H.R. 6177

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6177 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6177

To modernize and standardize the manner in which information and data 
is reported to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 20, 2025

Mr. Casten (for himself, Mr. Levin, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Subramanyam, Mr. 
Quigley, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Carson, Mr. Moulton, 
and Mr. Foster) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To modernize and standardize the manner in which information and data 
is reported to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Grid Research and Development Act''.

SEC. 2. MODERNIZATION OF REPORTING INFORMATION AND DATA UNDER THE 
FEDERAL POWER ACT.

(a) In General.--The Commission shall, by rule, modernize and 
standardize the manner in which information and data are reported, by 
transmitting utilities and Transmission Organizations, to the 
Commission under the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 972 et seq.) in 
accordance with this section.
(b) Content of Reports Requirements.--In carrying out subsection 
(a), the Commission shall require the information and data that will be 
reported, as it applies to projects, existing assets, or systems owned 
or operated by a transmitting utility or Transmission Organization, to 
include the following:
(1) Information and data relating to a project and the 
lifecycle of such project, including--
(A) project milestones, including proposed, 
approved, and actual in-service dates;
(B) project classification information, including 
whether the project represents new construction, an 
upgrade, or a rebuild of existing infrastructure;
(C) major development history, including original 
construction and last major upgrade dates;
(D) the location of any applicable project;
(E) the project nameplate capacity, length, and 
voltage; and
(F) an identification of the applicable planning 
process through which the applicable project 
originated.
(2) The costs and economic justifications of a project, 
existing asset, or system owned or operated by a transmitting 
utility or Transmission Organization, as applicable, 
including--
(A) original projected and actual final costs of 
all new projects;
(B) original projected and actual final costs of 
renewals and replacements of project works;
(C) original projected and actual maintenance and 
operations expenses of the projects and existing assets 
on a current-year and five-year rolling average basis;
(D) cost allocation shares where applicable, 
including identification of entities responsible for 
shared investments in projects;
(E) cost-benefit analyses of projects;
(F) whether the project was subject to a 
competitive solicitation process and, if applicable, 
the outcome of that process; and
(G) classification of the project based on benefits 
provided, under the relevant transmission planning 
framework.
(3) The capital structure and the rate of return of a 
project, existing asset, or system owned or operated by a 
transmitting utility or Tranmission Organization, including--
(A) the allowed return on equity, return on debt, 
and return on preferred stock;
(B) the authorized or actual capital structure, 
including the percentage of debt, equity, and preferred 
stock used in ratemaking;
(C) the resulting overall weighted average rate of 
return;
(D) any Commission-approved incentive adders 
applied to the base return on equity, including 
rationale and duration; and
(E) where applicable, information necessary to 
assess potential double leveraging effects arising from 
a holding company structure, as defined by the 
Commission.
(4) For information and data relating to a system owned or 
operated by a transmitting utility or Transmission 
Organization, as applicable, congestion-related costs or the 
costs incurred by ratepayers, power supplies, or distribution 
customers as a result of transmission system constraints that 
prevent the dispatch of least-cost generation resources.
(5) Technical and non-technical losses and inefficiencies.
(6) A complete accounting of interconnection-related costs 
incurred by interconnection customers, transmitting utilities, 
or other entities, disaggregated by cost type and responsible 
party, including--
(A) study fees;
(B) milestones or reservation payments;
(C) costs of local interconnection attachment 
facilities;
(D) grid network upgrade costs; and
(E) estimates of costs to a larger system.
(7) The projected and actual capacity and load of a system 
owned or operated by a transmitting utility or Transmission 
Organization and the projected and actual amount of energy 
delivered by such system.
(8) Information and data on the use of capital-efficient 
advanced technologies, including information on--
(A) hourly usage;
(B) the location of the technologies; and
(C) the types of technologies deployed.
(9) Any additional metric the Commission determines 
necessary to improve ratepayer affordability and understanding 
of the transmission sector.
(c) Content of Interconnection Reports.--In carrying out subsection 
(a), the Commission shall require a transmitting utility or 
Transmission Organization to report, no less than quarterly, to the 
Commission information and data on interconnection queues and details 
relating to interconnection study models used.
(d) Format of Reports.--
(1) In general.--Pursuant to subsection (a), the Commission 
shall ensure the completeness, accuracy, and accessibility of 
information and data reported to the Commission under the 
Federal Power Act, as the Commission determines necessary, by--
(A) establishing standardized reporting 
requirements that specify standards for describing and 
recording such information and data, and, if the 
Commission determines appropriate, providing templates 
or other tools to reduce administrative burden;
(B) providing a format for such information and 
data to be submitted in a manner that is fully 
searchable and machine-readable;
(C) requiring any form filed by a transmitting 
utility or a Transmission Organization contains no 
blank cells, unless clearly marked as exempt pursuant 
to paragraph (2);
(D) requiring any projections required under 
subsection (a) are defined, including key assumptions, 
methodologies, and any other information that could 
influence the result of the projection; and
(E) requiring the information and data reported 
under this section are made available to the public 
through a single, user-friendly web interface that 
allows users to search, filter, and download the data 
in a machine-readable format.
(2) Exemption.--
(A) In general.--A transmitting utility or a 
Transmission Organization may request an exemption from 
a requirement under paragraph (1) if such transmitting 
utility or Transmission Organization submits to the 
Commission a written statement explaining why such an 
exemption is needed.
(B) Determination.--The Commission may approve the 
request for an exemption if the Commission determines 
that the exemption is justified based on the written 
statement submitted under subparagraph (A).
(e) FERC Form No. 1.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
which the Commission issues a rule under subsection (a), the 
Commission shall review covered forms.
(2) Completeness.--Upon reviewing covered forms under 
paragraph (1), if the Commission determines that a covered form 
is incomplete, the Commission shall require the relevant 
transmitting utility or Transmission Organization to file a 
revised FERC Form No. 1 in a manner that complies with the 
requirements of subsection (d) and the requirements under 
section 141.1 of title 18, Code of Federal Regulations (or any 
successor regulations).
(3) Covered form defined.--In this subsection, the term 
``covered form'' means a FERC Form No. 1 filed with the 
Commission by a transmitting utility or Transmission 
Organization during the 5-year period immediately preceding the 
date of enactment of this Act.
(4) Modernization and centralization of ferc form no. 1.--
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Commission, in collaboration with the Administrator, shall 
make all historical and future FERC Form No. 1 filings publicly 
available through the centralized data repository established 
under section 3.

