Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§16432 Study on the benefits of economic dispatch

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 149— - NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER XII— - ELECTRICITY › Part Part B— - Transmission Operation Improvements › § 16432

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must study, with States, how utilities do economic dispatch, how to let nonutility generators offer power for dispatch, and the expected benefits to residential, commercial, and industrial customers nationwide and by State. Economic dispatch means running generation at lowest cost while meeting operational limits. Within 90 days after August 8, 2005, and yearly after, the Secretary must report results and recommendations to Congress and States.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §16432

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary, in coordination and consultation with the States, shall conduct a study on—

(1)the procedures currently used by electric utilities to perform economic dispatch;

(2)identifying possible revisions to those procedures to improve the ability of nonutility generation resources to offer their output for sale for the purpose of inclusion in economic dispatch; and

(3)the potential benefits to residential, commercial, and industrial electricity consumers nationally and in each State if economic dispatch procedures were revised to improve the ability of nonutility generation resources to offer their output for inclusion in economic dispatch.

(b)The term “economic dispatch” when used in this section means the operation of generation facilities to produce energy at the lowest cost to reliably serve consumers, recognizing any operational limits of generation and transmission facilities.

(c)Not later than 90 days after August 8, 2005, and on a yearly basis following, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress and the States on the results of the study conducted under subsection (a), including recommendations to Congress and the States for any suggested legislative or regulatory changes.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 16432

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73