,i #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #bgdi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,april #bj1 #bjbc,ms4 ,castor of ,florida 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,casten1 and ,mr4 ,peters7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to facilitate the generation and delivery of power from affordable and reliable renewable generation projects and energy storage projects4 #a4 ,short title2 definitions 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,efficient ,grid ,interconnection ,act of #bjbc4 7b7 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,commission ,the term ,commission means the ,federal ,energy ,regulatory ,commission4 7#b7 ,energy storage project ,the term energy storage project means equipment which receives1 stores1 and delivers energy using batteries1 compressed air1 pumped hydropower1 hydrogen storage 7including hydrolysis71 thermal energy storage1 regenerative fuel cells1 flywheels1 capacitors1 superconducting magnets1 or other technologies identified by the ,secretary of ,energy1 and which has a capacity of not less than #e kilowatt hours4 7#c7 ,generation project ,the term generation project means any facility-- 7,a7 that generates electricity2 and 7,b7 the interconnection request of which is subject to the jurisdiction of the ,commission4 7#d7 ,generator tie line ,the term generator tie line means a dedicated transmission line that is used to transmit power from a generation project or an energy storage project to a transmission facility or a transmission system4 7#e7 ,grid enhancing technology ,the term grid enhancing technology means any technology or equipment that increases the capacity1 efficiency1 or reliability of a transmission facility or transmission system1 including-- 7,a7 power flow control and transmission switching equipment2 7,b7 energy storage technology2 7,c7 topology optimization technology2 7,d7 dynamic line rating technology2 and 7,e7 other advanced transmission technologies1 such as composite reinforced aluminum conductors or high temperature superconductors4 7#f7 ,interconnection customer ,the term interconnection customer means a person or entity that has submitted a request to interconnect a generation project or an energy storage project that is subject to the jurisdiction of the ,commission to the owner or operator of a transmission facility or a transmission system4 7#g7 ,network upgrade ,the term network upgrade means-- 7,a7 any modification of1 addition to1 or expansion of any transmission facility or transmission system2 7,b7 the construction of a new facility that will become part of a transmission system2 7,c7 the addition of an energy storage project to a transmission facility or a transmission system2 and 7,d7 any construction1 deployment1 or addition of grid enhancing technology to a transmission facility or a transmission system that eliminates or reduces the need to carry out any of the activities described in subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,c74 7#h7 ,participant funding ,the term participant funding means any cost allocation method under which an interconnection customer is required to pay1 without reimbursement1 all or a disproportionate amount of the costs of a network upgrade that is determined to be necessary to ensure the reliable interconnection of the interconnection customer's generation project or energy storage project4 7#i7 ,public utility ,the term public utility has the meaning given such term in section #bja7;e7 of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbd7;e774 7#aj7 ,renewable generation project ,the term renewable generation project means a generation project that generates electricity from a renewable energy resource1 including wind1 solar1 geothermal1 and hydropower4 7#aa7 ,regional ,transmission ,organization2 ,independent ,system ,operator ,the terms ,regional ,transmission ,organization and ,independent ,system ,operator have the meanings given such terms in section #c of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #gif74 7#ab7 ,transmission system ,the term transmission system means a network of transmission facilities used for the transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce4 #b4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 in much of the ,united ,states renewable generation projects and energy storage projects face unfair and inefficient barriers to ,commission-jurisdictional interconnection with the electric grid2 7#b7 legislation is needed to accelerate the timely and efficient interconnection of renewable generation projects and energy storage projects1 and to ensure that individual interconnection customers are not forced to bear disproportionate amounts of shared network upgrade costs2 7#c7 network upgrades required to be constructed to interconnect renewable generation projects and energy storage projects benefit all transmission system customers as well as parties that receive power delivered over such transmission systems2 7#d7 the practice of exclusive or disproportionate participant funding1 whereby the costs of network upgrades are assigned solely or disproportionately to individual interconnection customers1 is unduly discriminatory1 harmful to consumers1 and not in the public interest2 7#e7 in certain cases1 the deployment of grid enhancing technologies can substitute for1 and thereby reduce the need for1 time required1 or cost to construct1 a traditional transmission upgrade or addition1 such as modifying or adding a conductor or substation element1 that otherwise would be required to interconnect a new generation project or energy storage project2 7#f7 by reducing the need for1 and the time necessary to construct1 a traditional transmission upgrade or addition1 such as modifying or adding a conductor or substation element1 the deployment of grid enhancing technologies would facilitate timely1 efficient1 and cost-effective interconnections1 and the renewable generation projects and energy storage projects dependent on those interconnections1 and the delivery of clean and reliable electricity produced by those projects2 and 7#g7 collectively1 the development and construction of renewable generation projects1 energy storage projects1 and