Oregon Department of Energy Publishes New Energy Security Plan that Assesses Threats and Identifies Actions to Strengthen State’s Energy Security
SALEM – Just in time for National Preparedness Month to wrap up, the Oregon Department of Energy has published a new Oregon Energy Security Plan that outlines the state’s current energy infrastructure, quantifies threats and hazards that cause energy insecurity, and identifies potential measures the state and its partners can implement to manage risk and strengthen Oregon’s energy security.
The energy sector — including electricity, liquid fuels, and natural gas — is vital to the health, well-being, safety, economy, and way of life for Oregonians. A disruption to Oregon’s energy infrastructure can directly affect the security and resilience of other necessary systems, such as public health and healthcare, water and wastewater treatment, education, emergency response, and many others. The Energy Security Plan analyzes natural hazards and human-made risks, including cyber-security and physical attacks on infrastructure. The plan makes it clear that a statewide, collaborative approach to assessing threats, reducing risk, and improving energy security is vital.
Included in the plan is a new risk assessment of Oregon’s energy systems. The assessment finds that of the natural, cyber, and physical hazards evaluated, the highest vulnerability to hazards is associated with a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, wildfires, windstorms, and winter storms. Earthquake vulnerabilities are highest in the western parts of Oregon, while other hazards and vulnerabilities are spread across the state.
“Oregon has seen first-hand how extreme weather and wildfires can affect the state’s energy systems,” said ODOE Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness Assistant Director Maxwell Woods. “In January, more than half a million Oregonians were without power following a major winter storm, and icy roads limited fuel delivery. A state-supported effort at improving our energy security can help Oregon strengthen preparedness for the next hazard, better withstand the next impact, and reduce our recovery time.”
In addition to continuing the strong energy emergency planning and response collaboration among Tribal Nations, energy industries, utilities, and federal, state, and local governments, the plan outlines a set of recommended mitigation measures for addressing risks to the energy sector. Redundancy, hardening, upgrading, and weatherizing are the most recommended physical measures to mitigate vulnerabilities. For example, a fuel storage analysis in the plan evaluates fuel storage locations in “population islands” in Oregon. Population islands are areas predicted to become isolated from road access following a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. A new geospatial Fuel Site Screening Tool can assess the viability of existing fuel storage sites as potential candidates for fuel diversification and increased storage. The tool considers hazard areas, proximity to lifeline routes or rail systems, storage capacity and fuel type, and other characteristics.
The Oregon Energy Security Plan was developed following direction from the Oregon Legislature and Congress, with technical and financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy, and in collaboration with the Oregon Public Utility Commission and other government and private sector partners. Contractor support was provided by CNA and Haley & Aldrich. The Oregon Department of Energy will continue statewide coordination efforts through its energy security program staff and regular reviews, revisions, and updates to the Energy Security Plan.