Transmission and distribution infrastructure will be the focus of the first Quadrennial Energy Review President Obama directed his administration to conduct.

Obama set up the panel to study the U.S. energy strategy and report to the president every four years in a memorandum Thursday, the White House said in a release.

Building on a foundation provided in Obama's Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future and his Climate Action Plan, the first review will study opportunities and challenges the nation's energy infrastructure faces as a result of changes in energy supply, markets and use; aging infrastructure and capacity, impacts of climate change, and cyber and physical threats, the White House said in a release.

The Quadrennial Energy Review will be led by leaders of the White House Domestic Policy Council and Office of Science and Technology Policy, and include members of "relevant executive departments and agencies," the White House said. Also participating will be representatives from the private sector, local and tribal governments, labor, business, non-governmental organizations and the academic community.

The White House said the Quadrennial Energy Review will provide "rigorous analysis in a focused, actionable document for policymakers across all sectors."