Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§6803 Development of Electric Utility Rate Design Proposals by Secretary; Contents; Submission to Congress; Supporting Analysis

Title 42 › CHAPTER 81 — ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE RENEWAL › SUBCHAPTER I — ELECTRIC UTILITY RATE DESIGN INITIATIVES › § 6803

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must create proposals to change electric utility rates so people use less energy, the country needs fewer new power plants, and electricity costs less for customers. The plans must cover four kinds of changes, including cost-effective load management, rates that follow marginal cost or time-of-use, rules that discourage wasting fuel and encourage economical fuel buying, and rates or policies that help system and equipment reliability. The Secretary must send these proposals to both Houses of Congress no later than 6 months after August 14, 1976. The proposals must include an analysis of (1) projected savings in petroleum, natural gas, electric energy, and other energy resources, (2) any reduction in the need for new generating capacity and in utilities’ capital demand, and (3) any changes in the cost of electric energy to consumers.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §6803

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

(a)The Secretary shall develop proposals to improve electric utility rate design. Such proposals shall be designed to encourage energy conservation, minimize the need for new electrical generating capacity, and minimize costs of electric energy to consumers, and shall include (but not be limited to) proposals which provide for the development and implementation of—
(1)load management techniques which are cost effective;
(2)rates which reflect marginal cost of service, or time of use of service, or both;
(3)ratemaking policies which discourage inefficient use of fuel and encourage economical purchases of fuel; and
(4)rates (or other regulatory policies) which encourage electric utility system reliability and reliability of major items of electric utility equipment.
(b)The proposals prepared under subsection (a) shall be transmitted to each House of Congress not later than 6 months after August 14, 1976, for review and for such further action as the Congress may direct by law. Such proposals shall be accompanied by an analysis of—
(1)the projected savings (if any) in consumption of petroleum products, natural gas, electric energy, and other energy resources,
(2)the reduction (if any) in the need for new electrical generating capacity, and of the demand for capital by the electric utility industry, and
(3)changes (if any) in the cost of electric energy to consumers,
which are likely to result from the implementation nationally of each of the proposals transmitted under this subsection.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1978—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–617 substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”, meaning Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 6803

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110