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HR8248119th CongressWALLET

Grid Expansion and Reliability Act

Sponsored By: Representative Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]

Introduced

Summary

FERC becomes the siting authority for interstate electric transmission in national interest corridors. The bill replaces the permit-based model with a pre-construction self-certification system to speed construction or modification of transmission lines within those corridors.

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  • Project developers can build or modify a transmission facility in a national interest electric transmission corridor after filing a certification that lists their identity, corporate status, a concise description of the facility, expected start and completion dates, and a table of contents of included documents.
  • The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must issue implementing regulations within one year and will audit each certification annually to check that required information is provided.
  • FERC must report to Congress within one year of enactment and then annually on how the certification process is working and recommend any legislative or regulatory fixes. The bill also removes several permit-specific phrases and replaces them with general permitting language, changing how stakeholder and landowner engagement is framed.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Self-certify interstate transmission projects

This bill would create a pre-construction self-certification process for electric transmission projects inside a national interest electric transmission corridor. Any person could build or modify a transmission line in a corridor once FERC issues regulations. FERC must issue those rules not later than 365 days after enactment. Certifications would have to list the filer’s legal name, title, mailing address, principal place of business, whether they are an individual or a corporation (and state of incorporation), a short description of their existing operations, a short project description with expected start and end dates, and a table of contents of included documents. FERC would audit certifications each year and must report to Congress within 365 days after enactment and annually thereafter.

Move transmission siting to FERC

This bill would shift statutory siting authority for interstate transmission from the Secretary of Energy to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The change would take effect on enactment. The bill would update cross-references, replace permit-holder language with a reference to a person authorized under the certification process, shorten a stakeholder clause to say "permitting process," redesignate one subparagraph in subsection (h), and change how disagreements in compact states are described. Developers may see more consistent federal procedures, while States, landowners, and local stakeholders could face different dispute and permitting rules.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]

NJ • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 4/13/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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