---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 17391"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "17391"
heading: "Voluntary state, regional, and local electricity distribution planning"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/17391"
units:
  - "Chapter 152 — Energy Independence and Security"
  - "Subchapter IX — Smart Grid"
---

# §17391. Voluntary state, regional, and local electricity distribution planning

- (a) **In general—** On the request of a [State](/usc/42/17151.md?p=6), regional organization, or electric utility, the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Energy shall provide assistance to [States](/usc/42/17151.md?p=6), regional organizations, and electric utilities to facilitate the development of [State](/usc/42/17151.md?p=6), regional, and local electricity distribution plans by—
  - (1) conducting a resource assessment and analysis of future demand and distribution requirements; and
  - (2) developing open source tools for [State](/usc/42/17151.md?p=6), regional, and local planning and operations.
- (b) **Risk and security analysis—** The assessment under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) shall include—
  - (1) the evaluation of the physical security, cybersecurity, and associated communications needs of an advanced distribution management system and the integration of distributed energy resources; and
  - (2) advanced use of grid architecture to analyze risks in an all-hazards approach that includes communications infrastructure, control systems architecture, and power systems architecture.
- (c) **Designation—** The information collected for the assessment and analysis under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1)—
  - (1) shall be considered to be critical electric infrastructure information under [section 824o–1](/usc/16/824o–1.md) of title 16; and
  - (2) shall only be released in compliance with regulations implementing that section.
- (d) **Technical assistance—** For the purpose of assisting in the development of [State](/usc/42/17151.md?p=6) and regional electricity distribution plans, the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) shall provide technical assistance to—
  - (1) [States](/usc/42/17151.md?p=6);
  - (2) regional reliability entities; and
  - (3) other distribution asset [owners](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) and operators.
- (e) **Withdrawal—** A [State](/usc/42/17151.md?p=6) or any entity that has requested technical assistance under this section may withdraw the request for technical assistance at any time, and on such withdrawal, the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) shall terminate all assistance efforts.
- (f) **Effect—** Nothing in this section authorizes the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) to require any [State](/usc/42/17151.md?p=6), regional organization, regional reliability entity, asset [owner](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4), or asset operator to adopt any model, tool, plan, analysis, or assessment.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title VIII, § 8010, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2588.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Energy Act of 2020, and not as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 which comprises this chapter.