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Today, Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH5) and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA7) introduced the Securing Community Upgrades for a Resilient Grid Act, or SECURE Grid Act, which will empower states to fully assess the risks posed to the electric grid by weather, physical and cyber-attacks, and other vulnerabilities. 

Latta serves as a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and is a co-chair of the Grid Innovation Caucus. 

"The security and resiliency of our electric grid cannot be overstated," Latta said. "With increased physical attacks on substations and the threat of cyber-attacks from foreign adversaries that could shut down our power and endanger the American people, we must ensure our electric grid is fortified. That's why I'm introducing the SECURE Grid Act, which ensures that states take an in-depth look at vulnerabilities and risks posed to the electric grid so that proper steps can be taken to mitigate them. Together, Rep. Matsui and I are committed to ensuring the American people can rely on a strong and resilient grid so they never have to worry about keeping the lights on." 

“Protecting our country’s electric grid has always been one of my top priorities,” Matsui said. “In California, power lines can spark devastating wildfires, and the reliability of our electric grid is also increasingly threatened by unprecedented extreme weather, from atmospheric rivers to heatwaves. The SECURE Grid Act would help keep the lights on by ensuring that states identify and protect against a wide range of potential vulnerabilities and threats to the grid, including severe weather, physical attacks, cyberattacks, and other vulnerabilities. I am proud to work with Congressman Latta to modernize our electric grid and keep Americans safe from bad actors and natural disasters.”

Background on the SECURE Grid Act:

States must submit a State Energy Security Plan (SESP) annually to receive funds from the State Energy Program. State Energy Offices use these funds to implement energy security and resiliency plans, invest in domestic energy resources, reduce energy waste, pilot innovative energy projects, and more. A state's SESP allows it to recognize, respond to, and mitigate weaknesses in its energy infrastructure. 

While SESPs are currently required to consider broad vulnerabilities, including physical and cyber-attacks, the SECURE Grid Act adds necessary detailed data to these reports, requiring states to consider:

• threats posed to local distribution facilities and supporting grid infrastructure, like distribution substations; 
• the risks posed by increasing grid demand; 
• available technologies to mitigate threats to energy distribution and rising grid demand; 
• the distinctions between weather-related threats and threats from a physical act of violence; 
• the utility of public-private partnerships in meeting energy security needs; 
• the availability of innovative financing models that may save taxpayer dollars and increase access to digital grid technology; and 
• the role of vendors in maintaining a secure, reliable, and resilient energy distribution system.