A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is called the Utility Affordability and Transparency Act. It makes changes to the emergency authority under section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act. The bill shifts certain decision-making duties to the Secretary of Energy and requires more transparency for ratepayers. It requires public reports on costs and causes of emergencies. It also places prohibitions on orders that prevent or delay the retirement of power plants, with specific exceptions.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +7
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The legislation requires the Commission to publish detailed public reports on the causes and costs of energy emergencies within 30 days.
- Scored +6
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill enhances transparency by requiring public cost reports and direct customer notifications regarding emergency utility orders.
- Scored +5
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?
The bill permits petitions for judicial review of renewed or reissued orders without requiring a prior rehearing request.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2(4) adds requirements for the Commission to publish a report not later than 30 days after an order is issued, which includes estimates of costs expected to be incurred by customers and electric utilities. This is positive because it gives people clear information about expected costs.
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Section 2(4) requires electric utilities to provide written descriptions of costs incurred or expected to be incurred due to an order to their customers within 60 days. This benefits everyday people by holding utilities accountable and keeping customers informed about how emergency orders impact their bills.
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Section 2(4) prohibits the Commission from issuing orders that prevent or delay the retirement of a power plant, or requiring generation from a retired facility, unless a specific emergency cannot be met otherwise and the Transmission Organization requests it in writing. This protects people from unnecessary delays in closing old facilities unless absolutely necessary.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Section 2(3) allows the Secretary to renew or reissue orders, and if they do, a petition for judicial review may be filed without a request for rehearing. While this changes the legal process, the text provided does not explicitly detail a negative consequence or burden on individuals or groups of people resulting from this change.
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Section 2(4) allows for exceptions where the Commission can delay the retirement of a facility if an emergency exists and the Transmission Organization requests it in writing. This could potentially burden people if a plant's retirement is delayed during an emergency, though the text only outlines the procedural exception without detailing specific negative personal burdens.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The legislation requires the Commission to publish detailed public reports on the causes and costs of energy emergencies within 30 days. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — The bill permits petitions for judicial review of renewed or reissued orders without requiring a prior rehearing request.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Requiring utilities to provide written descriptions of costs helps low-income households better understand and manage potential impacts on their utility bills. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Increased transparency regarding expected utility costs helps middle-class families anticipate and plan for expenses resulting from emergency orders.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill enhances transparency by requiring public cost reports and direct customer notifications regarding emergency utility orders.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — The bill prohibits emergency orders that prevent or delay the retirement of power plants, facilitating the transition away from older, higher-emitting facilities.
- 10/1/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Introduced in House