required secure solutions for both on-site and remote access.
• Security gaps: Existing systems required enhanced protection to reduce risks of unauthorized access and ensure compliance with regulatory expectations.

The Approach

A comprehensive assessment was conducted across the newly acquired facilities and offices, which included:

• On-site evaluations to document equipment, network configurations, and operational processes
• More than 2,500 photographs to capture accurate infrastructure details
• Staff surveys to understand application usage, workflows, and dependencies

This groundwork enabled the development of a consolidated, secure, and flexible IT–OT environment tailored to Hull Street Energy’s operational model.

The Solution

A unified Microsoft cloud-centered architecture was designed to standardize access, strengthen security, and streamline operations across all locations. Key components included:

• Microsoft Azure as the foundation for cloud infrastructure
• Microsoft 365 for all users, configured with secure desktops and Veeam backups
• Microsoft OneDrive for organized and protected file storage
• Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection for endpoint security
• Azure Conditional Access and Multi-Factor Authentication for access control and monitoring
• Microsoft SharePoint to facilitate collaboration across offices and plants

Two-factor authentication was implemented throughout both IT and OT systems, including remote dam controls, ensuring security well beyond North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) CIP standards.

Results and Impact

The cloud-based architecture allowed Hull Street Energy to:

• Provide staff with a consistent and user-friendly environment across all plants and offices
• Strengthen IT and OT security by controlling device access and communication
• Achieve security levels exceeding NERC CIP requirements, going beyond mere compliance
• Simplify future plant migrations or potential sales, thanks to standardized, cloud-based systems

Value Delivered

By implementing a secure, centralized cloud ecosystem, Hull Street Energy successfully integrated CRP into its operations while improving efficiency, visibility, and security across multiple facilities. The modernized infrastructure also supports streamlined expansion and future transitions.
This solution was delivered in partnership with ProArch.