H.R. 3143 — State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act

This section adds a new ratemaking standard (designated paragraph (22)) to Section 111(d) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA), requiring each electric utility that employs integrated resource planning to include, as part of such planning, measures sufficient to ensure reliable electric energy availability over a 10-year period by maintaining the operation of or procuring electric energy from reliable generation facilities. (A reliable generation facility is defined as one able to generate electric energy continuously for at least 30 days with adequate on-site fuel or supply contracts, operable during emergency and severe weather conditions, and providing essential reliability services such as frequency and voltage support.) (As background, PURPA requires state regulatory authorities—for regulated utilities—and nonregulated electric utilities to consider each listed standard and determine whether to implement it to promote affordable, reliable electricity service.) The section also makes conforming amendments to Section 112 of PURPA by (1) requiring such authorities and utilities to commence consideration of the new standard within one year of enactment and complete the determination within two years; (2) deeming the enactment date of the new standard as the relevant date for prior timeline provisions; and (3) exempting states where, before enactment, an electric utility had implemented the standard (or comparable), undergone a proceeding on it, or had it voted on by the legislature within the prior three years. Additionally, it updates Section 124 of PURPA to apply the same enactment-date deeming for prior and pending proceedings.