REWIRE Act

This bill amends the Federal Power Act to streamline permitting for upgrading the electric grid within existing rights-of-way, improve financial incentives for advanced transmission conductors, and support grid modeling and technical assistance. It creates a categorical exclusion from environmental review for activities like reconductoring and installing grid-enhancing technologies on previously disturbed land. The bill also directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to improve return on equity for investments in advanced conductors, expands state energy programs to include such technologies, and establishes a national laboratory program for probabilistic grid modeling. Additionally, it requires the Secretary of Energy to create an application guide and provide technical assistance for advanced transmission conductors and grid-enhancing technologies.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines key terms used in the bill, including 'advanced transmission conductor' (a conductor with at least 10% lower electrical resistance, 70% greater capacity, and 50% lower thermal expansion than traditional ACSR), 'grid-enhancing technology' (hardware or software that increases transmission capacity, efficiency, or reliability), and various reliability metrics like loss of load expectation (LOLE) and expected unserved energy (EUE).

Sec. 3, Categorical exclusion for reconductoring: Amends the Federal Power Act to establish a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act for activities that increase electric grid capacity within existing rights-of-way or on previously disturbed or developed land. This includes repair, maintenance, replacement, upgrade, modification, optimization, minor relocation, addition of facilities or energy storage, reconductoring, and installation of grid-enhancing technologies.

Sec. 4, Return on equity for advanced transmission conductors: Amends section 219 of the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, within one year, to issue new or revised rules that improve the return on equity for investments in advanced transmission conductors. It also requires that all approved rates be just, reasonable, and not unduly discriminatory.

Sec. 5, State energy programs: Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to include reconductoring with advanced transmission conductors and installation of grid-enhancing technologies as eligible activities under state energy programs.

Sec. 6, National laboratory modeling and evaluation program: Directs the Secretary of Energy, through one or more National Laboratories and in consultation with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Electric Reliability Organization, to establish a program to model and evaluate electric grid performance. The program must develop probabilistic models for transmission planning, resource adequacy, and integrated resource planning that consider uncertainties like weather, congestion, and costs. The models can be used to simulate metrics such as loss of load expectation, expected unserved energy, and planning reserve margin, and to identify areas where advanced technologies can improve grid performance. The Secretary must also establish regional collaboratives between National Laboratories and institutions of higher education.

Sec. 7, Technical assistance relating to the use of advanced transmission conductors: Requires the Secretary of Energy, within one year, to establish an application guide for eligible entities (including developers, utilities, states, and grid operators) seeking to implement advanced transmission conductors and grid-enhancing technologies. The guide must be updated annually. On request, the Secretary must provide technical assistance and establish a clearinghouse of completed projects to identify issues and solutions related to these technologies.