House panel considers bills addressing energy supply emergencies, cyber threats to energy sector

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy considered four bills on Wednesday that address energy supply emergencies and cybersecurity threats to the electric grid, pipelines, and other areas of the energy sector.

During its third hearing on efforts to modernize the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), the committee considered the Energy Emergency Leadership Act (H.R. 5174), the Pipeline and LNG Facility Cybersecurity Preparedness Act (H.R. 5175), the Cyber Sense Act (H.R. 5239), and the Enhancing Grid Security Through Public-Private Partnerships Act (H.R. 5290).

Subcommittee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) said work to update DoE authorities and capabilities to protect against energy supply emergencies related to critical infrastructure and cybersecurity have extended over the last two Congresses.

“The common theme here is to update DoE’s cybersecurity and emergency coordinating functions and provision of technical assistance to other agencies, states, and asset owners,” Upton said. “In keeping with these modernization efforts, the legislation today continues this work.”

DoE Undersecretary Mark Menezes testified that the department plays a “critical role” in supporting energy sector cybersecurity and enhancing security resilience of critical energy infrastructure.

“As part of a comprehensive energy cybersecurity resilience strategy, the department is focusing cyber support efforts to enhance visibility and situational awareness of operations networks; increase alignment of cyber preparedness and planning across local, state and federal levels; and leverage the expertise of DOE’s National Labs to drive cybersecurity innovation,” Menezes said.

Tristan Vance, the director and chief energy officer of the Indiana Office of Energy Development, voiced support for the bills being discussed, particularly H.R. 5239 and H.R. 5240. H.R. 5239 would establish a voluntary Cyber Sense program to identify and promote the use of secure products to be used in the bulk-power system. H.R. 5240 would enhance DoE programs that focus on cybersecurity, vulnerabilities and physical threats to the electric grid. Vance said “states can leverage these activities” and the bills “build upon the work of utilities and the DoE.”

Zachary Tudor, the associate laboratory director for National and Homeland Security at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), highlighted the important roles that laboratories play in countering cyber threats.

“INL is one of several national laboratories collaboratively contributing technical information and strategic planning guidance to assist DoE leadership in the early stages of developing the structure, capabilities, and processes for the DoE Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response. Guidance is focused on coordinating and integrating research, development, and incident response capabilities among the multiple programs and organizations within the DoE and other federal organizations,” Tudor said.

U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, noted the importance of working closely with the energy sector stakeholders and companies in the supply chain because almost all of the energy infrastructure is privately owned.

“This subcommittee has held dozens of hearings on energy infrastructure and produced several bipartisan bills to improve the resilience and reliability of our nation’s energy delivery systems,” Walden said. “These bills ultimately make our nation more energy secure and reduce the cost of fuels and electricity for consumers.”