Bill passes through House, expediting the connection process for dispatchable power generation
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill named the GRID Power Act, with Rep. Troy Balderson, R-Ohio, serving as the bill's sponsor. This legislation aims to give dispatchable power plants priority in interconnection queues, a move intended to bolster grid reliability and resilience.
The GRID Power Act requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to review proposals from Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs) within 60 days. These proposals pertain to priority interconnection queue projects, with the RTOs and ISOs needing to demonstrate that the proposed projects will indeed enhance grid reliability and resilience.
Notable RTOs and ISOs that have submitted proposals under the GRID Power Act include PJM Interconnection, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), and California Independent System Operator (CAISO).
Under the GRID Power Act, FERC has 180 days to complete the rulemaking process to implement the legislation once it becomes law. If the immediate reliability need doesn't exist or can't be explained, and FERC isn't convinced of both the urgency and efficiency of the proposal, then queue prioritization doesn't take place.
The Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA), a trade group for power producers, supports the GRID Power Act. EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitcher stated that the bill does not represent a permanent barrier or level of discrimination against non-dispatchable projects.
However, not everyone is in agreement. The Sierra Club believes that the GRID Power Act, along with two other energy bills, would hamper efforts to build cleaner, more reliable energy sources, like wind and solar. Beyond Fossil Fuels Policy Director Mahyar Sorour stated that House Republicans are blocking clean energy progress and propping up dirty, expensive energy sources with the GRID Power Act.
It's important to note that the interconnection queue is currently overwhelmed, with projects waiting for years. However, no new facts were provided about the rulemaking process, timelines, or specific requirements of the GRID Power Act in the given paragraphs.
Moreover, Mahyar Sorour has expressed concerns about energy prices continuing to skyrocket as a result of Trump blocking clean energy investment. It remains to be seen how the GRID Power Act will impact these prices and the nation's energy landscape as a whole.
Sens. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Todd Young, R-Ind., have introduced a companion bill to the GRID Power Act in the Senate. The future of this bill and the GRID Power Act in the House remains uncertain, but the debate on energy policy and grid reliability continues to evolve.
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