This week, the House of Representatives approved three measures aimed at improving cybersecurity in the energy industry:
- Energy Emergency Leadership Act. This Bill requires the Secretary of Energy to assign energy emergency and cybersecurity responsibilities to an Assistant Secretary, including responsibilities regarding infrastructure and cybersecurity.
- Enhancing Grid Security through Public-Private Partnerships Act. This Bill directs the Secretary of Energy to implement a program that facilitates and encourages public-private partnerships to address and mitigate physical and cybersecurity risks of electric utilities.
- Cyber Sense Act of 2021. This Bill encourages coordination between the Department of Energy and electric utilities. It also requires the Department of Energy to test products and technologies intended for use in the bulk power system.
These measures, which will now move to the Senate, are in response to the slew of recent cybersecurity attacks against critical U.S.