Renewable Energy Jobs and Security Act

Bill: 110-hr-6401
Sponsor: Rep. Inslee, Jay [D-WA-1]
Introduced: 2008-06-26 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Agriculture and Food
Alternative energy sources
Biomass energy
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Contracts
Corporations
Department of Energy
Electric power distribution
Electric power production
Electric power transmission
Electric utilities
Electric utility rates
Energy prices
Environmental Protection
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Geothermal resources
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Hydroelectric power
Independent regulatory commissions
Irrigation
Landfills
Law
Maps
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Methane
Ocean energy resources
Public utility regulation
Refuse as fuel
Solar energy
Standards
Water Resources Development
Wind power

Summary:
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: 
Renewable Energy Jobs and Security Act - Amends the Federal Power Act to direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to propose rules establishing standards for the physical connection between specified types of renewable energy facilities and transmission facilities of transmitting utilities subject to FERC jurisdiction. Requires such standards to: (1) include separate expedited procedures for interconnecting 10-kilowatt maximum renewable energy facilities and for expediting interconnection for 2000-kilowatt maximum facilities; and (2) address safety, reliability, performance, cost, and network upgrades. Allows FERC to consider a clustering approach that allows concurrent interconnection of facilities where requests are placed within succeeding six-month periods.

Amends the the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require each electric utility to: (1) adopt standards for interconnection with renewable energy facilities as are necessary to ensure that renewable energy facilities are given priority interconnection and priority access to available capacity on the utility's transmission and distribution system over non-renewable energy facilities; and (2) permit any renewable energy facility to apply to the state regulatory authority for an order requiring the interconnection of such facility with the system of the utility.

Requires the Secretary of Energy to transmit to Congress and to the Commission a report that spatially maps national renewable energy resources and conducts cost assessments for renewable energy facility development with respect to all available technologies.

Requires FERC to prescribe rules to encourage the purchase of electric energy by public utilities from renewable energy facilities on a priority basis, under a standard contract, and at rates established on a uniform national basis by FERC. Provides procedures for the setting and adjusting of such rates and for application of net metering.

Requires reports concerning interconnection of renewable energy facilities by utilities to the Energy Information Administration and by the Secretary to Congress and the public.

Requires FERC to design a regional cost redistribution mechanism consisting of a system benefits charge payable by every end-use consumer of an electric utility to the utility, to be transferred to a national renewable energy corporation for reimbursement of the costs associated with this Act's interconnection and power purchase requirements.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Science and Technology, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Science and Technology, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Science and Technology, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Science and Technology, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-06-26
text: Introduced in House