# 119-hr-10539: Integrated Local, Regional, and Interregional Transmission Planning Act of 2026

119-hr-10539, Integrated Local, Regional, and Interregional Transmission Planning Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6] (D-IL); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-07).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10539
- As of: 2026-10-07
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-10539
- Congress: 119
- Title: Integrated Local, Regional, and Interregional Transmission Planning Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-09-24
- Sponsor: Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6] (D-IL)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Policy area: Energy
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-07

## Summary

**Creates a FERC-led framework to integrate interregional, regional, and local transmission planning to improve grid reliability, affordability, and resilience.** It sets common planning rules, 20-year scenario requirements, joint plans across adjacent regions, and beneficiary-based cost allocation to guide which transmission projects get built and how costs are assigned. - Families and ratepayers: Costs from projects must be allocated to identifiable beneficiaries and rate filings must be just and reasonable. That aims to protect customers from paying for projects that do not deliver clear benefits. - Transmission Planning Regions and grid operators: Adjacent regions must produce joint plans using planning scenarios of 20 years or more and submit joint transmission plans within 1 year after the final rule. The Commission can impose plans, set firm deadlines, or levy civil penalties if regions fail to comply. - Project developers and owners: Regions must solicit proposals and identify covered local, regional, and interregional facilities. Projects chosen under approved joint plans are treated as meeting certain construction-permit criteria and can be pursued through standard transmission tariff filings.

## Cosponsors (4)

- Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14] (D-FL), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49] (D-CA), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (D-MA), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16] (D-NY), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Common Method for Project Selection: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would require joint plans to use a common selection method to pick projects across adjacent regions. The method must account for transmission benefits net of costs and aim to maximize net benefits in the public interest. It must consider existing plans and set minimum interregi…
- Deadlines for Joint Transmission Plans: benefit, high. If enacted, each Transmission Planning Region would have to submit a joint transmission plan to FERC within one year after the final rule and update it at least every three years. Regions must jointly plan with each immediately adjacent region, solicit proposals and cost guidance from owners and de…
- FERC Rule for Long-Term Planning: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would require FERC to propose a rule within 6 months and issue a final rule within 18 months to integrate interregional, regional, and qualified local planning. The rule would require planning for near-term (<5 years), medium-term (5–10 years), and long-term (10–20+ years) need…
- New National Grid Planning Process: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would add a new Section to require integrated planning of interregional, regional, and qualifying local transmission facilities. FERC, Transmission Planning Regions, and the Electric Reliability Organization would get new definitions and duties to plan together to improve relia…
- FERC Enforcement Tools for Planning: benefit, medium. If enacted, FERC could give a transmission planning region a one-time 180-day extension to file a joint plan. If the region still fails, FERC could set a firm filing date, impose civil penalties, or require the region to follow a Commission-approved joint plan with cost allocation rules. These reme…
- NEPA and Permits for Selected Projects: benefit, medium. If enacted, accepting a joint transmission plan or ordering dispute resolution would not be treated as a major Federal action under NEPA. But granting a section 216(b) construction permit for a project selected under a joint plan would be treated as a major Federal action. A project chosen under a…
- Who Pays for Transmission Projects: mixed, medium. If enacted, the bill would let utilities file tariffs for projects built under joint transmission plans. Any cost allocation method must follow FERC's rules and cannot force customers who get no reasonably identifiable benefit to pay. FERC would approve plans only if rates are just and reasonable a…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-5862: American Energy Independence and Affordability Act
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2086: Rights for the TSA Workforce Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-10539 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/10539)

## Related
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-5862: American Energy Independence and Affordability Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5862)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-2086: Rights for the TSA Workforce Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2086)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10539 (as of 2026-10-07).