The Department of Energy runs a program that helps energy companies defend against cyberattacks by sharing threat intelligence between government and industry. This bill reauthorizes and significantly expands that program through 2031 by establishing an Energy Threat Analysis Center — a dedicated hub where classified and unclassified threat data can be analyzed and shared in real time between government analysts and energy sector partners. The center would enable coordinated identification of vulnerabilities and active defenses before attacks cause outages to the national grid. To speed up operations, the Secretary of Energy can use fast-track, pre-approved contracting tools typically reserved for national security work to establish partnerships quickly.
Transparency & Accountability
- FOIA disclosure scope — Information shared under the program exempt from federal and all state open-records laws, withheld without discretion
- Federal Advisory Committee Act applicability — Program excluded from FACA, removing public meeting and balanced-membership requirements for government-industry collaboration
- Judicial review of assistance decisions — Secretary's provision of program assistance made unreviewable by courts
Congressional Summary
Energy Threat Analysis Center Act of 2026This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 and expands the pilot Energy Sector Operational Support for Cyber Resilience Program of the Department of Energy (DOE). The program aims to protect energy infrastructure through collaboration between the federal government and the energy sector and enhancing DOE’s emergency response capabilities.Specifically, the bill expands the program objectives to include enhancing collaboration between the government and the energy sector to address threats to energy systems,advancing the collective understanding of national security risks and vulnerabilities associated with the energy sector that may be exploited by adversaries, andhelping the energy sector increase its understanding of tactics of adversaries that present risks to the energy sector.The bill allows DOE to establish an Energy Threat Analysis Center at one or more physical locations for program activities.The bill also eliminates technical assistance provided under the program to small electric utilities.Under the bill, the decision to provide assistance or information under the program to a governmental or private entity is at the sole discretion of the Secretary of Energy and is unreviewable.The bill authorizes the Secretary to (1) enter into and perform contracts, grants, and other transactions with public agencies, private organizations, and persons to carry out the program; and (2) establish and utilize preapproved national security contracting mechanisms, model partnership agreements, and expedited review procedures for purposes of entering into such transactions.In addition, the bill exempts the program from certain public disclosure and other transparency requirements.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Reported to House
- Action Date
- 2026-05-12
- Date Added
- 2026-06-26
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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