Electric infrastructure security measure updated

Senators passed a bill Feb. 21 aimed at safeguarding electric infrastructure near sensitive military installations in Nebraska.

Electric suppliers must provide written notice to the Nebraska Power Review Board before beginning construction of or acquiring certain electric generation facilities or transmission lines located within a 10-mile radius of a military installation.

Previously, the notice certified that the infrastructure contains no materials, electronics or other components manufactured by a foreign adversary as determined by federal regulations.

LB43, sponsored by Niobrara Sen. Barry DeKay, ensures that the requirement applies only to “electronic-related” equipment and components in electric infrastructure located near Offutt Air Force Base and ballistic missile silos in western Nebraska.

The bill requires an electric supplier, in consultation with its vendors, to submit a one-time written notice to the board certifying that the applicable facilities are continually in compliance with the bill’s requirements. A supplier must submit further notice any time a facility no longer is in compliance.

Finally, the measure allows a supplier to use the otherwise prohibited equipment or components if the board preapproves their use under certain conditions.

Similar requirements apply to owners of privately developed renewable energy generation facilities.

Lawmakers voted 48-0 to pass LB43. The bill takes effect immediately.