State Energy Accountability Act
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Would require state regulatory authorities that enforce renewable or intermittent energy mandates — rules requiring utilities to source electricity from wind, solar, or other non-dispatchable facilities — to conduct and publicly release formal evaluations of how those policies affect grid reliability and electricity rates.
The bill targets state-level renewable portfolio standards, imposing a new transparency and accountability layer without directly prohibiting or restricting those policies; its practical weight is in forcing public disclosure of reliability trade-offs, especially during emergencies and extreme weather.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to add a new standard requiring state regulatory authorities that enforce "intermittent energy policies" — defined as state rules mandating that utilities obtain a specified share of electricity from non-reliable, non-dispatchable sources — to conduct and publicly release a general evaluation of those policies' effects. The evaluation must cover: impacts on grid reliability over a 10-year horizon; the ability of intermittent sources to meet demand during emergencies, high-demand periods, and extreme weather; effects on utility rates; whether retiring conventional plants can be replaced with equivalent-capacity intermittent facilities; and the degree to which states rely on out-of-state generation to maintain reliability.
The bill does not prohibit or repeal any existing state renewable energy mandate. It imposes a transparency and evaluation obligation only. State regulatory authorities must make a determination about whether to implement the standard within one year of enactment, and publicly available evaluations must follow within one year of that determination — or within one year of a policy's adoption if a state adopts an intermittent energy policy after the determination date.
Key provisions
- 1Would require state regulatory authorities enforcing intermittent energy policies to conduct and publicly release evaluations of those policies' effects on grid reliability over a 10-year period, utility rates, and emergency capacity adequacy.
- 2Would require evaluations to assess whether retiring conventional generation plants can be replaced by equivalent-capacity intermittent facilities, and the extent states rely on out-of-state supplies to maintain reliability.
- 3Would define 'intermittent energy policy' as any state requirement that utilities source a specified share of electricity from non-reliable generation facilities, effectively targeting renewable portfolio standards.
- 4Would define 'reliable generation facility' as one capable of generating electricity continuously for at least 30 days with on-site fuel or contracted fuel supply, providing frequency and voltage support.
- 5Would require state regulatory authorities to make a determination about implementing the evaluation standard within one year of enactment, notwithstanding any prior proceedings.
- 6Would require publicly available evaluations to be published within one year of the state's determination, or one year after adoption for future intermittent energy policies.
Who would be affected
State regulatory authorities (public utility commissions) in states that have adopted renewable portfolio standards or similar intermittent energy mandates, electric utilities operating under those mandates, and state lawmakers and ratepayers who would gain access to the publicly disclosed reliability and rate-impact evaluations.
Why it matters
States with renewable energy mandates would face a new federal obligation under PURPA to formally assess and disclose how those mandates affect grid reliability and customer rates. Published evaluations could become focal points in state legislative debates, rate proceedings, and utility planning processes, particularly as states weigh the pace of conventional plant retirements against renewable buildout.
What would change
Changes to existing law
Amends Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, Section 111(d) (16 U.S.C. 2621(d)) (Sec. 2)
Adds a new paragraph (22) requiring state regulatory authorities implementing intermittent energy policies to evaluate and publicly disclose effects on grid reliability, rates, and emergency capacity.
Effective dates
- State regulatory authorities must make a determination about implementing the evaluation standard
- Publicly available evaluation due for states that already had an intermittent energy policy at time of determination
- Publicly available evaluation due for states that adopt an intermittent energy policy after the determination date
Funding and costs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3157, the State Energy Accountability Act, would have no effect on the federal budget, with no changes to direct spending, revenues, or the deficit over the 2025–2035 period.
CBO estimates that H.R. 3157 would not affect federal direct (mandatory) spending, revenues, or the deficit in any year, including all four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036. The bill would amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require state utility commissions to decide whether to evaluate policies related to intermittent energy sources (such as solar and wind power), but because it does not change federal responsibilities, it carries no federal budgetary cost. CBO did identify one intergovernmental mandate — the bill expands existing requirements on state utility commissions — but estimates the resulting administrative costs would be small and would not exceed UMRA's intergovernmental mandate threshold of $103 million (in 2025, adjusted for inflation). The bill contains no private-sector mandates as defined by UMRA.
How implementation would work
The bill works through PURPA's existing framework for state utility regulatory proceedings. Within one year of enactment, each state regulatory authority must consider and determine whether to implement the new evaluation standard. For states where an intermittent energy policy is already in place at the time of that determination, the evaluation must be made publicly available within one year of the determination. For states that adopt an intermittent energy policy after the determination, the evaluation is due within one year of that adoption. The bill does not establish a federal enforcement mechanism or designate a federal agency to monitor state compliance, relying instead on PURPA's existing structure and the public-availability requirement to create accountability.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 255.
Official CRS summary
Show the CRS summaryHide the CRS summary
This bill directs each state that implements certain energy policies (e.g., policies that require solar or wind energy) to conduct, and make publicly available, a general evaluation of the effects that those policies have on the rates and reliability of the state's electric power grid, including information about meeting electricity demand during emergencies, periods of high demand, or extreme weather events.
Legislative subjects
Electric power generation and transmission; Energy; Energy efficiency and conservation; Energy storage, supplies, demand; Public utilities and utility rates
Committee report
H. Rept. 119-301