grid enhancing technologies should create tens of thousands of family-sustaining jobs1 facilitate rural economic development1 enhance ,federal and ,state tax revenues1 and further the timely and cost-effective delivery of clean1 affordable1 and reliable electricity4 #c4 ,equitable cost allocation 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,commission shall issue a new regulation1 or revise existing regulations1 to prohibit the use of exclusive or disproportionate participant funding4 7b7 ,allocation of costs 7#a7 ,in general ,in prohibiting the use of exclusive or disproportionate participant funding under subsection 7a71 the ,commission shall1 except as provided in paragraph 7#d71 require that each public utility-- 7,a7 may not allocate the costs of a network upgrade solely to the requesting interconnection customer2 and 7,b7 shall reasonably allocate such costs to parties that-- 7i7 use the transmission facility or the transmission system2 7ii7 take electricity from the transmission facility or the transmission system2 or 7iii7 otherwise benefit from a network upgrade of the transmission facility or the transmission system4 7#b7 ,interconnection to multiple transmission systems ,with respect to a network upgrade that is associated with a generation project or an energy storage project that has a significant impact on two or more transmission systems1 the costs for such a network upgrade shall be allocated pursuant to a methodology designed jointly by the impacted transmission systems to ensure that all such costs are equitably shared by the parties that benefit from such network upgrade4 7#c7 ,determination of benefitting parties ,in determining which parties benefit for purposes of paragraph 7#a77;,b77iii7 and paragraph 7#b71 the ,commission shall consider all material benefits of the network upgrade1 including-- 7,a7 those that cannot be directly quantified1 including resilience benefits2 and 7,b7 environmental benefits1 including reduced and avoided emissions of greenhouse gases and conventional air pollutants4 7#d7 ,generator tie lines ,a public utility may require an interconnection customer to pay for the costs of construction of any generator tie lines that will be used to transmit power from the interconnection customer's generation project or energy storage project1 as applicable1 to the transmission facility or the transmission system4 7#e7 ,voluntary payment 7,a7 ,in general ,an interconnection customer may pay upfront some or all of the costs of a network upgrade at the transmission facility or transmission system to which they plan to interconnect their generation project or energy storage project in accordance with subparagraph 7,b74 7,b7 ,repayment ,any interconnection customer that pays costs under subparagraph 7,a7 shall be refunded such costs allocable to other parties pursuant to the ,commission's regulations issued or revised under this section1 over a period that is not longer than #aj years beginning on the date on which the interconnection customer's interconnection is complete4 7#f7 ,updating procedures ,not later than the date that is #c months after the date on which the ,commission issues or revises regulations as required under subsection 7a71 each public utility shall make a filing pursuant to section #bje of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbd;d7 to amend their interconnection procedures to comply with such regulations4 #d4 ,deployment of grid enhancing technologies ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,commission shall issue a new regulation1 or revise existing regulations1 to require the following3 7#a7 ,consultation 7,a7 ,in general ,with respect to processing a request to interconnect a generation project or an energy storage project1 the ,regional ,transmission ,organization1 ,independent ,system ,operator1 or transmission planning coordinator1 as applicable1 shall-- 7i7 consult with the relevant owner of the transmission facility or transmission system1 and the interconnection customer1 regarding deploying grid enhancing technology in addition to1 or as a substitute to1 carrying out a traditional transmission upgrade or addition1 such as modifying or adding a conductor or substation element2 and 7ii7 study the efficacy of deploying grid enhancing technology for the purposes described in clause 7i74 7,b7 ,unconnected transmission facilities ,with respect to a request to interconnect a generation project or an energy storage project to a transmission facility that is not connected to a transmission system1 the owner or operator of such a facility shall-- 7i7 consult with the interconnection customer regarding deploying grid enhancing technology in addition to1 or as a substitute to1 carrying out a traditional transmission upgrade or addition1 such as modifying or adding a conductor or substation element2 and 7ii7 study the efficacy of deploying grid enhancing technology for the purposes described in clause 7i74 7#b7 ,deployment 7,a7 ,in general ,an interconnection customer that is consulted with under paragraph 7#a7 may request that grid enhancing technology that was the subject of such consultation be deployed4 7,b7 ,determination ,the owner of the transmission facility or transmission system to which such technology would be deployed shall determine whether to deploy such technology1 subject to an appeal under subparagraph 7,c74 7,c7 ,appeal 7i7 ,in general ,an interconnection customer that requests deployment of grid enhancing technology under subparagraph 7,a7 may submit to the ,commission a request for a hearing to appeal the decision under subparagraph 7,b7 to not deploy grid enhancing technology4 7ii7 ,effect of appeal ,after a hearing under clause 7i71 the ,commission may order the owner of the transmission facility or transmission system to deploy the grid enhancing technology requested under subparagraph 7,a74 7#c7 ,updating procedures ,not later than the date that is #c months after the date on which the ,commission issues or revises regulations as required under this section1 each public utility shall make a filing pursuant to section #bje of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #hbd;d7 to amend their interconnection procedures to comply with such regulations4