The health, safety, and economic security of our communities and businesses are highly dependent on a reliable supply of energy—including electricity, natural gas, and liquid fuels. When the lights go out or the fuel stops flowing, societal and economic impacts are immediate and can cascade over time. As states increasingly face a wide range of threats to energy systems—including storms, natural disasters, physical attacks, and cybersecurity threats—Governors are preparing to quickly respond to those emergencies, coordinate recovery, and facilitate energy restoration.
An energy emergency can occur on day one of a Governor or Utility Regulator’s terms — and those leaders are crucial to their state’s response and recovery from energy emergencies. With this in mind, the National Governors Association (NGA) and National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), with support from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (DOE CESER), hosted a three-day training in Kansas City, Missouri, to prepare state leaders for the eventuality of a major energy disruption. Over 75 attendees, including Governors’ staff, utility regulators, senior…
