High-Capacity Grid Act

Julie Fedorchak

Republican · ND · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

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Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 723.

2026-09-14

Source: Congress.gov

High-Capacity Grid Act This bill requires public electric utilities to use the best-available transmission conductor for certain interstate transmission lines (i.e., power lines) in order to recover the costs of the conductor through consumers' electric bills. Specifically, in any filing seeking to recover the costs of a transmission conductor for the transmission line and in any proceeding to determine if the costs may be recovered through rates, the bill directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to presume that (1) the use of a best-available transmission conductor is a prudent practice and that the associated costs are just and reasonable, and (2) the use of a transmission conductor that is not a best-available transmission conductor is not prudent and that the associated costs are not just and reasonable. A best-available transmission conductor is a conductor that (1) provides the greatest feasible and commercially available energy-carrying capacity at a given voltage level, (2) provides the highest feasible and commercially available electrical efficiency at that voltage level, and (3) mitigates thermal sag (drooping of power lines) at the maximum rated transmission-carrying capacity of the facility. The bill applies to projects to (1) construct new transmission facilities; or (2) modify, upgrade, or replace an existing transmission line.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 6633 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 6633 To establish a best-available transmission conductor standard for certain transmission projects under the Federal Power Act and to provide for presumptions regarding cost recovery for such conductors. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 11, 2025 Mrs. Fedorchak introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To establish a best-available transmission conductor standard for certain transmission projects under the Federal Power Act and to provide for presumptions regarding cost recovery for such conductors. 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 ``High-Capacity Grid Act''. SEC. 2. BEST-AVAILABLE TRANSMISSION CONDUCTOR STANDARD. Section 205 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824d) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(h) Best-Available Transmission Conductor Standard.-- ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection: ``(A) Best-available transmission conductor.--The term `best-available transmission conductor' means a transmission conductor that, as determined by the Commission by rule under paragraph (5)-- ``(i) provides the greatest feasible and commercially available energy-carrying capacity at a given voltage level; ``(ii) provides the highest feasible and commercially available electrical efficiency at that voltage level; and ``(iii) mitigates thermal sag at the maximum rated transmission-carrying capacity of the facility. ``(B) Covered project.--The term `covered project' means-- ``(i) the construction of a new transmission facility subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission under section 201(b); and ``(ii) any modification, upgrade, replacement, or reconductoring of an existing transmission line subject to such jurisdiction. ``(2) Presumption of prudence for best-available transmission conductors.--In any filing seeking to recover the cost of a transmission conductor for a covered project, and in any proceeding to determine whether such cost may be recovered through rates, the Commission shall presume that the use of a best-available transmission conductor is a prudent practice and that the associated costs are just and reasonable. ``(3) Presumption against recovery of costs for non-best- available conductors.--In any filing seeking to recover the cost of a transmission conductor for a covered project, and in any proceeding to determine whether such cost may be recovered through rates, the Commission shall presume that the use of a transmission conductor that is not a best-available transmission conductor is not prudent and that the associated costs are not just and reasonable. ``(4) Applicability.--The requirements of this subsection apply only to public utilities and only with respect to covered projects that are subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission under section 201(b). ``(5) Rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Commission shall promulgate regulations to implement this subsection. In promulgating such regulations, the Commission shall-- ``(A) establish a methodology for determining whether a transmission conductor is a best-available transmission conductor for purposes of this subsection; ``(B) ensure that such methodology is consistent with the criteria set forth in paragraph (1)(A); and ``(C) provide for periodic review and updating of the methodology to reflect improvements in technology, materials, and system performance.''. <all>

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