IN WAN BUR IM NC Utor || Tilig- heave RPh Nop a Gol aCe] Surviving a Catastrophic Power Outage How to Strengthen the Capabilities of the Nation December 2018 DRAFTCatastrophic Power Outage Study Table of Contents Executive Summaty.. Introduction: What the Nation Faces . Recommendations and Supporting Findings.. ‘Moving Forward: A Call to Action Appendix ‘cknowledgements.. tudy Methodology .. efinitions to Frame the Study... Appendix Appendix Appendix D: Government Authorities, Processes, and Roles.... Appendix Sector Interdependencies. Appendix F: Individual and Community Preparedness Efforts. Appendix G: Lessons Learned from 2017 Disasters... Appendix H: References. About the NIAC ‘The President’s National infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) is composed of senior executives from industry and state and local government who own and operate the critical infrastructure essential to modern life. The Council was established by executive order in October 2001 to advise the President on practical strategies for industry and government to reduce complex risks to the designated critical infrastructure sectors. At the President's request, NIAC members conduct in-depth studies on physical and cyber risks to critical infrastructure and recommend solutions that reduce risks and improve security and resilience. Members draw upon their deep experience, engage national experts, and conduct extensive research to discern the key insights that lead to practical federal solutions to complex problems. For more information on the NIAC and its work, please vist https://www.dhs.gov/nationab infrastructure: advisory-counci NIAC fine ce), —&£&@ 2Catastrophic Power Outage Study Executive Summary The nation has steadily improved its ability to respond to major disasters and the power outages that often result. But increasing threats—whether severe natural disasters, cyber-physical attacks, electromagnetic events, or some combination—present new challenges for protecting the national power grid and recovering quickly from a catastrophic power outage. The President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) was tasked to examine the nation’s ability to respond to and recover from a catastrophic power outage of a magnitude beyond modern experience, exceeding prior events in severity, scale, duration, and consequence. Simply put, how can the nation best prepare for and recover from a catastrophic power outage, regardless of the cause? After interviews with dozens of senior leaders and What isa catastrophic power outage? experts and an extensive review of studies and statutes, + Events beyond modern experience that ‘we found that existing national plans, response exhaust or exceed mutual aid capabilities resources, and coordination strategies would be ‘+ Likely 0 be no-notice or limited-natice events ‘outmatched by a catastrophic power outage. This that could be complicated by a cyber physical attack ‘+ Long duration, lasting several weeks to ‘months due to physical infrastructure damage profound risk requires a new national focus. Significant public and private action is needed to prepare for and recover from a catastrophic outage that could leave the large parts of the nation without power for weeks or «Affects abroad geographicarea, covering months, and cause service failures in other sectors— atninte area around aeeearore including water and wastewater, communications, afmilions ef people transportation, healthcare, and financial services—that Causes severe cascading impacts that force are critical to public health and safety and our national critical sectors—drinking water and and economic security wastewater systems, communications, transportation, healthcare, and financial ; services—to operate ina degraded state Recommendations me 3 The United states should respond to this problem in two overarching ways: 1) design a national approach to prepare for, respond.to, and recover from catastrophic power outages that provides the federal guidance, resources, and incentives needed to take action across all levels of government and industry and down to ‘communities and individuals; and 2) improve our understanding of how cascading failures across critical infrastructure will affect restoration and survival There are a number of ongoing initiatives in both the public and private sector that are in line with our recommendations. We urge the continued advancement of these initiatives in conjunction with our recommendations. The NIAC was challenged to examine events that are beyond our nation’s experience, yet would impact nearly every jurisdiction, industry, and citizen, The solutions we identified will require strong public-private collaboration—as the NIAC has recommended previously—to address the scale and significance of catastrophic power outages. NIAC fine ce), —&=£@ 3