Wildfire and Grid Reliability Act
Sponsored By: Senator Ron Wyden
Introduced
Summary
A national grant program to cut wildfire risk from power lines and strengthen grid reliability. This bill would create a Department of Energy Office of Electricity program to give grants to eligible public, cooperative, municipal, investor-owned and federal utilities for projects that reduce wildfire ignitions or boost the grid's ability to withstand natural disasters.
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- Utilities and grid owners would be able to fund actions like undergrounding lines, installing fire-resistant poles, fast-tripping protection, sensors and weather stations, targeted microgrids, vegetation management, and other resilience upgrades.
- Small utilities that sell not more than 4,000,000 megawatt-hours per year would get a dedicated set-aside of at least 20% of program funds and face a reduced matching requirement of one-third of the grant amount.
- Most grant recipients must match grants dollar-for-dollar, but amounts spent in the prior year may count toward the match; grants for technical assistance and for hiring planning staff do not count toward set-asides or matching.
- The Secretary must prioritize projects that deliver the largest community benefit relative to cost and report every two years on reliability and wildfire-risk reductions.
*Would authorize $15 billion per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2036 to fund the program.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Utility grants for wildfires and reliability
If enacted, the Secretary of Energy would set up a program in the Office of Electricity within 90 days to make grants to eligible electric utilities and federal electric entities. Grants would fund work that supplements planned grid-hardening, improves public safety, and either reduces wildfire risk or increases grid reliability. Eligible recipients would include public, municipal, cooperative, investor-owned utilities, and federal electric agencies. Grants could pay to underground lines, strengthen poles and wires, add sensors and weather stations, install fault detection, support microgrids and storage, manage vegetation, and harden substations. Applicants seeking wildfire funds would need a wildfire mitigation plan, and applicants seeking reliability funds would need a report on past, current, and planned reliability work. The Secretary could also provide technical assistance and planning grants to help utilities hire planners and implement projects.
Large $15 billion annual grant program
If enacted, the bill would authorize $15 billion each year to carry out the program for fiscal years 2027 through 2036. At least 40% of program money would be for projects that reduce wildfire risk. At least 20% of program money would be awarded to utilities that sell 4,000,000 megawatt-hours or less per year. Most grant recipients would need to provide matching funds equal to 100% of the grant, but small utilities would need matching funds equal to not less than one-third of the grant. With Secretary approval, qualifying reliability or wildfire work spent during the one-year period before receiving a grant may count toward the match requirement.
Federal recipients and program reporting
If enacted, any grant amounts made to Federal power marketing administrations would be nonreimbursable and would not have to be repaid. The Secretary would also submit a report to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce not later than 2 years after enactment and every 2 years after that. Reports would describe how the program increased grid reliability and reduced wildfire risk from power lines during the covered period.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Ron Wyden
OR • D
Cosponsors
Jeff Merkley
OR • D
Sponsored 3/25/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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