I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 878
To improve the reliability of the Nation’s electric transmission system. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 17, 2005
Mr. DINGELL (for himself, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. RUSH, Mr. 
TOWNS, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. BOUCHER, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mrs. 
CAPPS, Mr. INSLEE, Mr. WAXMAN, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. 
WYNN, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. GORDON, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. BROWN 
of Ohio, Ms. DEGETTE, and Ms. SOLIS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To improve the reliability of the Nation’s electric 
transmission system.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Electric Reliability Im-
provement Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. ELECTRIC RELIABILITY STANDARDS. 
Part II of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824 et 
seq.) is amended by inserting the following new section 
at the end thereof:
‘‘SEC. 215. ELECTRIC RELIABILITY. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section—
‘‘(1) The term ‘bulk-power system’ means—
‘‘(A) facilities and control systems nec-
essary for operating an interconnected electric 
energy transmission network (or any portion 
thereof); and 
‘‘(B) electric energy from generation facili-
ties needed to maintain transmission system re-
liability. 
The term does not include facilities used in the local 
distribution of electric energy. 
‘‘(2) The terms ‘Electric Reliability Organiza-
tion’ and ‘ERO’ mean the organization certified by 
the Commission under subsection (c) the purpose of 
which is to establish and enforce reliability stand-
ards for the bulk-power system, subject to Commis-
sion review. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘reliability standard’ means a re-
quirement, approved by the Commission under this 
section, to provide for reliable operation of the bulk-
power system. The term includes requirements for 
the operation of existing bulk-power system facilities 
and the design of planned additions or modifications 
to such facilities to the extent necessary to provide 
for reliable operation of the bulk-power system, but
the term does not include any requirement to en-
large such facilities or to construct new transmission 
capacity or generation capacity. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘reliable operation’ means oper-
ating the elements of the bulk-power system within 
equipment and electric system thermal, voltage, and 
stability limits so that instability, uncontrolled sepa-
ration, or cascading failures of such system will not 
occur as a result of a sudden disturbance or unan-
ticipated failure of system elements. 
‘‘(5) The term ‘Interconnection’ means a geo-
graphic area in which the operation of bulk-power 
system components is synchronized such that the 
failure of one or more of such components may ad-
versely affect the ability of the operators of other 
components within the system to maintain reliable 
operation of the facilities within their control. 
‘‘(6) The term ‘transmission organization’ 
means a regional transmission organization, inde-
pendent system operator, independent transmission 
provider, or other transmission organization finally 
approved by the Commission for the operation of 
transmission facilities.
‘‘(7) The term ‘regional entity’ means an entity 
having enforcement authority pursuant to subsection 
(e)(4). 
‘‘(b) JURISDICTION AND APPLICABILITY.—(1) The 
Commission shall have jurisdiction, within the United 
States, over the ERO certified by the Commission under 
subsection (c), any regional entities, and all users, owners 
and operators of the bulk-power system, including but not 
limited to the entities described in section 201(f), for pur-
poses of approving reliability standards established under 
this section and enforcing compliance with this section. All 
users, owners and operators of the bulk-power system 
shall comply with reliability standards that take effect 
under this section. 
‘‘(2) The Commission shall issue a final rule to imple-
ment the requirements of this section not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this section. 
‘‘(c) CERTIFICATION.—Following the issuance of a 
Commission rule under subsection (b)(2), any person may 
submit an application to the Commission for certification 
as the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO). The Com-
mission may certify one such ERO if the Commission de-
termines that such ERO—
‘‘(1) has the ability to develop and enforce, sub-
ject to subsection (e)(2), reliability standards that
provide for an adequate level of reliability of the 
bulk-power system; and 
‘‘(2) has established rules that—
‘‘(A) assure its independence of the users 
and owners and operators of the bulk-power 
system, while assuring fair stakeholder rep-
resentation in the selection of its directors and 
balanced decisionmaking in any ERO com-
mittee or subordinate organizational structure; 
‘‘(B) allocate equitably reasonable dues, 
fees, and other charges among end users for all 
activities under this section; 
‘‘(C) provide fair and impartial procedures 
for enforcement of reliability standards through 
the imposition of penalties in accordance with 
subsection (e) (including limitations on activi-
ties, functions, or operations, or other appro-
priate sanctions); 
‘‘(D) provide for reasonable notice and op-
portunity for public comment, due process, 
openness, and balance of interests in developing 
reliability standards and otherwise exercising its 
duties; and
‘‘(E) provide for taking, after certification, 
appropriate steps to gain recognition in Canada 
and Mexico. 
‘‘(d) RELIABILITY STANDARDS.—(1) The Electric 
Reliability Organization shall file each reliability standard 
or modification to a reliability standard that it proposes 
to be made effective under this section with the Commis-
sion. 
‘‘(2) The Commission may approve, by rule or order, 
a proposed reliability standard or modification to a reli-
ability standard if it determines that the standard is just, 
reasonable, not unduly discriminatory or preferential, and 
in the public interest. The Commission shall give due 
weight to the technical expertise of the Electric Reliability 
Organization with respect to the content of a proposed 
standard or modification to a reliability standard and to 
the technical expertise of a regional entity organized on 
an Interconnection-wide basis with respect to a reliability 
standard to be applicable within that Interconnection, but 
shall not defer with respect to the effect of a standard 
on competition. A proposed standard or modification shall 
take effect upon approval by the Commission. 
‘‘(3) The Electric Reliability Organization shall 
rebuttably presume that a proposal from a regional entity 
organized on an Interconnection-wide basis for a reliability
standard or modification to a reliability standard to be ap-
plicable on an Interconnection-wide basis is just, reason-
able, and not unduly discriminatory or preferential, and 
in the public interest. 
‘‘(4) The Commission shall remand to the Electric 
Reliability Organization for further consideration a pro-
posed reliability standard or a modification to a reliability 
standard that the Commission disapproves in whole or in 
part. 
‘‘(5) The Commission, upon its own motion or upon 
complaint, may order the Electric Reliability Organization 
to submit to the Commission a proposed reliability stand-
ard or a modification to a reliability standard that ad-
dresses a specific matter if the Commission considers such 
a new or modified reliability standard appropriate to carry 
out this section. 
‘‘(6) The final rule adopted under subsection (b)(2) 
shall include fair processes for the identification and time-
ly resolution of any conflict between a reliability standard 
and any function, rule, order, tariff, rate schedule, or 
agreement accepted, approved, or ordered by the Commis-
sion applicable to a transmission organization. Such trans-
mission organization shall continue to comply with such 
function, rule, order, tariff, rate schedule or agreement ac-
cepted approved, or ordered by the Commission until—