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September 15, 2026
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Download official House Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6633) to establish a best-available transmission conductor standard for certain transmission projects under the Federal Power Act and to provide for presumptions regarding cost recovery for such conductors, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 6633
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “High-Capacity Grid Act”.
SEC. 2. BEST-AVAILABLE TRANSMISSION CONDUCTOR CLASS.
The Federal Power Act is amended by inserting after section
223 (16 U.S.C. 824w) the following:
“SEC. 224. USE OF BEST-AVAILABLE TRANSMISSION CONDUCTORS.
“(a) Use of Best-available Transmission Conductors.—In
exercising its authority under sections 205 and 206, the
Commission shall require that public utilities use
transmission conductors that are designated as part of the
best-available transmission conductor class when carrying out
covered projects.
“(b) Regulations.—
“(1) In general.—Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, the Commission shall issue
regulations to carry out this section.
“(2) Inclusions.—In issuing regulations under paragraph
(1), the Commission shall—
“(A) establish, in consultation with the Secretary of
Energy, a methodology to designate, as part of the best-
available transmission conductors class, transmission
conductors that—
“(i) provide the greatest feasible and commercially
available energy-carrying capacity at a given voltage level;
“(ii) provide the highest feasible and commercially
available electrical efficiency at that voltage level; and
“(iii) provide the greatest feasible and commercially
available level of mechanical performance, taking into
account relevant factors, including reliability, safety, and
affordability;
“(B) using such methodology, designate transmission
conductors as part of the best-available transmission
conductor class;
“(C) establish filing requirements for public utilities to
demonstrate compliance with the regulations, including (as
applicable) such information and data the Commission
determines necessary to demonstrate project-specific impacts
described in subparagraph (D); and
“(D) provide that the requirement to use transmission
conductors that are designated as part of the best-available
transmission conductor class not apply—
“(i) to carrying out any covered project for which a
public utility, prior to the date of enactment of this
section, has—
“(I) filed for any State or Federal permit required to
carry out the covered project; or
“(II) procured any transmission conductors;
“(ii) to the emergency replacement or repair of
transmission facilities necessary to restore service
following a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other
event designated as an emergency by a relevant Federal or
State authority;
“(iii) if such use would negatively impact safety or
violate a reliability standard; or
“(iv) if the public utility carrying out the covered
project demonstrates such use would significantly increase
the cost per kilowatt-hour of electricity without providing a
material and commensurate increase to capacity, efficiency,
or mechanical performance.
“(c) Periodic Review and Updates.—The Commission may, to
reflect improvements in technology, periodically review and
update—
“(1) the methodology for designating transmission
conductors as part of the best-available transmission
conductor class; and
“(2) the designation of transmission conductors as part of
the best-available transmission conductor class.
“(d) Definitions.—In this section:
“(1) Best-available transmission conductor class.—The
term `best-available transmission conductor class' means a
class of transmission conductors that are designated as part
of the class pursuant to this section.
“(2) Commission.—The term `Commission' means the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission.
“(3) Covered project.—The term `covered project' means—
“(A) the construction of a new transmission facility
subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission under section
201(b) that includes a transmission conductor; or
“(B) any major (as determined by the Commission)
modification, upgrade, replacement, or reconductoring of an
existing transmission conductor subject to such jurisdiction.
“(4) Reliability standard.—The term `reliability
standard' has the meaning given such term in section 215.”.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Mrs. Fletcher) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6633, the High-Capacity Grid Act sponsored by my colleague, Congresswoman Fedorchak, from North Dakota.
conductors to more cost-effectively expand our grid and meet the electricity demands of our next generation.
electrons that we put on our system to power our households and businesses of all kinds.
H.R. 6633 will bring savings to households on their electric bills while more efficiently meeting the demands of our next-generation economy ensuring the U.S. is a global leader in innovation.
Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
grid is crucial. A grid that is too small, too dumb, and too rigid only serves to make power unreliable and increase American families' power bills. A grid that is larger, smarter, and more flexible is what we need, especially if we hope to withstand a wave of data-center-driven demand for power.
new power lines, the cheapest and quickest way to expand our grid is to get more of what we currently have. For decades, utilities have largely used the same conductors and power lines, but it doesn't have to be that way. New advanced conductors can often carry much more power through the same transmission line than traditional conductors.
H.R. 6633, the High-Capacity Grid Act would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, to issue a rule requiring utilities to use the best available class of transmission conductors.
I want to note two important things. First, the bill focuses on the best-available class of conductors, not a single technology. The goal here is not to favor a single company or a single technology, but to give FERC and the Department of Energy the flexibility to designate what constitutes the best-available class of conductors.
utilities have the ability to use other conductors when they really need to, and to ensure that the exceptions do not become the rule.
to have about how to expand our power grid. Unfortunately, Republicans and the Trump administration have been reluctant to engage in serious conversations on what we can do to build a grid for the 21st century. I think that is a shame, and there should be more transmission bills on the floor along with this one today.
bill to speed up the process that generators use to connect to the power grid. This bill certainly won't solve the problem by itself, but it does represent an important first step.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nebraska (Mrs. Fedorchak), who is a sponsor of the legislation and a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Mrs. FEDORCHAK. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, the High-Capacity Grid Act.
has. Domestic manufacturing, large load growth, electrification, and investments in aging infrastructure are placing unprecedented demands on our grid, and it is contributing to rising utility bills for American families.
cost of generating power. However, transmission costs, the wires that carry the power, are one of the fastest growing components of those bills.
Information Administration, transmission costs have increased by more than 180 percent since 2005 while generation costs have declined.
take years. On average, it would take more than 4 years just to permit a new power line, and sometimes over a decade, before a single shovel hits the ground. Of course Congress must continue working to reform our broken permitting system.
out of this challenge fast enough. We must make the most out of the existing infrastructure we have already built. That is exactly what the High-Capacity Grid Act will help us do.
This is a commonsense approach. That is why this bill earned unanimous support from the Energy and Commerce Committee. Advanced conductors can dramatically increase the amount of electricity delivered over existing lines. It can also improve efficiency, safety, and reliability. In many cases, these technologies can double transmission capacity without requiring new rights-of-way or years of additional permitting. That is good for grid reliability. It is good for affordability, and it is good for hardworking families who ultimately pay the bill.
That is a no-brainer. The High-Capacity Grid Act is about squeezing every possible megawatt out of the infrastructure we already have, and it is about delivering more power at the lowest possible cost.
Chairman Latta for their leadership and for helping advance this legislation to the House floor.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, in closing, I just encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I appreciate all the hard work. I appreciate Congresswoman Fedorchak's hard work, working on both sides of the aisle. I encourage a “yes” vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.
{time} 1830
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6633, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.