WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the creation of the Grid Resilience for National Security (GRNS) subcommittee as part of the Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC). Enhancing the EAC’s mission of advising DOE’s strategy to modernize the nation's electricity delivery infrastructure, the GRNS will provide guidance on anticipating intensifying threats and developing new approaches to risk management and threat mitigation.

“Our electric grid is vital to national security, public health and safety, and the U.S. economy,” said acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity, Patricia Hoffman. “Helping industry improve the grid’s resilience against threats and hazards is a top priority for DOE and the U.S. government as a whole. This new subcommittee will continue to deepen industry and government cooperation to address increased threats.”

In addition to highlighting opportunities to leverage DOE authorities and capabilities for sustained impact, the GRNS will also provide recommendations to the full EAC that could include the development of resilience metrics, project assessment tools, or holistic strategies to strengthen the grid against catastrophic threats and hazards. Subject matter and technical expertise from GRNS committee members will help strengthen DOE plans and activities.

GRNS subcommittee members were selected from the EAC and the group will be chaired by Dr. Paul Stockton, Managing Director of Sonecon, LLC, and Robert M. Lee, founder and CEO of Dragos, Inc., a cyber-security firm that works closely with the electric utility industry to identify and manage threats. Dr. Stockton previously served as an Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs and Mr. Lee previously served in the U.S. Air Force and at the National Security Agency.

The EAC, a committee formed under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), comprises a wide range of energy industry experts who advise DOE on current and future electric grid resilience, security, reliability, sector interdependence, and policy issues of concern.