Assisting State Security in Energy Together (ASSET)

Protecting the energy security of our nation through state energy security plan review, technical assistance, and collaboration

Energy experts at PNNL are helping 56 states and territories deliver their state energy security plans (SESPs) through a transparent and collaborative review process.

Energy experts at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) helped 56 states and territories deliver their State Energy Security Plans (SESPs) through a transparent, collaborative, and annual review process, monthly technical cohorts on advanced risk assessment and risk mitigation, and direct technical assistance.

The ASSET program is funded by the Department of Energy (DOE)’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) and executed in partnership with the National Association of State Energy Officials. CESER has a broad mission space to advance energy security of the nation. This work is designed to support state, local, territorial and tribal energy security efforts, including risk assessment, mitigation, and resilience. CESER provides a wealth of resources to states in energy security planning, available online.

ASSET Graphic State Energy Security Plan Element by Element Logic Revised — All of the elements are informed by element 6 , stakeholder interaction, regional and tribal coordination, and mutual aid.

What are state energy security plans?

State and territorial energy security plans serve as critical playbooks for state and territory governments to assess and enhance their energy resilience and security, which are vital for their prosperity and economic stability. Across six elements, energy security plans must outline their energy landscape across all energy systems, including petroleum, natural gas, and electric systems. They must evaluate threats, hazards, and vulnerabilities to critical energy infrastructure, assess risks, and outline a mitigation approach to address risks specifically to energy systems.

How PNNL is partnering with states

PNNL has developed a comprehensive, yet flexible review approach to help states and territories navigate Congressional requirements. In addition to reviewing SESPs, PNNL:

Documented best practices and lessons learned for energy security planning.
Communicated review outcomes and recommendations tailored to each state and territory.
Advised cohorts around technical topics and common challenges.
Provided technical assistance to states as directed by DOE.

Building on the work completed between 2023 and 2025, PNNL has several efforts underway, including: