Ratepayer Justice and Commercial Power Accountability Act
Sponsored By: Representative Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9]
Introduced
Summary
Ratepayer Justice Fund would establish a federal program to reimburse utility customers harmed by unlawful utility misconduct and to restore affected communities. It would fund direct payments to harmed ratepayers and grants for community restoration while allowing assessments on utilities and responsible executives.
Show full summary
- Residential ratepayers would be prioritized for direct relief and could get refundable tax credits or separate payments. Distributions would have to begin within 180 days after a Final Determination and claims would be limited to 4 years.
- State consumer advocate offices could be reimbursed for investigation and litigation expenses that materially contributed to proving misconduct and for technical assistance. Reimbursements would be certified publicly and could not be passed on to ratepayers.
- Designated communities and eligible recipients would be eligible for Ratepayer Community Restoration Grants for infrastructure, clean energy, broadband, water projects, and small business development. Total grants would be capped so they do not exceed 5% of Fund amounts and no local match would be required.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Ratepayer Justice Fund and Collections
This bill would create a Ratepayer Justice Fund in the Treasury. After a Final Determination of misconduct, Treasury and FERC would assess covered utilities, C‑suite executives, and lobbyists for costs borne by ratepayers and unjust enrichment. Assessments would subtract amounts already disgorged or paid as fines, and would carry daily interest based on the 1‑year Treasury yield for the week before the misconduct. The Attorney General could use liens, garnishment, or other legal actions to collect assessed amounts. The Treasury Secretary could write rules to run the program.
Criminal penalties for covered actors
The bill would impose criminal penalties for specified offenses tied to misconduct by covered utilities. A public official, C‑suite executive, or lobbyist convicted of public corruption, honest services fraud, wire fraud, racketeering conspiracy, or bribery related to a covered utility would face imprisonment for any term of years. This raises criminal accountability for actors tied to misconduct events.
Nuclear plant reports and GAO review
Within two years, the Secretary of Energy would report on the condition and historical costs of nuclear plants owned or operated by covered utilities, including costs passed to ratepayers. Within one year after that report is published, the Government Accountability Office would review the report's accuracy and methods and send recommendations to Congress.
Community restoration and grid grants
The bill would fund Ratepayer Community Restoration Grants for communities harmed by utility misconduct. Grants could pay for clean energy, energy efficiency, grid resilience and modernization, broadband consistent with BEAD, water projects, small business development, and related infrastructure. Grants would not require local matching and administrative costs are capped at 5 percent of each grant. The Secretary of Energy would prioritize designated harmed communities for technical assistance and grid‑improvement funding. Total community grants could not exceed 5 percent of the Fund.
Direct relief payments to ratepayers
This bill would set up a system for direct relief payments to eligible ratepayers. Treasury would create the system within 180 days and start issuing payments within 180 days after a Final Determination. You would qualify if you had continuous electric or gas service for at least 30 days during the misconduct period, maintained an active account in good standing, and can be identified in records. Payments would come as a refundable Federal tax credit or a separate claims payment for non‑filers and would include daily interest using the 1‑year Treasury yield for the week before the misconduct event. Treasury must coordinate with States, and prior State payments may be deducted from Federal payments.
Public reporting and searchable database
The Secretary of Energy, with Treasury and the Attorney General, would report to Congress within one year and annually after. Reports would list amounts collected, deposited, and disbursed from the Fund, the number of ratepayers claiming relief, average amounts per event, grant recipients, and unresolved claims. A free, searchable public website would list each assessment, collection, enforcement action, and community grant. Individual customer information would remain confidential except as needed to run the program or pay non‑filers.
Repay state consumer advocates
After federal direct relief payments, the Secretary of Energy could reimburse State consumer advocate offices or comparable public counsel for verified investigation and litigation costs that materially helped prove misconduct. The Secretary must publish a certification in the Federal Register when reimbursing. These reimbursements could not be passed on to ratepayers. Treasury could also reimburse reasonable technical assistance costs for State commissions and consumer advocates from the Fund.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9]
OH • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 8/13/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov