Introduced in Senate — S. 1566

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1566

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 1, 2025

Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Cassidy) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To extend a program for preventing outages and enhancing the resilience of the electric grid, and for other purposes.

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 Preventing Power Outages Act.

Sec. 2. Preventing outages and enhancing the resilience of the electric grid

Section 40101 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (42 U.S.C. 18711) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as paragraphs (2) through (6), respectively; and

(B)

by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) the following:

(1) CAIDI; SAIDI; SAIFI
The terms Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (or CAIDI), System Average Interruption Duration Index (or SAIDI), and System Average Interruption Frequency Index (or SAIFI) have the same meanings as in the standard published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association entitled IEEE Guide for Electric Power Distribution Reliability Indices and numbered 1366 (or a successor standard), subject to the condition that, in calculating each index, all outages greater than 5 minutes, including on Major Event Days (within the meaning of that standard (or a successor standard)), are included in the calculation.;

(2)

in subsection (c)(4)—

(A)

by striking the paragraph designation and heading and all that follows through In and inserting the following:

(4) Priority; special consideration
(A) Priority
In; and

(B)

by adding at the end the following:

(B) Special consideration
In making grants to eligible entities under the program, the Secretary shall take into consideration the scores of the eligible entities on the System Average Interruption Duration Index, the System Average Interruption Frequency Index, and the Customer Average Interruption Duration Index during the previous 5 years, with eligible entities having lower reliability, as indicated by higher SAIDI, SAIFI, or CAIDI scores during that period, receiving additional weight or consideration as compared to eligible entities having higher reliability, as indicated by lower SAIDI, SAIFI, or CAIDI scores during that period.;

(3)

in subsection (d)—

(A)

in paragraph (3)(B), by adding at the end the following:

(vi)
The scores of the State or Indian Tribe on the System Average Interruption Duration Index, the System Average Interruption Frequency Index, and the Customer Average Interruption Duration Index during the previous 5 years, with States or Indian Tribes having lower reliability, as indicated by higher SAIDI, SAIFI, or CAIDI scores during that period, receiving additional weight or consideration as compared to States or Indian Tribes having higher reliability, as indicated by lower SAIDI, SAIFI, or CAIDI scores during that period.; and

(B)

in paragraph (5)—

(i)

by striking the paragraph designation and heading and all that follows through In and inserting the following:

(5) Priority; special consideration
(A) Priority
In; and

(ii)

by adding at the end the following:

(B) Special consideration
In making grants to eligible entities using funds made available to the applicable State or Indian Tribe under the program, the State or Indian Tribe shall take into consideration the scores of the eligible entities on the System Average Interruption Duration Index, the System Average Interruption Frequency Index, and the Customer Average Interruption Duration Index during the previous 5 years, with eligible entities having lower reliability, as indicated by higher SAIDI, SAIFI, or CAIDI scores during that period, receiving additional weight or consideration as compared to eligible entities having higher reliability, as indicated by lower SAIDI, SAIFI, or CAIDI scores during that period.;

(4)

in subsection (e)—

(A)

in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (C); and

(B)

by adding at the end the following:

(3) Clarification
In making grants to eligible entities under this section, the Secretary, a State, or an Indian Tribe may not—
(A)
condition the submission of an application for, or receipt of, such a grant on the application addressing more than 1 type or category of activities, technologies, equipment, or hardening measures described in paragraph (1); or
(B)
give priority or any other preference to an application solely because the application addresses more than 1 type or category of activities, technologies, equipment, or hardening measures described in that paragraph.; and

(5)

in subsection (j), by striking 2022 through 2026 and inserting 2027 through 2031, to remain available until expended.