POWER Up Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4806
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Energy
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-17: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-02T20:58:55Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation clarifies and expands the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) authority over the interconnection of large electricity-consuming facilities to interstate transmission lines. It aims to ensure consistent federal oversight of these connections to support reliable operation of the bulk-power system and fair transmission access.
Key Provisions
- Definition of large load facility: A single facility or group of commonly owned facilities at one site or contiguous sites with a projected peak demand of 100 megawatts or greater. FERC may adjust this threshold by rule to maintain system reliability and nondiscriminatory service.
- Jurisdiction: FERC gains explicit authority over interconnections of these facilities to interstate transmission facilities. Such interconnections fall under Federal Power Act requirements for just and reasonable rates and are treated as part of open access transmission service.
- Rulemaking requirement: Within 18 months of enactment, FERC must adopt standardized interconnection procedures and agreements, including rules for hybrid facilities that combine large loads with generation, and criteria for transmission facilities that support these interconnections.
- State authority preserved: The bill does not affect state or local powers over facility siting and permitting, retail electric service and rates, local distribution facilities, or electricity generation.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill adds a new subsection (h) to Section 201 of the Federal Power Act. This explicitly places large load interconnections under FERC jurisdiction, which previously lacked this clear statutory direction, and requires FERC to develop specific procedures that integrate these connections into existing open access transmission frameworks.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Increases FERC's regulatory workload through new rulemaking and oversight of interconnections, while state agencies retain control over siting and retail matters.
- Citizens and businesses: May affect large energy users such as data centers by standardizing interconnection processes at the federal level.
- International relations: No direct effects identified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Large load facility owners and operators (e.g., industrial or technology facilities exceeding the demand threshold).
- Electric transmission providers and utilities.
- FERC and state public utility commissions.
- Entities involved in bulk-power system reliability.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill reinforces federal authority over interstate transmission under the Federal Power Act while explicitly preserving state roles in siting and retail regulation. It does not alter constitutional divisions of power but clarifies jurisdictional boundaries to reduce potential disputes between federal and state regulators.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-17: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2026-06-17: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Promoting Oversight of Wholesale Energy Reliability Act — issued 2026-06-17 — PDF (5 pages)