CESER Ensures the Energy Sector is Prepared for When Communication Matters Most
Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response
September 1, 2026
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The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), in collaboration with Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC), invite electricity owners and operators across America to participate in the Resilient Communications Drill–an exercise to help them better understand the resilience of their emergency communication systems. This year’s drill is scheduled for engagement Sept. 1–30, 2026 which coincides and is in support of National Preparedness Month.
The Resilient Communications Drill is self-planned and open to all interested organizations. The intent is for organizations to test and evaluate their ability to effectively operate and connect via their resilient communication systems to another critical response partner organization. The drill also offers an opportunity for organizations to review their plans and leverage their PACE (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency) communications model.
CESER developed the Resilient Communications Drill based on lessons learned from the E-ISAC’s GridEx and CESER’s Clear Path exercises, both resilience-focused events designed to strengthen the energy sector's ability to respond to and recover from major disruptive incidents. Determined to improve energy system resilience for American communities and national security, CESER used the following recommendations as the spark to make an impact:
- Improve Coordination: Partners should update and streamline their communication procedures to ensure they can stay successfully connected during a major emergency.
- Ensure Infrastructure Redundancy: Leaders across all critical infrastructure sectors should adopt compatible (interoperable) communication systems and establish backup methods to prevent service failures.
- Enhance Emergency Testing: Organizations should conduct communication drills specifically focused on backup and emergency plans that follow the PACE framework.
Where to Start
Participants can download the Resilient Communications Drill Participant Guide starting Sept. 1, 2026. The guidebook provides step-by-step instructions for drill conduct, as well as references and examples of systems organizations may identify for their PACE models.
Drill Conduct
Participants are requested to contact at least two other organizations at an agreed upon time within the month of September. No scenario discussion is necessary, and the average drill should last about 15 minutes.
CESER is confident the Resilient Communications Drill will bring partners together to validate processes and plans, identify improvements, and strengthen relationships before a real-world emergency occurs. A resilient emergency plan is about more than protecting systems. It’s about ensuring the people and organizations responsible for those systems are still able to provide their services under pressure.
Want to know more about how DOE and utilities are building a more secure energy future?
Contact Brian Marko, Senior Advisor for Incident Response, at brian.marko@hq.doe.gov for more specific information on CESER’s Energy Sector Exercises program.