FEDERALhearing transcript

Hearing on Electric Grid Resiliency

Original title: RESILIENCY: THE ELECTRIC GRID'S ONLY HOPE

January 1, 2018

electric grid infrastructure energy policy cybersecurity disaster preparedness

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

The Frame

What this does

This hearing sets the policy framework for how federal agencies and energy providers prioritize investments in grid infrastructure to minimize the duration and impact of power outages caused by natural disasters or cyberattacks.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Electric utility companies

These entities are responsible for implementing infrastructure changes and operational protocols to meet resiliency standards.

Federal agencies (DOE)

These agencies oversee research, development, and policy implementation regarding national energy infrastructure.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2018.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing on October 3, 2017, to discuss strategies for improving the resilience of the U.S. electric grid against physical and cyber threats. The discussion focused on recommendations from a July 2017 National Academies of Sciences report regarding how to better prevent, limit, and recover from power disruptions.

Why It Matters

Key Facts

The hearing was held on October 3, 2017, to address the resiliency of the U.S. electric grid.
The committee reviewed recommendations from a July 2017 National Academies of Sciences report.
Resiliency is defined by the committee as the ability to prevent power disruptions, limit their duration, and repair damage quickly.
The committee identified physical threats, cyber threats, and natural disasters (such as Hurricane Harvey) as primary risks to the grid.
The hearing included testimony from experts in electrical engineering, energy policy, and public power associations.
The committee emphasized that grid damage is inevitable, shifting the focus from threat prevention to system recovery and durability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'grid resiliency' mean?

It refers to the ability of the power system to prevent disruptions, minimize the time power is out, and quickly repair damage when it occurs.

Why is the government focusing on this?

The committee argues that because cyberattacks and natural disasters are inevitable, the focus must shift toward making the grid durable enough to withstand and recover from these events.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Shift from Prevention to Resiliency

The committee explicitly signaled a policy pivot away from solely trying to prevent threats toward accepting that damage is inevitable and prioritizing rapid recovery.

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

Connected Entities

personWilliam Sanders“Witness, Department Head at University of Illinois”Map →

personLamar S. Smith“Chairman of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology”Map →

organizationCommittee on Science, Space, and Technology“House of Representatives committee overseeing the hearing”Map →

personCarl Imhoff“Witness, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory”Map →

personWalt Baum“Witness, Texas Public Power Association”Map →

organizationNational Academies of Sciences“Author of the July 2017 report on electricity system resiliency”Map →

personGavin Dillingham“Witness, Houston Advanced Research Center”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy15
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz10
Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools