Bill Overview
Title: GRID Act
Description: This bill gives the Department of Energy (DOE) the authority to address the vulnerability of critical defense facilities to electric energy supply disruptions. Specifically, DOE may enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with external providers of electric energy to (1) improve the resilience of defense critical electric infrastructure, or (2) reduce such vulnerability.
Sponsors: Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6]
Target Audience
Population: People reliant on critical defense facilities' electric infrastructure
Estimated Size: 500000
- The bill focuses on critical defense facilities, which are likely located in multiple countries where the US has strategic defense interests.
- The resilience and vulnerability of electric supply affect both military personnel and civilian personnel working at or near these defense facilities.
- Individuals living near these facilities may also be indirectly impacted by improved infrastructure resilience.
- Defense facilities have military personnel from different branches that could be affected by changes in infrastructure reliability.
Reasoning
- The GRID Act is targeting defense facilities, which implies a specialized target population including military personnel, civilians working in defense facilities, and communities near these facilities.
- Given the budget constraints, the policy might start by focusing on major facilities first before expanding to smaller ones.
- Residents near defense installations and defense facility workers are more directly impacted due to potential increased reliability of electricity and enhanced security measures.
- Considering that only a portion of defense personnel are stationed at vulnerable locations, the actual impact varies widely.
Simulated Interviews
Naval Officer (Norfolk, VA)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone who relies on the base's infrastructure, improving energy resilience is crucial.
- Power outages can disrupt operations and even affect living conditions on base.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Civilian contractor at a naval base (San Diego, CA)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The GRID Act could ensure my work doesn't get impacted by sudden outages.
- It's stressful to lose power during critical operations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Policy Analyst for Department of Defense (Washington D.C.)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- From a policy standpoint, ensuring infrastructure resilience directly improves national security.
- The GRID Act aligns with identified risks in current assessments.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired military (Colorado Springs, CO)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Although retired, I still get uneasy with frequent outages at the facility nearby.
- The GRID Act might improve our local infrastructure indirectly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Military engineer (El Paso, TX)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could mean more projects focused on sustainable energy solutions.
- There are challenges, but it has potential for positive impact.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Civilian administrative staff (Honolulu, HI)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having more reliable electricity can shift focus from emergency prep to other essential tasks.
- It’s crucial for our operational readiness.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Electrician working for military contracts (Jacksonville, FL)
Age: 41 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- There's a lot of work needed in upgrading military base infrastructure.
- The GRID Act can provide job security for contractors.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Researcher on military energy systems (Seattle, WA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It’s encouraging to see a policy acknowledging our research on infrastructure vulnerabilities.
- Implementation needs to be monitored closely.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired civilian contractor (Las Vegas, NV)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a retiree, I see every step towards infrastructure improvement as valuable.
- GRID Act seems to be a positive step.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Community member near air force base (Minot, ND)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Anything that improves grid reliability will help our community, especially during harsh winters.
- It is definitely needed in places like ours.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $750000000 (Low: $500000000, High: $1000000000)
Year 2: $700000000 (Low: $450000000, High: $950000000)
Year 3: $650000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $900000000)
Year 5: $600000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $850000000)
Year 10: $550000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $800000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Initial costs are high due to the need for customized infrastructure solutions at various global locations.
- Savings may take years to materialize fully, requiring patience and careful tracking of benefits.
- Potential political implications given the global footprint and involvement of international partners or contractors.