SEC. 2. NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL STUDY ON THE RE-
SILIENCE AND RELIABILITY OF THE NA-
TION’S POWER GRID. 
(a) INDEPENDENT STUDY.—Not later than 60 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Homeland Security, and the heads of other departments 
and agencies, as necessary, shall enter into an agreement 
with the National Research Council to conduct research 
of the future resilience and reliability of the Nation’s elec-
tric power transmission and distribution system. The re-
search under this subsection shall be known as the ‘‘Sav-
ing More American Resources Today Study’’ or the 
‘‘SMART Study’’. In conducting such research, the Na-
tional Research Council shall— 
(1) research the options for improving the Na-
tion’s ability to expand and strengthen the capabili-
ties of the Nation’s power grid, including estimation 
of the cost, time scale for implementation, and iden-
tification of the scale and scope of any potential sig-
nificant health and environmental impacts; 
(2) consider the forces affecting the grid, in-
cluding technical, economic, regulatory, environ-
mental, and geopolitical factors, and how such forces 
are likely to affect— 
(A) the efficiency, control, reliability and 
robustness of operation; 
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(B) the ability of the grid to recover from 
disruptions, including natural disasters and ter-
rorist attacks; 
(C) the ability of the grid to incorporate 
greater reliance on distributed and intermittent 
power generation and electricity storage; 
(D) the ability of the grid to adapt to 
changing patterns of demand for electricity; and 
(E) the economic and regulatory factors 
affecting the evolution of the grid; 
(3) review Federal, State, industry, and aca-
demic research and development programs and iden-
tify technological options that could improve the fu-
ture grid; 
(4) review the implications of increased reliance 
on digital information and control of the power grid 
for improving reliability, resilience, and congestion 
and for potentially increasing vulnerability to cyber 
attack; 
(5) review regulatory, industry, and institu-
tional factors and programs affecting the future of 
the grid; 
(6) research the costs and benefits, as well as 
the strengths and weaknesses, of the options identi-
fied under paragraph (1) to address the emerging 
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forces described in paragraph (2) that are shaping 
the grid; 
(7) identify the barriers to realizing the options 
identified and suggest strategies for overcoming 
those barriers including suggested actions, priorities, 
incentives, and possible legislative and executive ac-
tions; and 
(8) research the ability of the grid to integrate 
existing and future infrastructure, including utilities, 
telecommunications lines, highways, and other crit-
ical infrastructure. 
(b) COOPERATION
AND ACCESS
TO INFORMATION 
AND PERSONNEL.—The Secretary shall ensure that the 
National Research Council receives full and timely co-
operation, including full access to information and per-
sonnel, from the Department of Homeland Security, the 
Department of Energy, including the management and op-
erating components of the Departments, and other Fed-
eral departments and agencies, as necessary, for the pur-
poses of conducting the study described in subsection (a). 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 
from the date on which the Secretary enters into the 
agreement with the National Research Council de-
scribed in subsection (a), the National Research 
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Council shall submit to the Secretary and the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report 
containing the findings of the research required by 
that subsection. 
(2) FORM OF REPORT.—The report under para-
graph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, 
but may include a classified annex. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Home-
land Security $2,100,000 to carry out this section. 
Æ 
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