Senate approves bill to create Grid Resilience Committee for state power preparedness

The Senate passed first substitute House Bill 418 after a presentation by sponsor Senator Owens, who said the three-and-a-half-page measure establishes a Grid Resilience Committee and reporting duties aimed at protecting Utah's electricity system from wildfires, attacks or other disruptions.

Owens said the committee will improve coordination among utilities and energy-sector partners so that if one sector of the grid is interrupted the rest can respond quickly. He referenced recent extreme events in other states (the Texas power failures) as an example of what the committee seeks to prevent or mitigate.

There were no questions from senators on the floor after the sponsor's presentation; Owens waived summation and called the question. The roll-call vote recorded 26 Yea, 0 Nay, and 3 absent. The bill will be signed by the presiding officer and returned to the House for the speaker's signature.

Implementation will require the committee to produce reporting and coordinate across utilities, emergency responders and relevant state agencies.