SECURE Grid Act
Key claim: The SECURE Grid Act extends state energy security plan requirements through FY2031, clarifies that DOE need not approve the plans, requires DOE technical assistance on request, and directs states to address weather-related threats, electricity equipment supply-chain risks, and security of local distribution and bulk-power systems.
Abstract
(HR7257 · 119th Congress) Securing Community Upgrades for a Resilient Grid Act or the SECURE Grid Act This bill extends through FY2031 and modifies requirements for state energy security plans. Under current law, states are required to submit to the Department of Energy (DOE) state energy security plans that meet certain requirements in order to be eligible to receive federal financial assistance for state energy conservation programs. The bill specifies that DOE is not required to approve the plans. The bill requires DOE to provide information, technical assistance, and other assistance in the development, implementation, or revision of a state energy security plan upon the request of a state. The bill also requires states to address additional factors in their energy security plans, such as (1) weather-related threats and vulnerabilities; (2) supply chain risks for equipment for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity; and (3) the security of local distribution systems and the bulk-power system. A local distribution system is energy infrastructure owned and operated by an electric utility at a voltage of 100 kilovolts or less. In addition, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress on the efficacy of state energy security plans. Latest action (2026-07-13): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Why this matters
State energy security plans are the primary vehicle through which states coordinate with DOE on grid threats, and extending the authority through FY2031 locks in a decade-long planning horizon covering weather, supply-chain, and distribution-level risks that have driven recent outages and cost spikes. By clarifying that DOE need not approve plans while requiring technical assistance on request, the Act preserves state autonomy but formalizes federal support — shaping how utilities and regulators prioritize resilience investments that ultimately flow into ratepayer costs.