Ratepayer Affordability and Transparency in Energy Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
Introduced
Summary
Federal preemption of State climate mandates is the bill's central goal. It would stop states from requiring specific percentages or amounts of renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free electricity to protect grid reliability, planning, and costs.
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- States and local regulators: Would be barred from creating or enforcing any law, rule, or program that mandates a set share or quantity of renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free electricity. States could still own or operate renewable or carbon-free generation.
- Utilities and market participants: Would not be allowed to condition retail or wholesale market participation, cost recovery, or utility regulation on meeting state renewable or zero-emission mandates.
- Households and ratepayers: The bill frames these changes as aimed at preventing state rules the bill says can inflate electricity costs or imperil grid reliability.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Stops state clean-energy mandates
This bill would stop states and local regulators from requiring utilities to supply a set percentage or amount of electricity from renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free sources. It would also bar conditioning market participation, cost recovery, or utility regulation on complying with those mandates. The bill would define who counts as a "State" and what counts as "State law" for this ban. It would still let states and local governments own or run renewable or zero-emission power plants.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
AR • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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