---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 18724"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "18724"
heading: "Enhanced grid security"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/18724"
units:
  - "Chapter 162 — Energy Infrastructure"
  - "Subchapter I — Grid Infrastructure and Resiliency"
  - "Part B — Cybersecurity"
---

# §18724. Enhanced grid security

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Electric utility—** The term “electric utility” has the meaning given the term in [section 796 of title 16](/usc/16/796.md).
  - (2) **E-ISAC—** The term “E-ISAC” means the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
- (b) **Cybersecurity for the energy sector research, development, and demonstration program—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/18701.md?p=3), in coordination with the [Secretary](/usc/42/18701.md?p=3) of Homeland Security and in consultation with, as determined appropriate, other Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), the energy sector, the [States](/usc/42/18791.md?p=3), [Indian Tribes](/usc/42/18701.md?p=2), Tribal organizations, territories or freely associated [states](/usc/42/18791.md?p=3), and other stakeholders, shall develop and carry out a [program](/usc/42/18791.md?p=2)—
    - (A) to develop advanced cybersecurity applications and technologies for the energy sector—
      - (i) to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities, including—
        - (I) dependencies on other critical infrastructure;
        - (II) impacts from weather and fuel supply;
        - (III) increased dependence on inverter-based technologies; and
        - (IV) vulnerabilities from unpatched hardware and software systems; and
      - (ii) to advance the security of field devices and third-party control systems, including—
        - (I) systems for generation, transmission, distribution, end use, and market functions;
        - (II) specific electric grid elements including advanced metering, demand response, distribution, generation, and electricity storage;
        - (III) forensic analysis of infected systems;
        - (IV) secure communications; and
        - (V) application of in-line edge security solutions;
    - (B) to leverage electric grid architecture as a means to assess risks to the energy sector, including by implementing an all-hazards approach to communications infrastructure, control systems architecture, and power systems architecture;
    - (C) to perform pilot demonstration [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) with the energy sector to gain experience with new technologies;
    - (D) to develop workforce development curricula for energy sector-related cybersecurity; and
    - (E) to develop improved supply chain concepts for secure design of emerging digital components and power electronics.
  - (2) **Authorization of appropriations—** There is authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/42/18701.md?p=3) to carry out this subsection $250,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
- (c) **Energy sector operational support for cyberresilience program—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/18701.md?p=3) may develop and carry out a [program](/usc/42/18791.md?p=2)—
    - (A) to enhance and periodically test—
      - (i) the emergency response capabilities of the [Department](/usc/42/18701.md?p=1); and
      - (ii) the coordination of the [Department](/usc/42/18701.md?p=1) with other [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), the National Laboratories, and private industry;
    - (B) to expand cooperation of the [Department](/usc/42/18701.md?p=1) with the intelligence community for energy sector-related threat collection and analysis;
    - (C) to enhance the tools of the [Department](/usc/42/18701.md?p=1) and E-ISAC for monitoring the status of the energy sector;
    - (D) to expand industry participation in E-ISAC; and
    - (E) to provide technical assistance to small electric utilities for purposes of assessing and improving cybermaturity levels and addressing gaps identified in the assessment.
  - (2) **Authorization of appropriations—** There is authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/42/18701.md?p=3) to carry out this subsection $50,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
- (d) **Modeling and assessing energy infrastructure risk—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/18701.md?p=3), in coordination with the [Secretary](/usc/42/18701.md?p=3) of Homeland Security, shall develop and carry out an advanced energy security [program](/usc/42/18791.md?p=2) to secure energy networks, including—
    - (A) electric networks;
    - (B) natural gas networks; and
    - (C) oil exploration, transmission, and delivery networks.
  - (2) **Security and resiliency objective—** The objective of the [program](/usc/42/18791.md?p=2) developed under [paragraph (1)](#d-1) is to increase the functional preservation of electric grid operations or natural gas and oil operations in the face of natural and human-made threats and hazards, including electric magnetic pulse and geomagnetic disturbances.
  - (3) **Eligible activities—** In carrying out the [program](/usc/42/18791.md?p=2) developed under [paragraph (1)](#d-1), the [Secretary](/usc/42/18701.md?p=3) may—
    - (A) develop capabilities to identify vulnerabilities and critical components that pose major risks to grid security if destroyed or impaired;
    - (B) provide modeling at the national level to predict impacts from natural or human-made events;
    - (C) add physical security to the cybersecurity maturity model;
    - (D) conduct exercises and assessments to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities to the electric grid, including providing mitigation recommendations;
    - (E) conduct research on hardening solutions for critical components of the electric grid;
    - (F) conduct research on mitigation and recovery solutions for critical components of the electric grid; and
    - (G) provide technical assistance to [States](/usc/42/18791.md?p=3) and other entities for standards and risk analysis.
  - (4) **Savings provision—** Nothing in this section authorizes new regulatory requirements.
  - (5) **Authorization of appropriations—** There is authorized to be appropriated to the [Secretary](/usc/42/18701.md?p=3) to carry out this subsection $50,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title I, § 40125, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 954.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Wage Rate Requirements

For provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for construction, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.