HR 5026 RFS
power system against such vulnerability. Before pro-
mulgating a rule or issuing an order under this 
paragraph, the Commission shall, to the extent prac-
ticable in light of the urgency of the need for action 
to address the grid security vulnerability, request 
and consider recommendations from the Electric Re-
liability Organization regarding such rule or order. 
The Commission may establish an appropriate dead-
line for the submission of such recommendations. 
‘‘(2) 
CERTAIN
EXISTING
CYBERSECURITY 
VULNERABILITIES.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Commis-
sion shall, after notice and opportunity for comment 
and after consultation with the Secretary, other ap-
propriate Federal agencies, and appropriate govern-
mental authorities in Canada and Mexico, promul-
gate a rule or issue an order requiring the imple-
mentation, by any owner, user, or operator of the 
bulk-power system in the United States, of such 
measures as are necessary to protect the bulk-power 
system against the vulnerabilities identified in the 
June 21, 2007, communication to certain ‘Electricity 
Sector Owners and Operators’ from the North 
American Electric Reliability Corporation, acting in 
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its capacity as the Electricity Sector Information 
and Analysis Center. 
‘‘(3) RESCISSION.—The Commission shall ap-
prove a reliability standard developed under section 
215 that addresses a grid security vulnerability that 
is the subject of a rule or order under paragraph (1) 
or (2), unless the Commission determines that such 
reliability standard does not adequately protect 
against such vulnerability or otherwise does not sat-
isfy the requirements of section 215. Upon such ap-
proval, the Commission shall rescind the rule pro-
mulgated or order issued under paragraph (1) or (2) 
addressing such vulnerability, effective upon the ef-
fective date of the newly approved reliability stand-
ard. 
‘‘(4) GEOMAGNETIC STORMS.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Commission shall, after notice and an opportunity 
for comment and after consultation with the Sec-
retary and other appropriate Federal agencies, issue 
an order directing the Electric Reliability Organiza-
tion to submit to the Commission for approval under 
section 215, not later than 1 year after the issuance 
of such order, reliability standards adequate to pro-
tect the bulk-power system from any reasonably 
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foreseeable geomagnetic storm event. The Commis-
sion’s order shall specify the nature and magnitude 
of the reasonably foreseeable events against which 
such standards must protect. Such standards shall 
appropriately balance the risks to the bulk-power 
system associated with such events, including any 
regional variation in such risks, and the costs of 
mitigating such risks. 
‘‘(5) LARGE
TRANSFORMER
AVAILABILITY.— 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Commission shall, after notice 
and an opportunity for comment and after consulta-
tion with the Secretary and other appropriate Fed-
eral agencies, issue an order directing the Electric 
Reliability Organization to submit to the Commis-
sion for approval under section 215, not later than 
1 year after the issuance of such order, reliability 
standards addressing availability of large trans-
formers. Such standards shall require entities that 
own or operate large transformers to ensure, individ-
ually or jointly, adequate availability of large trans-
formers to promptly restore the reliable operation of 
the bulk-power system in the event that any such 
transformer is destroyed or disabled as a result of 
a reasonably foreseeable physical or other attack or 
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