The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is required to supervise and administer energy-related activities and advise the Governor and the Legislature with respect to energy matters affecting the state.  Among other energy-related duties, Commerce must prepare and update contingency plans for implementation in the event of energy shortages or emergencies.  An energy emergency is a situation in which the unavailability or disruption of the supply of energy poses a clear and foreseeable danger to public health, safety, and general welfare.  The contingency plans must include procedures for determining when these shortages or emergencies exist, the state officers and agencies to participate in the determination, and actions to be taken by various agencies and officers of state government in order to reduce hardship and maintain the general welfare during these emergencies.  The components of plans that require legislation for their implementation must be presented to the Legislature in the form of proposed legislation at the earliest practicable date.

The energy shortage and emergency contingency plans that Commerce prepares and updates are all-hazard contingency plans.  The plans must include analysis of human, natural, and cybersecurity hazards.