Unlike traditional "centralized" systems, distributed energy relies on small power-generating technologies like solar panels or ultra-efficient natural-gas turbines built near the point of energy consumption to supplement or displace grid-distributed electricity.
Grid architectures are designed to work around single-point failures, but in the 1989 event there were 15 major failures in a few seconds across the regional grid, and that was more than the system could cope with.
As a consequence, we are now able to talk seriously about grid parity of solar resources, and sun-drenched Spain has gotten to the point that utility-scale programs can be envisioned without subsidies.
Section 248 leaves the responsibility of securing the power grid in the hands of the same owner-operators who have failed to harden their networks up to this point.