Congress·Reported·H.R. 3616

House Committee Advances Reliable Power Act, Giving Grid Regulator Veto Power Over Agency Rules

Reliable Power Act

3 months ago·View on Congress.gov

⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

✓ House

225–203

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

Creates a yearly long-term check of the power grid to see if we have enough plants and lines, in normal and extreme weather
If there is a risk of not enough power, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission alerts agencies like Energy and Environmental Protection
During that time, those agencies must send any draft rules that affect power plants to the commission for review first
The commission can suggest changes if a rule could hurt reliability, and agencies cannot finish the rule until they respond and the commission says it likely will not harm reliability
Aims to prevent blackouts and sudden price spikes, but could slow or change pollution rules or plant closures

EnergyEnvironmentClimate ChangeInfrastructure

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Mixed Impacts(8)

Housing Assistance

Neutral

Renter

Neutral

Homeowner

Neutral

Snap Food Stamps

Neutral

Medicaid

Neutral

Disability Benefits

Neutral

Child Tax Credit

Neutral

Farmer Rancher

Neutral

Positive Impacts(4)

Union Member

Helps

Medicare

Helps

Chronic Illness

Helps

Physical Disability

Helps

Milestones

6 milestones24 actions

Dec 18, 2025Senate

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Dec 17, 2025House

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Dec 17, 2025House

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 225 - 203 (Roll no. 347). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H6000)

Dec 17, 2025

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 225 - 203 (Roll no. 347).

Dec 17, 2025House

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6006)

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

After the bill becomes law; likely within the next yearly planning cycle

The Electric Reliability Organization starts producing an annual long-term reliability assessment that includes weather-shortfall risk and whether more generation is needed.

You may see more public warnings about future power shortfalls by region, and utilities/grid operators may use these findings to justify reliability actions.

When a future assessment finds a shortfall risk

If the long-term assessment finds the grid is at risk of not having enough generation, the Electric Reliability Organization publicly notifies FERC of “generation inadequacy.”

This triggers the bill’s special reliability review process; it can become a public signal that your region may face higher blackout risk in extreme weather.

Promptly after a generation inadequacy notice

FERC notifies the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and any other selected federal agencies that a generation inadequacy condition exists.

More federal agencies will have to consider grid reliability earlier when writing certain rules that affect power plants.

During any future rulemaking that affects power generation while inadequacy is active

Covered federal agencies must submit certain power-generation-related draft regulations to FERC for review and comment early in the process (or at least 90 days before public release if not otherwise reviewed).

Some power-plant-related rules may take longer to reach the public proposal stage, and agencies may rewrite them to avoid reliability harms.

After agencies submit covered actions to FERC

FERC issues comments and (if needed) recommended changes to prevent a significant negative reliability impact.

Federal rules that could reduce available electricity during a shortage warning may be changed, narrowed, or timed differently.

Before finalizing a covered regulation while inadequacy is active

An agency cannot finalize a covered action until it answers FERC in writing and FERC finds the action is not likely to significantly harm reliability.

This acts like a stop sign during generation shortages; it may prevent sudden rule changes that could raise blackout risk, but it may also delay pollution-control rules that affect power plants.

When a covered rule is published for public comment or finalized

FERC’s comments and the agency’s written response are published with the regulation materials for the public to read.

You can see, in plain sight, whether a rule was changed because of reliability concerns and what the agencies said back.

Vote Results

1 vote

HousePassedPassageDec 17, 2025

On Passage

225

203

Democrat

7 – 203 · 3

Republican

218 – 0 · 2

View full roll call

Related News

3 articles

E&E News by Politico·3 months ago

House GOP sets vote on bills to boost 'reliable' energy

The House will vote on legislation that would give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sweeping new authority to keep reliable energy sources on the nation's power grid. Rep. Troy Balderson's Reliable Power Act (H.R. 3616) is a direct response to surging electricity demand.

The Hill·3 months ago

House passes bill to give FERC oversight of EPA power plant rules

The House passed the Reliable Power Act, which would require the EPA to coordinate with FERC on rules that could impact grid reliability. The bill aims to prevent regulations from forcing the premature closure of baseload power plants like coal and natural gas.

Bloomberg Law·3 months ago

House Passes Bill Giving FERC Review of EPA Power Plant Rules

Legislation passed by the House would mandate that FERC review any federal regulations that could affect the reliability of the bulk-power system. The Reliable Power Act specifically targets the EPA's greenhouse gas standards for existing power plants.