SEC. 3. DEVELOPMENT OF CENTRALIZED DATA REPOSITORY.

(a) In General.--The Commission, in collaboration with the 
Administrator, shall develop and maintain a searchable and publicly 
accessible data repository containing information and data the 
Commission determines necessary to carry out the requirements of the 
Federal Power Act and this Act, including information and data reported 
or filed by a transmitting utility or Transmission Organization--
(1) in FERC Form Nos. 1, 1-F, 3-Q, 714, 715, and 730, 
including information or data from these forms reported prior 
to the date of enactment of this Act; and
(2) pursuant to the requirements of this Act.
(b) EIA Expertise.--In collaborating with the Commission under this 
section with respect to the data repository developed under subsection 
(a), the Administrator shall--
(1) develop and maintain schemas and metadata for Form No. 
1 data consistent with section 3506(b)(6) of title 44, United 
States Code;
(2) provide user-friendly tools to explore, download, and 
analyze such data, including filtering by utility, year, 
region, and data category; and
(3) ensure such data is accessible to the public in both 
bulk and disaggregated forms, with Application Programming 
Interfaces and visualization tools where feasible.
(c) Requirements.--The Commissioner shall ensure that the data 
repository developed and maintained under subsection (a)--
(1) includes the data in fully searchable and machine-
readable format;
(2) is capable of including high-quality data through 
schemas and accompanying metadata;
(3) ensures consistent identification of data elements or 
assets that satisfy regulatory requirements for data, 
established by the Commission, as reflected in machine-readable 
metadata;
(4) uses standardized data formats across all Transmission 
Organizations and transmitting utilities;
(5) is used by Transmission Organizations and transmitting 
utilities to file reports required under the Federal Power Act 
and this Act;
(6) enables uploading of reports filed under the Federal 
Power Act or this Act;
(7) is optimized for operability by Transmission 
Organizations and transmitting utilities to limit the 
administrative burden of, and ensure consistency in, such 
filings;
(8) includes interactive tools and visualization interfaces 
to allow users to explore trends in transmission buildout, 
interconnection timelines, and associated ratepayer costs;
(9) incorporates Application Programming Interfaces or bulk 
download functionality to support third-party analysis and 
research; and
(10) ensures that publicly accessible data is aligned with 
the security of guidelines for Critical Energy/Electric 
Infrastructure Information, and includes appropriate data 
anonymization and cybersecurity protections, based on 
Commission guidance.

SEC. 4. GRID RESEARCH AND ANALYTICS.

