The health, well-being, and operational efficiency of America's socio-economic structures hinge on the stability of its energy supply. As identified by Presidential Policy Directive 21, the Energy Sector has a distinctive importance due to its ability to facilitate functions across all critical infrastructure sectors. Private sector ownership accounts for over 80 percent of the energy infrastructure, offering essential fuels to various industries such as domestic heating, vehicular transportation, and commercial power.
The Energy Sector's importance extends beyond self-sustenance due to industries' reliance on electric power and fuel across the board. However, it has also shown resilience in acknowledging its vulnerabilities and increasing planning and preparedness. This has been facilitated by cooperative efforts within industry groups resulting in extensive information sharing and implementation of best practices. Sector owners and operators have considerable international experience in infrastructure protection, with cyber security recently becoming a primary focus.
The energy structure in the U.S. is composed of three closely linked segments: electricity, oil, and natural gas.
This segment encompasses more than 6,413 power plants inclusive of 3,273 traditional electric utilities and 1,738 non-utility power producers, collectively offering about 1,075 gigawatts of installed generation. Its power sources are distributed as follows: about 48 percent from coal combustion, 20 percent from nuclear power plants, and 22 percent from natural gas combustion. The remainder is derived from hydroelectric plants (6 percent), oil (1 percent), and renewable sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy (3 percent).
The optimal distribution of oil and gas products relies heavily on pipelines, thus highlighting the interdependency between Energy and the Transportation Systems Sector.
Contact Arizona InfraGardArizona InfraGard
PO Box 16174
Phoenix, AZ 85011-6174
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