ODOE Updates Oregon Energy Security Plan
September is National Preparedness Month, which means there’s no better time for the Oregon Department of Energy to publish an updated Oregon Energy Security Plan. Originally published in 2024, the plan outlines the state’s 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 plan is meant to be a living document, with regular updates to ensure it remains relevant to Oregon’s energy security needs. The 2025 update includes additional information on interdependencies across energy sectors as well as important policy connections to the forthcoming Oregon Energy Strategy.
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. As is noted in the 2025 plan, it is increasingly vital that all parties involved in Oregon’s energy ecosystem work together to meet our state’s energy needs while taking into account Oregon’s important greenhouse gas reduction goals.
Included in the 2024 plan and carried through to the 2025 edition is a 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. The 2025 edition also includes additional information related to new emerging risks, including rapidly rising electricity demand.
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, as well as improved coordination and planning between energy sectors, and with critical infrastructure and lifeline systems owners. For government and select energy sector partners, a 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.
ODOE expects to publish its next plan update in 2026, with refreshed data and analysis, and developed with input from energy partners. Learn more on ODOE’s website and sign up for future email updates.