Reliable Grid Act

This bill prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing rules or regulations that restrict the continuous, previously permitted operation of certain dispatchable electric generating units until the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) categorizes all areas served by the bulk-power system as 'normal risk' under its 2023 Long-Term Reliability Assessment.

Sec. 2, Sense of Congress: Congress states that reliable, affordable electricity is essential for human health and the environment, and that the EPA Administrator should prioritize grid reliability. It claims that past regulations, including specific rules from 2024, have forced premature retirement of reliable power generation (like coal and natural gas units), leading to capacity shortages and grid reliability challenges. It urges the Administrator to identify units at risk, provide waivers to prevent shutdowns, and coordinate with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and NERC to develop new reliability standards that account for the limitations of solar and wind power during peak demand.

Sec. 3, Prohibition on enforcement of rules and regulations relating to certain electric generating units: The Administrator may not enforce any rule or regulation that restricts the continuous, previously permitted operation of any dispatchable electric generating unit unless and until NERC categorizes all areas served by the bulk-power system as 'normal risk' under its December 2023 '2023 Long-Term Reliability Assessment'.

Sec. 4, Definitions: Defines key terms: 'Administrator' means the EPA Administrator; 'bulk-power system' has the meaning from the Federal Power Act; 'dispatchable electric generating unit' means a steam generating unit, integrated gasification combined cycle unit, stationary combustion turbine, or other unit that generates electricity connected to the bulk-power system and can adjust generation on demand; and 'NERC' means the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.