H.R. 8161 — Introduced in House

I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8161 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 29, 2024Mr. Newhouse (for himself, Mr. Fulcher, Mr. Bentz, and Mr. Rosendale) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army from retiring an energy generation source if that retirement would raise customer electricity rates and decrease regional energy reliability by more than 10 percent, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Electric Act. 2. Prohibition on retirement of energy generation sources (a) Prohibition (1) In general The Secretary shall not retire an energy generation source if the retirement of that energy generation source would— (A) raise customer electricity rates by more than 10 percent; or (B) decrease energy reliability, as determined by the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration, in any portion of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and California by more than 10 percent of the energy reliability as compared to the 12-month period before the retirement. (2) Safety exception (b) Replacement of Baseload Generation Not later than 30 days after retiring an energy generation source, the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 100 percent of the baseload generation of the retired energy generation source has been replaced. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) Baseload generation The term baseload generation means the the minimum amount of electric power supplied to an electrical grid. (2) Energy generation source The term energy generation source means a federally operated dam that generates hydropower. (3) Secretary The term Secretary means— (A) the Secretary of the Interior, in reference to an energy generation source operated by the Bureau of Reclamation; and (B) the Secretary of the Army, in reference to an energy generation source operated by the Army Corps of Engineers.