Advancing GETs Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2703
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Energy
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-04-08: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-17T09:06:07Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Advancing Grid-Enhancing Technologies Act of 2025 (H.R. 2703) aims to promote the adoption of grid-enhancing technologies (GETs)—tools like hardware or software that improve the electric grid's capacity, efficiency, reliability, and safety—by creating financial incentives, requiring better data reporting on grid congestion, and providing guidance for implementation. This is intended to modernize the U.S. transmission system more quickly and cost-effectively than building entirely new infrastructure.
Key Provisions
- Definitions:
- "Commission" refers to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the agency that oversees interstate electricity transmission.
- "Grid-enhancing technology" includes any add-on hardware or software that boosts grid performance, such as by providing better operator control, efficiency, or power transfer capacity, without replacing existing transmission lines or equipment.
- "Secretary" refers to the Secretary of Energy, who leads the Department of Energy (DOE).
- Shared Savings Incentive for GETs (Section 3):
- FERC must issue a final rule within 18 months to create an incentive under the Federal Power Act, returning 10-25% of cost savings from GET investments to the developer (the entity paying for installation).
- The percentage is fixed across all eligible projects (not decided case-by-case) and paid out over 3 years.
- Eligibility applies to new GET installations on both existing and new transmission facilities, but only if projected savings over 3 years are at least 4 times the investment cost (including permitting, installation, and purchase expenses).
- Exclusions: Does not apply to GETs already installed before enactment; FERC must include consumer protections (e.g., ensuring ratepayers are not overcharged).
- Review: FERC will evaluate the incentive's effectiveness 7-10 years after establishment, considering alignment with FERC's Order No. 1920 (a 2024 rule requiring long-term grid planning that includes GETs), and decide whether to keep, revise, or end it, with public input.
- Congestion Reporting (Section 4):
- Starting 1 year after FERC's rule (due within 18 months), all transmission operators must submit annual reports to FERC on congestion costs (delays or bottlenecks in power flow that raise expenses), focusing on constraints causing over $500,000 in costs.
- Reports must detail causes (e.g., physical issues or temporary disruptions), limiting factors (e.g., equipment ratings), and planned upgrades.
- FERC will create a standard way to measure and report this data.
- FERC and DOE will analyze the data jointly or separately, produce an annual public map of congestion costs across the grid, and publish all data on their websites.
- GET Application Guide (Section 5):
- DOE must create a guide within 18 months for utilities and developers on applying GETs, updated yearly.
- On request, DOE provides technical assistance and maintains a "clearinghouse" database of past GET projects to share solutions and challenges.
- Funding: Authorizes $5 million for fiscal year 2025 and $1 million annually from 2026-2036.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Activates an underused provision in the Federal Power Act (Section 219(b)(3)) that allows incentives for transmission investments but has not been fully implemented for GETs.
- Introduces mandatory annual congestion reporting and a standardized metric, which did not previously exist in such detail, building on but expanding FERC's Order No. 1920 (which mandates considering GETs in planning but lacks specific incentives or data requirements).
- Adds new DOE responsibilities for guidance and assistance, with dedicated funding, to support GET deployment beyond current voluntary programs.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: FERC and DOE face new rulemaking, reporting oversight, analysis, and technical support duties, potentially increasing workloads but with authorized funding for DOE. This could streamline grid planning and reduce long-term regulatory burdens by encouraging efficient upgrades.
- Citizens: May lead to lower electricity bills through reduced congestion costs and more reliable power supply, as GETs optimize existing infrastructure. Enhanced grid resilience could minimize outages from weather or demand spikes, benefiting consumers in all regions.
- International Relations: Minimal direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. grid improvements; however, it could indirectly support U.S. energy exports or clean energy goals in global climate efforts by making the grid more capable of handling renewables.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Developers and Utilities: GET creators and transmission operators (e.g., power companies) gain financial incentives and guidance, encouraging investment, but must comply with reporting.
- Government Entities: FERC (regulatory enforcement) and DOE (technical support and data analysis) are directly tasked with implementation.
- Consumers and Ratepayers: Benefit from potential cost savings and reliability but are protected by rules ensuring incentives do not raise electricity rates unfairly.
- Broader Energy Sector: Includes renewable energy producers and grid planners, who could see faster integration of wind/solar power due to improved transmission efficiency.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens FERC's authority under the Federal Power Act without expanding it, ensuring incentives align with existing interstate commerce regulations. The 4x savings threshold and consumer protections prevent abuse, while the sunset review allows for adaptability. No challenges to due process, as public comment is required for evaluations.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's commerce clause powers over energy infrastructure; no apparent free speech, property, or federalism issues, as it involves federal regulation of interstate transmission.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (from Democrats and Republicans) signals broad support for grid modernization amid rising energy demands and climate goals. It promotes innovation without mandating new builds, potentially reducing environmental permitting disputes, but could face pushback if seen as favoring certain technologies over others.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (8)
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Auchincloss, Jake [D-MA-4], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
Recent Actions
- 2025-04-08: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2025-04-08: Introduced in House
- 2025-04-08: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Advancing Grid-Enhancing Technologies Act of 2025 — issued 2025-04-08 — PDF (11 pages)