A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
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, known as the "STRONG GRID Act of 2026," aims to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to support microgrids. It directs states to consider creating regulatory frameworks for connecting microgrids to the electric grid and establishing standards to measure the benefits of grid resilience investments. The legislation establishes an Electric Grid Resilience Program to provide competitive grants to state energy offices for microgrid deployment. It also creates a pilot program for the Secretary of Energy to fund projects that demonstrate innovative microgrid applications. Additionally, the bill authorizes technical assistance for utilities, regulators, and other stakeholders to facilitate microgrid adoption.
Yes· 3 of 11
- Scored +7
Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power?
The bill provides funding and support for microgrids that include renewable energy resources.
- Scored +5
Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change?
The bill supports the deployment of renewable energy resources through microgrid innovation and incentives.
- Scored +5
Does this invest in rural communities?
The bill prioritizes microgrid projects that primarily benefit rural areas.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Energy Resilience: States are encouraged to establish standards to evaluate how investments can improve the resilience of the electric grid, specifically regarding essential services and required service levels (Section 2(a)(23)(A)(i)).
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Support for Vulnerable Communities: The Electric Grid Resilience Program gives priority to projects that primarily benefit low-income communities and rural areas (Section 4(a)(d)(3)(F)).
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Microgrid Deployment Grants: State energy offices can award competitive grants to support various microgrid activities, including needs assessments, engineering, construction, and maintenance (Section 4(a)(d)(2)).
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Technical Assistance and Education: The Secretary is tasked with providing technical assistance to help entities adopt microgrids and hosting workshops and roundtables to provide education on the benefits and management of microgrid systems (Section 5(b) and 5(e)).
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Innovation through Pilot Programs: A pilot program is established to fund projects demonstrating innovative microgrid applications, such as those using renewable energy resources or managing voltage instability (Section 6(b) and 6(d)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Exclusion of Defense Installations: Military and other defense installations operated by the Department of Defense are not subject to the standards or methodologies established for evaluating the benefits of investments in grid resilience (Section 2(a)(23)(B)).
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Financial Burden on Grant Recipients: Entities receiving a grant through the Electric Grid Resilience Program are required to provide at least 25 percent of the project cost (Section 4(a)(d)(4)).
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.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power? — The bill provides funding and support for microgrids that include renewable energy resources. Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill prioritizes microgrid projects that primarily benefit rural areas. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — The bill supports the deployment of renewable energy resources through microgrid innovation and incentives. Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — The bill enhances grid resilience, which can mitigate the impact of disasters on the electrical system.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill prioritizes microgrid projects that primarily benefit low-income communities. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill prioritizes microgrid projects that primarily benefit rural areas.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill funds a pilot program for demonstrating innovative microgrid applications and technologies. Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill includes developing best practices for personal data protection in microgrid operations.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill addresses data privacy best practices for microgrid technologies. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill increases federal involvement in state energy programs and grid resilience through grants and technical assistance.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — The bill promotes cybersecurity through technical assistance and requirements for microgrid operation and management.
- 7/29/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Introduced in Senate