Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§16524 Study on the Benefits of Economic Dispatch

Title 42 › Chapter 149— NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS › Subchapter XVI— STUDIES › § 16524

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must work with the States to study three things: how electric utilities now decide which power plants run, what changes could let nonutility power producers sell more of their output into that process, and what benefits homes, businesses, and factories nationwide and in each State would see if those changes were made. Economic dispatch means running generators to meet demand at the lowest cost while respecting equipment limits. Within 90 days after August 8, 2005, and every year after, the Secretary must send a report to Congress and the States with the study results and any recommended changes to laws or rules.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §16524

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary, in coordination and consultation with the States, shall conduct a study on—

(1)the procedures currently used by electric utilities to perform economic dispatch;

(2)identifying possible revisions to those procedures to improve the ability of nonutility generation resources to offer their output for sale for the purpose of inclusion in economic dispatch; and

(3)the potential benefits to residential, commercial, and industrial electricity consumers nationally and in each state 11 So in original. Probably should be capitalized. if economic dispatch procedures were revised to improve the ability of nonutility generation resources to offer their output for inclusion in economic dispatch.

(b)The term “economic dispatch” when used in this section means the operation of generation facilities to produce energy at the lowest cost to reliably serve consumers, recognizing any operational limits of generation and transmission facilities.

(c)Not later than 90 days after August 8, 2005, and on a yearly basis following, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress and the States on the results of the study conducted under subsection (a), including recommendations to Congress and the States for any suggested legislative or regulatory changes.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 16524

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60