Bill would renew up to $250 million for small utility cybersecurity help

What does this do?

The bill renews and updates a program created in the 2021 infrastructure law, run by the Department of Energy. It gives money and technical help so small and local utilities can buy and set up tools that detect and respond to cyberattacks, and it aims to bring more of them into programs that share information about cyber threats.

Who does it affect?

Rural electric cooperatives, city- or county-owned utilities, nonprofits that partner with at least six such utilities, and smaller investor-owned utilities selling less than 4 million megawatt hours a year could take part. Priority would go to utilities with limited cybersecurity resources, those with equipment important to main power grid reliability, and those serving key defense-related facilities.

Why does it matter?

Information that utilities share with the government through the program would be treated as voluntarily shared and would be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act and similar state, local, and tribal public records laws. Most residents would not notice the program directly, but customers of co-ops or municipal utilities could be affected if their provider gets support to strengthen defenses against cyberattacks that might cause outages.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• Up to $250 million
• Fiscal years 2027 through 2031
• Funding needs separate approval