Title: Next Generation Electric Systems Act of 2019
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Next Generation Electric Systems Act of 2019
This bill directs the Department of Energy to establish a grant program for eligible partnerships to develop and implement projects to modernize the electric grid, including (1) projects to improve observability, stability, advanced controls, and prediction of system performance on the distribution system; and (2) projects relating to transmission system interconnections.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2380 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2380

To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program for the 
      transformation of the electric grid, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 31, 2019

  Ms. Hirono introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program for the 
      transformation of the electric grid, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Next Generation Electric Systems Act 
of 2019''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        partnership consisting of 2 or more entities--
                    (A) 1 or more of which shall be--
                            (i) an electric utility (as defined in 
                        section 3(22)(A) of the Federal Power Act (16 
                        U.S.C. 796(22)(A)));
                            (ii) a Regional Transmission Organization 
                        (as defined in section 3 of the Federal Power 
                        Act (16 U.S.C. 796)); or
                            (iii) an Independent System Operator (as 
                        defined in that section); and
                    (B) 1 or more of which may be--
                            (i) an institution of higher education (as 
                        defined in section 101(a) of the Higher 
                        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)));
                            (ii) a National Laboratory (as defined in 
                        section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
                        U.S.C. 15801));
                            (iii) a State or local government or other 
                        public body created by or pursuant to State 
                        law;
                            (iv) an Indian tribe (as defined in section 
                        4 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
                        Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) or 
                        tribal organization (as defined in section 3765 
                        of title 38, United States Code);
                            (v) a Federal power marketing 
                        administration;
                            (vi) an entity that develops and provides 
                        technology; or
                            (vii) an organization described in section 
                        501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
            (2) Federal power marketing administration.--The term 
        ``Federal power marketing administration'' means--
                    (A) the Bonneville Power Administration;
                    (B) the Southeastern Power Administration;
                    (C) the Southwestern Power Administration; and
                    (D) the Western Area Power Administration.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.

SEC. 3. GRID MODERNIZATION TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a grant program 
under which the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to 
carry out eligible projects described in subsection (b) relating to the 
modernization of the electric grid, including--
            (1) projects for the application of technologies to improve 
        observability, stability, advanced controls, and prediction of 
        system performance on the distribution system; and
            (2) projects relating to transmission system 
        interconnections.
    (b) Eligible Projects.--An eligible project referred to in 
subsection (a) is a demonstration project that--
            (1) is designed to improve the resiliency, performance, and 
        efficiency of the future electric grid, while ensuring the 
        continued provision of safe, secure, reliable, and affordable 
        power;
            (2) demonstrates secure integration and management of 2 or 
        more energy resources, including distributed energy generation, 
        combined heat and power, microgrids, energy storage, electric 
        vehicles, energy efficiency, demand response, intelligent 
        loads, and which may include resources behind the customer 
        meter;
            (3) demonstrates secure integration and interoperability of 
        communications and information technologies relating to the 
        electric grid;
            (4) includes the development of a cybersecurity plan 
        written in accordance with guidelines developed by the 
        Secretary;
            (5) includes a privacy effects analysis that evaluates the 
        project in accordance with the Voluntary Code of Conduct of the 
        Department of Energy, commonly known as the ``DataGuard Energy 
        Data Privacy Program'', or the most recent revisions to the 
        privacy program of the Department of Energy; and
            (6) satisfies the eligibility requirements described in 
        section 545(a) of the Energy Security and Independence Act of 
        2007 (42 U.S.C. 17155(a)).
    (c) Community Outreach.--An eligible project carried out using a 
grant awarded under subsection (a) may include education and outreach 
with community-based organizations and other private sector entities to 
help inform the objectives of the project and communicate the results 
of the project.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $50,000,000 
to carry out this Act for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2028.
                                 <all>