FLOWS Act

Key Points

• This bill allows hydropower plants to perform routine maintenance and repairs without waiting for approval from the federal government. Currently, even small changes often require a long permission process that can delay necessary work.
• It helps power plants react quickly to emergencies like extreme weather, natural disasters, or equipment failures. Plants would be allowed to make temporary changes to their operations during these events without facing penalties for not having prior approval.
• The bill creates a fast track for small energy projects that produce less than 5 megawatts of power. These projects use waves, tides, or river currents to make electricity without building new dams that block water flow.
• The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would be required to finish reviewing these small project applications within one year. This is intended to be much faster than the current process which can often take many years to complete.
• Federal officials must write new rules within six months to clearly define which repairs are considered routine and which ones still need a full review to ensure the safety of dams and the surrounding environment.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.