,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ecjf  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,august #f1    
#bjbf,mr4 ,blumenthal introduced the    
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,energy  
and ,natural ,resources  ,a ,,bill  ,to 
amend the ,federal ,power ,act to       
require the ,federal ,energy ,regulatory
 ,commission to consider the effects of 
,commission-jurisdictional rates on the 
affordability of electricity for        
consumers1 and for other purposes4  #a4 
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,affordable ,electricity ,rates ,act
 of #bjbf4  #b4 ,consideration of       
effects of rates on consumer            
affordability ,section #bja of the      
,federal ,power ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4     
#hbd7 is amended by adding at the end   
the following3  7h7 ,affordability as a 
component of just and reasonable rates  
7#a7 ,in general ,in making any         
determination of whether a rate or      
charge is just and reasonable under this

 part1 the ,commission shall-- 7,a7     
consider whether the rate or charge is  
likely to result in retail electricity  
prices that are unaffordable for        
electric consumers 7as defined in       
section #c of the ,public ,utility      
,regulatory ,policies ,act of #aigh 7#af
 ,u4,s4,c4 #bfjb772 and  7,b7 presume   
that the rate or charge is likely to    
result in retail electricity prices that
 are unaffordable for electric consumers
 7as so defined7 if the ,commission     
determines that the rate or charge is   
likely to result in an increase in      
retail electricity prices of #e percent 
or more4  7#b7 ,unaffordable rates and  
charges prohibited ,if the ,commission  
determines under paragraph 7#a7 that a  
rate or charge is likely to result in   
retail electricity prices that are      
unaffordable for electric consumers 7as 
defined in section #c of the ,public    
,utility ,regulatory ,policies ,act of  
#aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bfjb771 such rate 
or charge shall not be considered to be 

just and reasonable for purposes of this
 part4  4