Emergency Support Function (ESF) #12 is a construct established within the National Response Framework. ESF #12 is designed to bundle and manage the resources required to support energy infrastructure systems, and public and private services and resources. The purpose of an Emergency Support Function is to unify the community and coordinate capabilities, services, technical assistance, and engineering expertise during disasters and incidents that require a coordinated Federal Response. Under ESF #12, U.S. DOE works with local, state, tribal, territorial, and Federal Government entities; nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); and the private sector to prepare for and respond to these potential incidents or disasters.
EXTERNAL LINK TO AUTHORITY
Emergency Support Function #12 – Energy Annex
This support is a community-wide responsibility; however, U.S. DOE acts as the coordinating agency under ESF #12. To effectively operate in this capacity, CESER identifies and prioritizes critical energy infrastructure nationwide. This knowledge allows for efficient and effective utilization of resources in the event of an emergency.
CESER also is the coordination and information-sharing leader and takes an active role in working with the private sector, as well as state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. In the event of an emergency, whether natural or man-made, CESER produces timely and accurate situation reports, which these entities rely on to direct response efforts.
The coordination of crucial Energy Sector emergency mitigation activities falls within CESER’s authority. CESER may deploy to state, local, or tribal governmental centers to assist in identifying interdependencies and the cascading impact of emergency events across other jurisdictions and critical sectors. When an event occurs, CESER works with owners in the Energy Sector to stabilize and restore normal operations across the energy grid. CESER also works to facilitate timely restoration via efficient coordination and utilization of Federal resources.