Sponsors (4)
The bill speeds deployment of higher-efficiency transmission conductors to improve grid capacity, reliability, and industry investment certainty, but risks higher near-term costs for utilities and ratepayers and reduces utility flexibility under a strong FERC presumption.
Utilities and energy companies building or upgrading transmission lines will be more likely to install higher-capacity, more efficient conductors, increasing grid transfer capability.
Electricity consumers and taxpayers could see lower transmission losses and improved reliability as FERC's push for higher-efficiency conductors reduces line losses and outage risk in new projects.
Utilities, energy companies, and investors gain regulatory certainty from a 180-day FERC rule deadline, accelerating adoption, investment, and standardization of advanced conductor technologies.
Ratepayers, especially households in rural or high-rate areas, and utilities may face higher upfront capital costs for best-available conductors that could be passed through to customers before efficiency gains materialize, raising short-term electric bills.
Utilities and energy companies could have reduced flexibility and face more disputes or project delays because FERC's categorical presumption that non-best conductors are imprudent makes alternative choices harder to justify.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires FERC to presume that federally jurisdictional transmission projects use the 'best-available' conductor (by capacity, efficiency, and sag mitigation) and that those costs are just and reasonable.
Introduced December 11, 2025 by Julie Fedorchak · Last progress December 11, 2025
Creates a legal standard that requires transmission projects under FERC jurisdiction to use the "best-available transmission conductor" when seeking cost recovery. The standard defines best-available conductor by three technical criteria (maximum feasible energy-carrying capacity at a voltage, highest feasible electrical efficiency at that voltage, and mitigation of thermal sag) and instructs FERC to presume that using such conductors is prudent and that their costs are just and reasonable. FERC must issue implementing regulations within 180 days and set procedures for periodic review.