E-Access Act

Key Points

• The bill directs the Department of Energy and FERC to jointly create national guidelines within 180 days so consumers can access their own electricity and natural gas usage data, including pricing, billing details, and account information.
• Consumers could authorize third-party apps and services to receive their energy data, helping them track usage in real time and find ways to cut their bills. Utilities must make at least 24 months of historical data available electronically at no extra charge.
• The bill sets strict privacy and consumer consent requirements. Third parties can only access data with explicit customer permission, and utilities must use recognized privacy programs like the DataGuard Energy Data Privacy Program.
• It promotes fair competition on smart meter software platforms by requiring fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory terms and banning self-preferencing — meaning utilities can't unfairly favor their own apps over competitors' tools.
• The bill authorizes $10 million for states that adopt compliant data-sharing policies and requires a report within one year evaluating the costs and benefits of using individual meter data to settle wholesale electricity market prices.