Reliable Power Act
Reliable Power Act
Plain Language Summary
# Reliable Power Act Summary **What It Does:** The Reliable Power Act requires the nation's electric reliability organization (NERC) to conduct yearly assessments of whether the U.S. electrical grid has enough power generation capacity to meet demand reliably. If NERC determines the system is at risk, it must alert the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC would then notify other federal agencies including the Department of Energy and EPA.
The bill creates a review process where federal agencies must explain how their energy regulations affect power generation before those rules become final. **Who It Affects:** This bill affects electricity providers, power generators, federal regulators, and ultimately consumers who depend on reliable electricity. It could impact environmental and energy regulations from multiple federal agencies by adding a reliability review step before finalization. **Current Status:** The bill passed the House of Representatives. It now moves to the Senate for consideration. The legislation addresses concerns about maintaining grid stability as the nation's energy sources continue to evolve, though supporters and critics differ on whether these oversight measures will help or hinder the transition to clean energy sources.
CRS Official Summary
Reliable Power ActThis bill directs the electric reliability organization (i.e., the North American Electric Reliability Corporation) to conduct annual long-term assessments of the reliability of electric power in the bulk-power system. It also establishes a process for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to review federal regulations before they are finalized if the electric reliability organization finds that the system is at risk of not having sufficient electric generation to maintain reliability.If the electric reliability organization finds that the system does not have sufficient generation to maintain reliability, it must notify FERC that the bulk-power system is in a state of generation inadequacy. FERC must then notify the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and any other appropriate federal agencies of the generation inadequacy. Upon receiving the notice, the federal agency must provide proposed regulations that affect any generation resource in the bulk-power system to FERC for review and comment. If applicable, FERC must provide recommendations to modify the regulations. Federal agencies may not finalize such a regulation until FERC finds that it will not be likely to have a significant negative impact on the ability of the bulk-power system to supply sufficient electric energy necessary to maintain an adequate level of reliability.
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.