(a) Research and Policy Analysis.--The Secretary, in collaboration 
with the Commission, using standardized methodologies and anonymized 
queue data collected under this Act, shall conduct research and publish 
periodic reports on the following topics:
(1) Primary drivers of increased costs to ratepayers 
associated with transmission and interconnection, including--
(A) transmission capital expenditures;
(B) interconnection-related upgrade costs;
(C) interconnection study delays;
(D) regional variations in cost allocation 
methodologies; and
(E) cost recovery practices by utilities and grid 
operators.
(2) Value delivered to ratepayers from transmission and 
interconnection investments, including through--
(A) improvements to electric system reliability;
(B) avoided emissions or emissions reductions; and
(C) enhancements to long-term system resilience and 
grid flexibility.
(3) Mechanisms to enhance ratepayer affordability, 
including--
(A) evaluation of performance-based regulation 
frameworks applied to transmission and interconnection-
related investments;
(B) assessment of alternative interconnection 
solutions such as grid-enhancing technologies, shared 
infrastructure models, or consolidated upgrades; and
(C) evaluation of demand-side interventions that 
reduce the need for costly transmission or 
interconnection investments.
(4) Comparative scenario modeling of potential energy 
futures, to--
(A) identify lowest-cost pathways to national grid 
expansion;
(B) assess trade-offs among investment strategies; 
and
(C) inform decision-making by utilities, regional 
planning entities, and Federal agencies.
(5) Systemic cost impacts from interconnection 
inefficiencies, including analysis of how study delays, queue 
withdrawals, and increased construction periods contribute to 
higher system costs for ratepayers or generators.
(6) Opportunities to increase system efficiency and unlock 
latent capacity through improved operational practices and 
deployment of advanced technologies, including--
(A) assessment of unused or underutilized grid 
capacity due to outdated planning assumptions or lack 
of dynamic optimization;
(B) evaluation of technologies such as dynamic line 
ratings, topology optimization, flexible 
interconnection, or flow control devices; and
(C) quantification of benefits to ratepayers and 
system operators from unlocking this capacity relative 
to traditional capital-intensive buildout.
(b) Interconnection Transparency and Dashboard.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall, through one or more 
National Laboratories, develop, maintain, and continuously 
improve an Interconnection Data Dashboard (in this section 
referred to as the ``Dashboard'') that presents real-time and 
historical information relevant to interconnection of 
generators, loads, and other utilities or transmission systems.
(2) Purpose.--The Dashboard shall provide public 
stakeholders, regulators, utilities, developers, and 
researchers with transparent, up-to-date insights into the 
effectiveness, efficiency, affordability, and reliability of 
interconnection processes across all transmission planning 
regions.
(3) Data sources.--The Dashboard shall incorporate data 
collected under section 3 of this Act and from FERC Form No. 1 
filings, relevant Commission filings, publicly available 
interconnection queue data, and additional datasets, as 
determined appropriate by the Secretary or the Commission.
(4) Capabilities.--The Secretary shall develop the 
Dashboard to be able to--
(A) present anonymized interconnection queue data, 
including application volumes, withdrawal rates, 
project timelines, and milestones;
(B) provide visualization of average and median 
interconnection study durations, disaggregated by 
region and project type;
(C) show aggregated system upgrade costs, study 
backlogs, and queue performance metrics;
(D) allow filtering by geographic location (e.g., 
State, balancing authority, latitude/longitude 
coordinate), utility, fuel type, and project size;
(E) present each interconnection project's current 
development status, such as application submitted, 
study phase, approved, under construction, or in-
service;
(F) display physical asset characteristics for each 
interconnection project and system segment, including 
nameplate generation capacity, peak load served, and 
conductor capacity ratings;
(G) identify trends in queue reform outcomes, 
including impacts on throughput, delay reduction, and 
project completion rates;
(H) support export of underlying data in machine-
readable formats for public analysis; and
(I) perform any other function the Secretary 
determines appropriate.
(5) Reporting.--The Secretary, in collaboration with 
National Laboratories and the Commission, shall publish annual 
reports summarizing findings from the Dashboard, based on data 
collected pursuant to section 3, without substituting for the 
more comprehensive cost-driver analysis required under 
subsection (a), including--
(A) interregional comparisons of queue efficiency 
and project success rates;
(B) systemic drivers of delay or cost escalation;
(C) estimated ratepayer impacts associated with 
interconnection bottlenecks; and
(D) recommendations for improving interconnection 
transparency and system performance.
(6) Public access.--The Dashboard shall be made available 
on a public website and designed for use by a broad range of 
users, including through visualizations, downloadable datasets, 
and API access, while maintaining protections for CEII.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
Administrator of the Energy Information Administration of the 
Department of Energy.
(2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission.
(3) FERC form no. 1.--The term ``FERC Form No. 1'' means 
the Form of Annual Report for Major electric utilities, 
licensees, and others, designated as FERC Form No. 1 and 
prescribed under section 141.1 of title 18, Code of Federal 
Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this 
Act).
(4) Metadata.--The term ``metadata'' has the meaning given 
such term in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code.
(5) Project.--The term ``project'' refers exclusively to 
transmission infrastructure projects planned, proposed, or 
undertaken by the transmitting utility. This includes projects 
initiated through--
(A) regional or local transmission planning 
processes;
(B) interconnection studies;
(C) reliability-driven upgrades; and
(D) other applicable pathways as determined by the 
Commission.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Energy.
(7) Federal power act terms.--The terms ``transmitting 
utility'', and ``Transmission Organization'' have the meanings 
given those terms in section 3 of the Federal Power Act (16 
U.S.C. 796).
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