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”.
Guaranteeing Reliability through the Interconnection of Dispatchable Power Act
A BILL
To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform the interconnection queue process for the prioritization and approval of certain projects.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act:
Commission— The term Commission means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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).
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.
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
In general— Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall initiate a rulemaking—
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
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)—
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
to require transmission providers to—
provide in any proposal described in subparagraph (A)—
a demonstration of need for prioritization of the relevant projects; and
a description of how the prioritization of such projects will improve grid reliability or grid resilience;
provide a process for public comment and stakeholder engagement before such a proposal is submitted to the Commission; and
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.
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.
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).
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.