H.R. 6633

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6633 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6633

To establish a best-available transmission conductor standard for 
certain transmission projects under the Federal Power Act and to 
provide for presumptions regarding cost recovery for such conductors.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 11, 2025

Mrs. Fedorchak introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish a best-available transmission conductor standard for 
certain transmission projects under the Federal Power Act and to 
provide for presumptions regarding cost recovery for such conductors.

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 ``High-Capacity Grid Act''.

SEC. 2. BEST-AVAILABLE TRANSMISSION CONDUCTOR STANDARD.

Section 205 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824d) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
``(h) Best-Available Transmission Conductor Standard.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Best-available transmission conductor.--The 
term `best-available transmission conductor' means a 
transmission conductor that, as determined by the 
Commission by rule under paragraph (5)--
``(i) provides the greatest feasible and 
commercially available energy-carrying capacity 
at a given voltage level;
``(ii) provides the highest feasible and 
commercially available electrical efficiency at 
that voltage level; and
``(iii) mitigates thermal sag at the 
maximum rated transmission-carrying capacity of 
the facility.
``(B) Covered project.--The term `covered project' 
means--
``(i) the construction of a new 
transmission facility subject to the 
jurisdiction of the Commission under section 
201(b); and
``(ii) any modification, upgrade, 
replacement, or reconductoring of an existing 
transmission line subject to such jurisdiction.
``(2) Presumption of prudence for best-available 
transmission conductors.--In any filing seeking to recover the 
cost of a transmission conductor for a covered project, and in 
any proceeding to determine whether such cost may be recovered 
through rates, the Commission shall presume that the use of a 
best-available transmission conductor is a prudent practice and 
that the associated costs are just and reasonable.
``(3) Presumption against recovery of costs for non-best-
available conductors.--In any filing seeking to recover the 
cost of a transmission conductor for a covered project, and in 
any proceeding to determine whether such cost may be recovered 
through rates, the Commission shall presume that the use of a 
transmission conductor that is not a best-available 
transmission conductor is not prudent and that the associated 
costs are not just and reasonable.
``(4) Applicability.--The requirements of this subsection 
apply only to public utilities and only with respect to covered 
projects that are subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission 
under section 201(b).
``(5) Rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this subsection, the Commission shall 
promulgate regulations to implement this subsection. In 
promulgating such regulations, the Commission shall--
``(A) establish a methodology for determining 
whether a transmission conductor is a best-available 
transmission conductor for purposes of this subsection;
``(B) ensure that such methodology is consistent 
with the criteria set forth in paragraph (1)(A); and
``(C) provide for periodic review and updating of 
the methodology to reflect improvements in technology, 
materials, and system performance.''.
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