Sponsors (3)
Requires States to include local distribution systems, weather, physical attack, and supply‑chain risks in energy security plans and orders a GAO evaluation of plan effectiveness.
The bill strengthens planning, supply‑chain coordination, and federal oversight to make local electricity distribution more resilient and transparent, but it increases costs and compliance burdens, poses some security‑transparency tradeoffs, and leaves long‑term certainty limited by a 2031 sunset.
Households, businesses, state governments, and utilities will see more resilient local electricity systems because States must plan for weather, physical attacks, and supply‑chain risks, improving preparedness and speeding restoration after outages.
Utilities, equipment suppliers, and state governments will benefit from strengthened coordination across supply chains and inclusion of equipment suppliers in planning, which should improve parts procurement and reduce delays in repairs.
State governments and grant applicants get clearer rules: States must submit plans (without needing Secretary approval) and the bill defines 'local distribution system' (≤100 kV), making eligibility and compliance expectations for federal assistance more transparent.
Utilities, equipment suppliers, and ultimately ratepayers may face significant new compliance, planning, and procurement costs to meet expanded coordination and resilience requirements.
Taxpayers and state budgets could bear increased costs or see federal grant funds diverted from other state priorities if assistance is used to fund the required planning or to implement GAO-recommended actions.
Sunsetting the statutory provisions in 2031 creates uncertainty for utilities and state governments, complicating long‑term investment decisions in resilience measures that last longer than the authorization window.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Official title: Amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require States to include supporting the physical security, cybersecurity, and resilience of local distribution systems in State energy security plans, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 24, 2026 by Catherine Marie Cortez Masto · Last progress March 24, 2026
Requires States, when preparing energy security plans, to explicitly consider local electricity distribution systems, weather-related threats, physical attacks on distribution and bulk-power systems, and supply‑chain risks for electricity equipment; directs use of federal financial assistance for those plans; changes certain Department of Energy review language to be mandatory; and sunsets the statutory requirement on September 30, 2031. Also directs the Government Accountability Office to produce a public report by September 30, 2030 evaluating how State energy security plans (as defined in statute) reduce risks to energy infrastructure and supply chains, how federal funds were used, and recommendations to improve State and federal coordination.