H.R. 9332
Load Forecasting Enhancement Act
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Load Forecasting Enhancement Act
This bill requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to establish regional boards to study and recommend best practices for electric load forecasting, which is the process of predicting the demand for electricity at a particular time. It also requires states to consider adopting the recommendations.
Specifically, the bill directs FERC to establish regional boards to study electric load forecasting, chair the boards, and run them jointly with each state public utility commission in the regions. The boards must (1) study issues relevant to identifying best practices for electric load forecasting that enhance the reliability and affordability of electric service to customers, and (2) identify such best practices. FERC must make recommendations to Congress for the consistent use across states of such best practices by electric utilities.
The bill also modifies provisions under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act to require state public utility commissions to consider adopting those recommendations.
It also modifies the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to make federal assistance for state energy conservation plans contingent upon the plan including procedures and programs to improve the accuracy, oversight, and transparency to stakeholders of the forecasting of electric loads by electric utilities.
Text of the bill
(a) In general. Section 111 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2621) is amended—
(1) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following:
(22) Electric load forecasting. The procedures used to forecast electric loads shall incorporate the recommendations published in the report of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission pursuant to the Load Forecasting Enhancement Act.
; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
(e) Consideration and determination by nonregulated electric utilities. The requirement for consideration and determination referred to in the first sentence of subsection (a) shall not apply to a nonregulated electric utility with respect to the standard established by paragraph (22) of subsection (d).
(b) Conforming amendments
(1) Obligations to consider and determine. Section 112 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2622) is amended—
(A) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following:
(9)
(A) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with respect to each electric utility for which the State has ratemaking authority) shall commence consideration under section 111, or set a hearing date for consideration, with respect to the standard established by paragraph (22) of section 111(d).
(B) Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with respect to each electric utility for which the State has ratemaking authority) shall complete the consideration and make the determination under section 111 with respect to the standard established by paragraph (22) of section 111(d).
(B) in subsection (c)—
(i) by striking subsection (b)(2) and inserting subsection (b); and
(ii) by inserting In the case of the standard established by paragraph (22) of section 111(d), the reference contained in this subsection to the date of enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of that paragraph (22). after paragraph (21).; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
(i) Other prior State actions. Subsections (b) and (c) shall not apply to the standard established by paragraph (22) of section 111(d) in the case of any electric utility in a State if, before the date of enactment of this subsection—
(1) the State has implemented for the electric utility the standard (or a comparable standard);
(2) the State regulatory authority for the State has conducted a proceeding to consider implementation of the standard (or a comparable standard) for the electric utility; or
(3) the State legislature has voted on the implementation of the standard (or a comparable standard) for the electric utility during the 3-year period ending on that date of enactment.
(2) Prior and pending proceedings. Section 124 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2634) is amended by inserting In the case of the standard established by paragraph (22) of section 111(d), the reference contained in this section to the date of enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of paragraph (22). after paragraph (21)..