Preventing Power Outages Act

Key Points

• This bill extends an existing federal grant program designed to prevent power outages and strengthen the electric grid. The funding authorization is renewed for five more years, from 2027 through 2031, ensuring continued investment in grid reliability after the original program expires.
• The bill changes how grant funding is prioritized by requiring the Department of Energy, states, and tribes to give extra weight to applicants with the worst power outage records. Areas with higher scores on standard reliability indexes—meaning more frequent and longer blackouts—get moved to the front of the line.
• The bill simplifies the application process so that utilities and other eligible entities can apply for a grant to address just one type of grid improvement—like burying power lines or installing smart grid technology—without being pressured to bundle multiple projects into their application.
• Introduced by Sens. Peters and Cassidy on a bipartisan basis, the bill amends Section 40101 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which originally created the grid resilience program. The changes aim to ensure that areas most vulnerable to outages receive targeted help.