Hoeven: Grid Power Act Advances Out of Energy Committee

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement after joining his fellow Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR) members in approving the Guaranteeing Reliability through the Interconnection of Dispatchable (GRID) Power Act, legislation he introduced to help remove delays in the development of new baseload power generation projects that would improve the reliability of the electrical grid. Hoeven introduced the legislation with Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) to address lengthy delays in the interconnection queue that can prevent new dispatchable power generation from coming online. Specifically, the bill would: Following rulemaking from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), authorize regional grid operators to give priority consideration for baseload generation projects seeking an interconnection agreement. The interconnection queue is where proposed projects wait before grid operators begin conducting their feasibility and system impact studies. As of 2023, the median wait time was five years for an interconnection agreement, significantly delaying the construction of critical projects. FERC would be required to initiate rulemaking to establish this process within 90 days of the bill’s enactment and finalize the rule within 180 days. Establish a timeline of 60 days for FERC to act on baseload generation projects given priority consideration by grid operators. Timely approval of projects would help address the gap in reliable power generation created by Biden administration rules like the Clean Power Plan 2.0, which accelerated the retirement of American baseload power plants. “We need the ability to bring new baseload power online to meet growing electricity demand and ensure the reliability of our grid,” said Hoeven. “Our GRID Power Act helps cut through lengthy delays in the interconnection process so we can build the reliable dispatchable power generation our nation needs. With today’s committee approval, we are one step closer to advancing this importance legislation through the Senate.” -###-