United StatesEnergy Secretary would offer utilities grants for wildfire and grid work
If Congress enacts the bill and provides funding, the Energy Secretary would offer utilities grants for wildfire prevention or grid reliability, with most recipients required to match the grant.
What it does
The Energy Secretary would offer grants for added utility work to reduce wildfire risks or improve grid reliability. Applicants must provide a wildfire plan or a report on reliability work, depending on the project.
The Secretary would reserve at least 40 percent of program money for wildfire risk reduction and at least 20 percent for utilities selling no more than 4 million megawatt-hours a year.
Most utilities would need to match each grant dollar with at least one dollar of their own. Utilities selling no more than 4 million megawatt-hours a year would need to match at least one-third of the grant.
The bill would authorize $15 billion a year for the grant program, but Congress would still need to provide the money.
Argument forSmaller utilities could have an easier path to grants because they would need to match only one-third of the grant amount.
Argument againstUtilities could find it hard to take part because most must contribute at least one dollar of their own for each grant dollar.
More detail
The Energy Secretary would establish a grant program for electric utilities. Eligible applicants include public, cooperative, investor-owned, and federal electric utilities. Projects must add to the utility’s planned grid-hardening work and be designed to improve public safety. Utilities seeking wildfire risk grants must submit a wildfire plan. Those seeking reliability grants must report past, current, and planned work. The Secretary must give priority to projects expected to provide the greatest community benefit compared with their cost. The Secretary would have to establish the program within 90 days after enactment.
The Secretary would reserve portions of program grants for wildfire projects and smaller utilities. The reservations apply to amounts made available to electric utilities under the program. At least 40 percent of the total amounts made available to utilities under the program must go to utilities seeking grants for wildfire risk reduction. At least 20 percent must go to utilities selling no more than 4 million megawatt-hours of electricity per year. The reservations would apply when the Secretary makes grants under the program.
Utilities would have to provide matching funds to receive most program grants. These conditions apply to utilities receiving program grants. Most utilities must provide cash or in-kind contributions worth at least as much as the grant. Utilities selling no more than 4 million megawatt-hours a year must provide at least one-third of the grant amount. With the Secretary’s approval, qualifying reliability or wildfire work from the year before the grant is received may count toward the match. Earlier work could count only if it was done during the year before the utility received the grant and the Secretary approves it.
Congress would be authorized to provide $15 billion each year for the program. The authorized funds would go to the Secretary of Energy to carry out the grant program. The bill authorizes funding but does not itself provide the money. The authorization covers fiscal years 2027 through 2036.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 24Introduced in HouseLatest
- Sep 24Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.Introduced
Environment & EnergyPublic Safety