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119-hr-2074119th CongressWALLET

POWER Act

Sponsored By: Representative Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4]

In Committee

Summary

Blocking harmful breaching and retirement of federally operated hydropower dams. The bill bars breaching or retiring a federal dam that would raise carbon emissions, hurt navigation, increase shipping or product prices, raise electricity rates, or reduce grid reliability beyond set thresholds.

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  • Power customers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and California: the bill blocks retirement if it would raise retail electricity rates by more than 5 percent or reduce energy reliability by more than 5 percent as measured by the Bonneville Power Administration. If retirement happens, the Secretary must ensure 100 percent of the retired baseload is replaced within 30 days.
  • Commercial shippers and agricultural producers using affected waterways: breaching is prohibited if it would make the water body less navigable for commercial interests or raise product shipping prices by at least 5 percent. The Secretary must consult the Secretaries of Transportation, Agriculture, and Commerce and relevant state agencies when assessing impacts.
  • Climate and land-use checks: breaching is barred if it would increase carbon emissions by more than 5 percent or if the replacement energy would occupy 5 percent or more additional land. The Secretary must consult the Secretary of Energy and, when considering acres, coordinate a study with the Secretary of the Interior.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Western dam retirements face limits, fast replacement

If enacted, the government could not retire a federal hydropower dam if it would raise customer electric bills by more than 5%. It also could not retire a dam if reliability would drop by more than 5% in any part of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, or California. The Bonneville Power Administration would make the reliability call, compared to the prior 12 months. If a dam is retired, the responsible Secretary would have to replace at least 100% of its baseload power within 30 days. The bill defines baseload power as the minimum power the grid needs.

Tighter rules on breaching federal dams

If enacted, the Secretary of the Army could not breach a federal dam if emissions would rise by more than 5%. A breach would also be barred if it would make the waterway less usable for commercial shipping. Or if prices of goods moved on that water would rise by at least 5%. A breach would be barred if the replacement energy source would use 5% more land than the dam. The Secretary would need to consult Energy, Transportation, Agriculture, Commerce, and state agencies, and study the dam’s acreage with Interior.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4]

WA • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5]

    WA • R

    Sponsored 3/11/2025

  • Rep. Fulcher, Russ [R-ID-1]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 3/11/2025

  • Rep. Bentz, Cliff [R-OR-2]

    OR • R

    Sponsored 3/11/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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