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119-s-1566119th CongressWALLET

Preventing Power Outages Act

Sponsored By: Senator Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]

Introduced

Summary

1. The Hook:

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Tie grants to measured electric reliability. This bill would change the electric grid resilience grant program so grant priority is based on standardized outage metrics and extend when program funds can be used through 2031.

2. The Impact:

  • Utilities and eligible local entities: Grant awards would be weighted by each entity's SAIDI, SAIFI, and CAIDI scores over the prior five years, and entities with worse reliability would get additional consideration.
  • States and Indian Tribes: State and Tribal scores on the same three indices over the prior five years would influence how funds are prioritized at the State/Tribe level, with lower-reliability jurisdictions receiving extra weight.
  • Grant applicants: Applications cannot be conditioned on addressing more than one activity type and no extra priority can be given solely for proposing multiple categories of work.
  • Program funding timeline: The bill would move the program's covered period to 2027 through 2031 and make those funds remain available until expended.

3. The Bottom Line:

*No fiscal estimate is provided in the sources.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Longer availability for grid grants

If enacted, the program funding period would change from "2022 through 2026" to "2027 through 2031." Funds would remain available until expended. This would let the Secretary, States, Tribes, and grantees obligate and spend program money later than under current law.

More grid funding for unreliable areas

If enacted, grant makers would consider five years of reliability scores (SAIDI, SAIFI, CAIDI) when awarding grid resilience grants. The bill would define those scores using the IEEE Guide (standard 1366) and require counting every outage longer than 5 minutes, including Major Event Days. Entities, States, and Tribes with worse reliability (higher scores) would get extra weight or consideration. The bill would also bar conditioning grants on covering more than one activity type or giving extra points just because an application covers multiple activity types.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Peters, Gary C. [D-MI]

MI • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]

    LA • R

    Sponsored 5/1/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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