H.R. 3751 — Reliable Grid Act

This section expresses the sense of Congress that reliable, affordable electricity is essential; the EPA Administrator should prioritize electric grid reliability in regulations and avoid those causing premature retirement of dispatchable generating units (e.g., coal, natural gas); specific 2024 EPA rules on greenhouse gases, hazardous air pollutants, and effluent limitations from fossil fuel-fired units have contributed to capacity shortfalls; and grid operators, NERC, and FERC should address reliability risks from variable renewables and rising demand. The section further states the sense of Congress that the EPA should identify at-risk units, issue waivers as possible, halt implementation of certain prior rules, and ensure future power sector rules prevent further retirements while maintaining adequate reserves.

This section prohibits the Administrator from enforcing any rule or regulation that restricts the continuous, previously permitted operation of dispatchable electric generating units (i.e., units that can ramp output up or down to match grid demand) unless and until the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) categorizes all areas served by the bulk-power system (i.e., the nation's interconnected electric transmission grid) as “normal risk” pursuant to NERC's December 2023 Long-Term Reliability Assessment.

This section defines terms for purposes of the Act, including (1) "Administrator" as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (2) "bulk-power system" as defined in section 215(a)(1) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824o(a)(1)) (i.e., facilities and control systems necessary for operating an interconnected electric energy transmission network and electric energy from generation facilities needed to maintain transmission system reliability, excluding local distribution facilities); (3) "dispatchable electric generating unit" as any steam generating unit, integrated gasification combined cycle unit, stationary combustion turbine, or other electricity-generating unit connected to the bulk-power system, subject to EPA rules and regulations, and able to adjust its generation output on demand to meet bulk-power system requirements; and (4) "NERC" as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.