E-Access Act

The E-Access Act aims to promote competition in digital energy management tools by enhancing consumer access to their electric and natural gas usage information, facilitating innovative products and services for energy management, and improving electric grid reliability. It establishes guidelines for states to provide consumers and their authorized third parties with access to their energy data.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines key terms used in the bill, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission), covered wholesale electricity markets, electric and gas consumers and utilities, electric meter software platforms, grid edge computers, Green Button Connect My Data standard, retail electric energy information, retail natural gas information, the Secretary of Energy, and State energy offices.

Sec. 3, Consumer Access to Electric Energy and Natural Gas Information: Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to include state programs promoting competition in digital energy tools and consumer access to energy information. Requires the Secretary of Energy and the Commission to jointly issue guidelines within 180 days for states on data sharing standards, covering data timeliness, format, consumer consent, third-party access terms, platform fairness, and privacy protections. Allows State energy offices to submit their policies for certification and authorizes $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 to assist certified states. Also requires a joint report within one year on the costs and benefits of using electric meter data for settling wholesale electricity market prices.