Cybersecurity Policy Report, Bipartisan Senate Bill Seeks to Help Electric Grid Withstand Quantum-Powered Hacks, (Aug 14, 2026)
A bipartisan Senate bill unveiled today would require the federal government to help electric grid operators protect themselves from cyber attacks launched with the assistance of quantum computers.
The Quantum Grid Utility Assurance and Resilient Defense (Quantum-GUARD) Act (S.B. 5313, 119th Cong. (2026)) was introduced by Sens. Chris Coons (D., Del.) and Mike Rounds (R., S.D.).
“The Quantum-GUARD Act strengthens electric grid resilience by proactively addressing growing cybersecurity threats posed by advances in quantum computing,” the senators said in a summary of the bill.
“The bill directs relevant federal agencies to evaluate quantum-related cybersecurity risks, help electric utilities transition to post-quantum cryptography (PQC), and improve coordination between grid operators, cybersecurity experts, and government partners,” the summary explains.
Quantum computers will be able to overcome traditional data encryption techniques and cyber defenses, giving hackers a powerful new tool. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has approved three post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standards that are expected to protect data from quantum computers, and nine other PQC standards are under review (CPR, May 15).
But electric utilities “face unique challenges in adopting these new standards,” Sens. Coons and Rounds noted in a news release.
Their bill would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which adopts cybersecurity standards for the bulk power system, to consider quantum technology in future standards-setting, according to its text.
It would also direct the Department of Energy’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response to create a “sandbox” environment for electric sector stakeholders to collaborate and test various PQC deployment scenarios.
“Quantum computing has the potential to create new economic opportunities, but it also presents tremendous cybersecurity risks. We need to make sure essential infrastructure like our electrical grid is secured against this coming wave of quantum cyber threats,” Sen. Coons said.
“As the technology races forward and our adversaries continue to seek vulnerabilities in our critical systems, we need to pass the Quantum-GUARD Act to ensure our government is using every available tool to meet this threat,” he added.
“As advances in quantum computing increase cybersecurity threats to the United States, we must continue to strengthen protections for our nation’s most sensitive data,” Sen. Rounds said. “I’m pleased to be co-leading the Quantum-GUARD Act, which will codify parts of President Trump’s executive order regarding advanced cryptographic attacks and support our electrical grid’s transition to post-quantum cryptography.”
The bill was endorsed by several organizations involved in quantum and cyber technologies.
“Quantum computing may seem like science fiction, but it’s only a matter of time before an operationally relevant quantum computer arrives,” said Michael Daniel, president and chief executive officer of the Cyber Threat Alliance and a former White House cybersecurity coordinator.
“Prompting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to consider the reliability risks associated with quantum computing and directing the Department of Energy to create a sandbox to test technology and implementation strategies against quantum capabilities are good steps to take,” Mr. Daniel said.
“Quantum computing will bring great benefits, but it also creates cybersecurity risk. Post-quantum cryptography will help ensure that our nation’s power grids are resistant to quantum attack,” said Paul Stimers, executive director of the Quantum Industry Coalition. “The Quantum Industry Coalition supports the Quantum-GUARD Act and thanks Senators Coons and Rounds for their leadership in introducing it.”
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