E-Access Act

This bill promotes competition in digital energy management tools by enhancing consumer access to their electric and natural gas usage information, and by setting guidelines for data sharing to support innovative energy products and services. It amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to include state programs for consumer energy data access, and requires the Secretary of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue model data-sharing guidelines for states. The bill also provides for state certification and assistance, and mandates a report on using electric meter data for wholesale electricity market settlement.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines key terms used in the bill, including 'Commission' (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission), 'covered wholesale electricity market', 'electric consumer', 'electric meter software platform', 'electric utility', 'gas consumer', 'gas utility', 'Green Button Connect My Data', 'grid edge computer', 'grid edge consumer insight', 'Independent System Operator', 'meter', 'Regional Transmission Organization', 'retail electric energy information', 'retail natural gas information', 'Secretary' (Secretary of Energy), and 'State energy office'.

Sec. 3, Consumer access to electric energy and natural gas information: Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require state energy plans to include programs that enhance consumer access to energy usage and cost information, facilitate innovative products, and increase adoption of energy efficiency and demand response programs. The Secretary and Commission must jointly issue guidelines for states on data-sharing standards, covering timeliness, format, consumer consent, third-party access terms, platform fairness, and privacy protections. The Secretary may certify state policies that meet these guidelines and provide financial assistance, with $10,000,000 authorized for fiscal year 2026. The Secretary and Commission must also submit a report to Congress evaluating the costs and benefits of using electric meter data for settling wholesale electricity market prices, including analyses of customer access, costs, and reliability benefits.