Sponsor
Martin Heinrich
Senator · D-NM
Senator · D-NM
The bill speeds and standardizes generator interconnection through a no‑upgrade basic access path and stronger FERC authority, but it leaves deliverability and congestion risk with developers and imposes upgrade and administrative costs on projects, utilities, and ratepayers.
Interconnection customers (generators and developers) gain a guaranteed pathway to interconnect and inject up to an evaluated no‑upgrade level, speeding project entry to market.
The interconnection process becomes more predictable and transparent through standardized studies and timelines, plus FERC authority to require RTO/ISO uniform rules and clearer disclosure of constraints and operational measures.
Generators using the no‑upgrade basic access service are not guaranteed deliverability to load and may face congestion‑related curtailment or redispatch, creating revenue uncertainty and operational risk.
Projects that want to inject above the no‑upgrade level or secure deliverability must still pay for network upgrades, increasing upfront costs and financial risk for developers.
Utilities and ratepayers could face increased administrative and implementation costs (tariff revisions, new studies, Commission proceedings) to adopt and enforce the new service.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Mandates RTOs/ISOs to offer a basic access service for energy-only delivery and file tariff revisions with FERC within 180 days, with service effective one year after enactment.
Official title: Require Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators administering an open access transmission tariff to offer basic access service for energy-only delivery, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 16, 2026 by Martin Heinrich · Last progress July 16, 2026
Creates a mandatory "basic access service for energy-only delivery" that each Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) and Independent System Operator (ISO) must offer, and requires RTOs/ISOs to file tariff changes with FERC to implement the service. The bill sets deadlines for filings (180 days, with one possible extension) and makes it unlawful under the Federal Power Act for an RTO/ISO to maintain rates, terms, or conditions that fail to provide the required basic access service. The statutory duty applies to interconnection service allowing a generating facility to interconnect and inject up to an evaluated/approved level, subject to study processes, timelines, deliverability and conditional service limits, and other qualifications. The new provision takes effect for service one year after enactment (with RTO/ISO-specific timing tied to FERC acceptance of tariff filings).