[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9801 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9801
To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform the
interconnection queue process for the prioritization and approval of
certain projects.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 25, 2024
Mr. Balderson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
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A BILL
To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform the
interconnection queue process for the prioritization and approval of
certain projects.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Guaranteeing Reliability through the
Interconnection of Dispatchable Power Act'' or the ``GRID Power Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission.
(2) Dispatchable power.--The term ``dispatchable power''
means an electric energy generation resource capable of quickly
ramping up or shutting down in time intervals necessary to
ensure grid reliability.
(3) Grid reliability.--The term ``grid reliability'' means
the ability of the electric grid to deliver electricity in the
quantity and with the quality demanded by users, taking into
account the bulk-power system's capacity to withstand and
rapidly recover from unexpected disturbances resulting from
generation supply and demand.
(4) Grid resilience.--The term ``grid resilience'' means
the ability of the electric grid to adapt to changing physical
conditions and withstand and rapidly recover from disturbances,
including natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and other
unforeseen events.
(5) Independent system operator.--The term ``Independent
System Operator'' has the meaning given the term in section 3
of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 796).
(6) Regional transmission organization.--The term
``Regional Transmission Organization'' has the meaning given
the term in section 3 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 796).
(7) Resource adequacy.--The term ``resource adequacy''
means the ability of the electric grid to meet the aggregate
demand for electric energy of users at all times, accounting
for scheduled and unscheduled outages of bulk-power system
components.
(8) Transmission provider.--The term ``transmission
provider'' means a public utility (as defined in section 201(e)
of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824(e))) that owns,
operates, or controls 1 or more transmission facilities and
includes Independent System Operators and Regional Transmission
Organizations.
SEC. 3. RULEMAKING TO IMPROVE INTERCONNECTION QUEUE FLEXIBILITY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Commission shall initiate a rulemaking--
(1) to address the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness of
existing procedures for processing interconnection requests to
ensure that new dispatchable power projects that improve grid
reliability and resource adequacy can interconnect to the
electric grid quickly, cost-effectively, and reliably; and
(2) to amend the pro forma Large Generator Interconnection
Procedures and, as appropriate, the pro forma Large Generator
Interconnection Agreement, promulgated pursuant to section
35.28(f) of title 18, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor
regulations)--
(A) to authorize transmission providers to submit
proposals to the Commission to adjust the
interconnection queue of the transmission provider to
prioritize new dispatchable power projects that will
improve grid reliability and resource adequacy by
assigning such projects higher positions in the
interconnection queue; and
(B) to require transmission providers to--
(i) provide in any proposal described in
subparagraph (A)--
(I) a demonstration of need for
prioritization of the relevant
projects; and
(II) a description of how the
prioritization of such projects will
improve grid reliability or grid
resilience;
(ii) provide a process for public comment
and stakeholder engagement before such a
proposal is submitted to the Commission; and
(iii) provide regular reporting to the
Commission on the state of grid reliability and
grid resilience, including reporting on any
actions taken pursuant to this Act.
(b) Commission Approval.--The Commission shall review and approve
or deny proposals submitted pursuant to subsection (a)(2) within 60
days to ensure timely responses to grid reliability concerns.
(c) Deadline for Final Rule.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue final
regulations to complete the rulemaking initiated under subsection (a).
(d) Periodic Review.--The Commission shall review and update the
regulations issued under this section, if necessary, every 5 years to
ensure such regulations remain effective and relevant to evolving grid
reliability and grid resilience challenges.
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