HR7257-119

What This Bill Does

The SECURE Grid Act amends state energy security plan requirements under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. It defines a local distribution system as electric-utility energy infrastructure operating at 100 kilovolts or less. State plans must consider suppliers of equipment for electricity generation, transmission, and distribution, not only owners and operators of energy infrastructure.

The bill expands required hazard coverage. State energy security plans must address physical threats and vulnerabilities including weather-related threats, physical attacks on local distribution systems and the bulk-power system, and supply-chain risks for generation, transmission, and distribution equipment. Plans must also address cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities, including threats to local distribution systems that may affect the bulk-power system.

GAO must report to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by September 30, 2030. The report must evaluate whether state energy security plans help states identify, assess, and mitigate risks; plan for, respond to, and recover from energy disruptions; recommend improvements; identify actions DOE can take to improve coordination with states; describe federal financial assistance used for plans; analyze section 366 implementation; and describe state use of DOE assistance. The report may be public except protected information.

Who Benefits and How

State energy offices benefit from clearer statutory direction and future GAO recommendations on security planning. Electric utilities operating local distribution systems benefit because distribution-level risks are explicitly included in state plans. Energy consumers benefit if planning reduces outage risk from physical attacks, weather events, cyber threats, or equipment supply disruptions. Electricity equipment suppliers benefit because supply-chain risks are named in planning and may receive more attention. Cybersecurity firms serving the energy sector benefit from a larger role in distribution-system risk planning. Congressional energy committees benefit from a 2030 GAO oversight report.

Who Bears the Burden and How

State energy office staff must update security plans to address local distribution systems, equipment suppliers, physical attacks, weather threats, supply-chain risks, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. DOE State Energy Program staff must coordinate with states and provide assistance under section 366. Electric utilities may need to share local distribution-system vulnerability information. Equipment suppliers may face more scrutiny in state energy security plans. GAO energy audit staff must evaluate plan efficacy, federal assistance, DOE coordination, and implementation by 2030.

Key Provisions

• Defines local distribution system as electric utility infrastructure at 100 kilovolts or less.
• Requires state plans to consider electricity generation, transmission, and distribution equipment suppliers.
• Requires coverage of weather threats and physical attacks on local distribution systems and the bulk-power system.
• Requires coverage of supply-chain risks for electricity equipment.
• Requires coverage of cybersecurity threats to local distribution systems that may affect the bulk-power system.
• Requires a GAO report by September 30, 2030 on plan efficacy, federal assistance, DOE coordination, and state use of assistance.