The House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 5 unanimously approved a bipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) that would require states to conduct more detailed assessments of electric grid vulnerabilities such as severe weather and cyber threats.
Rep. Latta introduced the Securing Community Upgrades for a Resilient Grid Act, or SECURE Grid Act, H.R. 7257, along with U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA).
Under current law, states must submit annual State Energy Security Plans to qualify for State Energy Program funding, but those plans address only broad vulnerabilities.
Rep. Latta’s bill would require states to go further, assessing specific threats to local distribution facilities and substations, risks from increasing grid demand, available technologies to mitigate threats to energy distribution, the distinction between weather-related threats and physical acts of violence, and the potential role of public-private partnerships and innovative financing in bolstering grid resilience.
“States must have a fully accessible plan in place to respond when threats are posed to the electric grid,” said Rep. Latta, chairman of the Energy Subcommittee. “Ensuring America’s electric grid is secure and resilient for families and businesses across the country remains a top priority. I urge the House to swiftly bring it to a vote.”
Rep. Latta also serves as co-chair of the Grid Innovation Caucus and has made grid security a top priority on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Rep. Matsui said power outages can lead to life-threatening situations.
“The SECURE Grid Act takes a commonsense step to strengthen the local grid that serves our communities and protect it from extreme weather, physical threats, and cyberattacks,” Rep. Matsui said.
The legislation now heads to the full House for consideration.