HIGH-CAPACITY GRID ACT

On 2026-09-15, Representative Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-7) delivered a floor speech titled "HIGH-CAPACITY GRID ACT" in the House.

HIGH-CAPACITY GRID ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)] [House] [Pages H5662-H5663] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HIGH-CAPACITY GRID ACT Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (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, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6633 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 CLASS. The Federal Power Act is amended by inserting after section 223 (16 U.S.C. 824w) the following: ``SEC. 224. USE OF BEST-AVAILABLE TRANSMISSION CONDUCTORS. ``(a) Use of Best-available Transmission Conductors.--In exercising its authority under sections 205 and 206, the Commission shall require that public utilities use transmission conductors that are designated as part of the best-available transmission conductor class when carrying out covered projects. ``(b) Regulations.-- ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Commission shall issue regulations to carry out this section. ``(2) Inclusions.--In issuing regulations under paragraph (1), the Commission shall-- ``(A) establish, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, a methodology to designate, as part of the best- available transmission conductors class, transmission conductors that-- ``(i) provide the greatest feasible and commercially available energy-carrying capacity at a given voltage level; ``(ii) provide the highest feasible and commercially available electrical efficiency at that voltage level; and ``(iii) provide the greatest feasible and commercially available level of mechanical performance, taking into account relevant factors, including reliability, safety, and affordability; ``(B) using such methodology, designate transmission conductors as part of the best-available transmission conductor class; ``(C) establish filing requirements for public utilities to demonstrate compliance with the regulations, including (as applicable) such information and data the Commission determines necessary to demonstrate project-specific impacts described in subparagraph (D); and ``(D) provide that the requirement to use transmission conductors that are designated as part of the best-available transmission conductor class not apply-- ``(i) to carrying out any covered project for which a public utility, prior to the date of enactment of this section, has-- ``(I) filed for any State or Federal permit required to carry out the covered project; or ``(II) procured any transmission conductors; ``(ii) to the emergency replacement or repair of transmission facilities necessary to restore service following a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other event designated as an emergency by a relevant Federal or State authority; ``(iii) if such use would negatively impact safety or violate a reliability standard; or ``(iv) if the public utility carrying out the covered project demonstrates such use would significantly increase the cost per kilowatt-hour of electricity without providing a material and commensurate increase to capacity, efficiency, or mechanical performance. ``(c) Periodic Review and Updates.--The Commission may, to reflect improvements in technology, periodically review and update-- ``(1) the methodology for designating transmission conductors as part of the best-available transmission conductor class; and ``(2) the designation of transmission conductors as part of the best-available transmission conductor class. ``(d) Definitions.--In this section: ``(1) Best-available transmission conductor class.--The term `best-available transmission conductor class' means a class of transmission conductors that are designated as part of the class pursuant to this section. ``(2) Commission.--The term `Commission' means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. ``(3) Covered project.--The term `covered project' means-- ``(A) the construction of a new transmission facility subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission under section 201(b) that includes a transmission conductor; or ``(B) any major (as determined by the Commission) modification, upgrade, replacement, or reconductoring of an existing transmission conductor subject to such jurisdiction. ``(4) Reliability standard.--The term `reliability standard' has the meaning given such term in section 215.''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Mrs. Fletcher) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky. General Leave Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members [[Page H5663]] may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 6633. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Kentucky? There was no objection. Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6633, the High-Capacity Grid Act sponsored by my colleague, Congresswoman Fedorchak, from North Dakota. The High-Capacity Grid Act will leverage advancements in transmission conductors to more cost-effectively expand our grid and meet the electricity demands of our next generation. Advanced conductors can significantly increase the number of electrons that we put on our system to power our households and businesses of all kinds. H.R. 6633 will bring savings to households on their electric bills while more efficiently meeting the demands of our next-generation economy ensuring the U.S. is a global leader in innovation. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, Democrats have argued for years that growing our power grid is crucial. A grid that is too small, too dumb, and too rigid only serves to make power unreliable and increase American families' power bills. A grid that is larger, smarter, and more flexible is what we need, especially if we hope to withstand a wave of data-center-driven demand for power. While it is critical that we give grid operators new tools to build new power lines, the cheapest and quickest way to expand our grid is to get more of what we currently have. For decades, utilities have largely used the same conductors and power lines, but it doesn't have to be that way. New advanced conductors can often carry much more power through the same transmission line than traditional conductors. H.R. 6633, the High-Capacity Grid Act would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, to issue a rule requiring utilities to use the best available class of transmission conductors. I want to note two important things. First, the bill focuses on the best-available class of conductors, not a single technology. The goal here is not to favor a single company or a single technology, but to give FERC and the Department of Energy the flexibility to designate what constitutes the best-available class of conductors. Second, the bill relies on FERC to maintain a balance, to ensure that utilities have the ability to use other conductors when they really need to, and to ensure that the exceptions do not become the rule. This bill is only a small part of a much larger conversation we need to have about how to expand our power grid. Unfortunately, Republicans and the Trump administration have been reluctant to engage in serious conversations on what we can do to build a grid for the 21st century. I think that is a shame, and there should be more transmission bills on the floor along with this one today. We should be considering Energy Subcommittee Ranking Member Castor's bill to speed up the process that generators use to connect to the power grid. This bill certainly won't solve the problem by itself, but it does represent an important first step. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nebraska (Mrs. Fedorchak), who is a sponsor of the legislation and a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Mrs. FEDORCHAK. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, the High-Capacity Grid Act. America's electricity demand is growing at a pace faster than it ever has. Domestic manufacturing, large load growth, electrification, and investments in aging infrastructure are placing unprecedented demands on our grid, and it is contributing to rising utility bills for American families. When people think about their electric bills, they often focus on the cost of generating power. However, transmission costs, the wires that carry the power, are one of the fastest growing components of those bills. According to research from the Brattle Group and the Energy Information Administration, transmission costs have increased by more than 180 percent since 2005 while generation costs have declined. Meanwhile, permitting and constructing new transmission lines can take years. On average, it would take more than 4 years just to permit a new power line, and sometimes over a decade, before a single shovel hits the ground. Of course Congress must continue working to reform our broken permitting system. However, even with those reforms, we cannot permit and build our way out of this challenge fast enough. We must make the most out of the existing 

Referenced legislation: HR6633, HR6633