The "Preventing Power Outages Act" prioritizes grid resilience funding for areas with the most unreliable power grids based on industry-standard outage metrics, ensuring targeted improvements and extending funding availability through 2031.
Gary Peters
Senator
MI
The "Preventing Power Outages Act" amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to improve electric grid reliability. It prioritizes grant applicants with the least reliable grids, as measured by industry standards (SAIDI, SAIFI, and CAIDI), and extends funding for grid improvement projects through 2031. The Act ensures that grants are focused on areas needing the most improvement and prevents the prioritization of applications based on the number of grid improvements proposed.
Power Outage Bill Aims to Keep Your Lights On: New Rules Prioritize Grid Upgrades for Worst-Hit Areas Through 2031
The 'Preventing Power Outages Act' is looking to sharpen how we tackle those frustrating blackouts. It amends the existing Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, specifically section 40101, by laying down official definitions for how we measure power grid reliability. Think of it as creating a common scorecard using terms like CAIDI, SAIDI, and SAIFI, all based on the engineering playbook known as IEEE Standard 1366. Crucially, this includes all outages lasting longer than five minutes in the math. The main goal here is to channel grant money more effectively to beef up the electric grid, especially where it's currently struggling.
Speaking the Same Language on Blackouts
Ever wonder if your town's 'bad' power grid is the same as another's 'bad'? This bill tries to fix that. By formally defining Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI – how long you're out, on average, when the power does go out), System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI – the total minutes the average customer is without power over a period), and System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI – how often the average customer loses power), everyone from utility companies to the government will be using the same yardstick. These aren't just random acronyms; they're pulled from IEEE Standard 1366, a widely recognized guide for tracking electricity reliability. The key change, as stated in Section 2, is that all outages over five minutes count, no brushing short ones under the rug.
Where the Grid Money Flows: Following the (Outage) Data
So, what’s the point of these fancy new metrics? Money, mostly. Section 2 of the bill directs the Secretary (likely of Energy) to prioritize grant applications from places where the lights go out more often or for longer stretches – basically, areas with higher SAIDI, SAIFI, or CAIDI scores. If your neighborhood is constantly dealing with outages, this could mean your local utility has a better shot at getting federal cash to fix things. The bill explicitly says these scores get 'additional weight' in grant decisions. It's a clear signal: the squeakiest (or darkest) wheels get the grease, potentially leaving areas with already decent grids further down the funding list.
One Problem at a Time? The Fine Print on Fixes and Funding
Here's where things get interesting for how these grid improvements actually happen. Section 2 also states that grant applications cannot be required to tackle multiple types of grid improvements at once. Nor can applications be prioritized just because they do address several issues. This could mean a utility applying for funds might focus on one specific fix—say, tree trimming around power lines—rather than a broader upgrade involving new transformers and smarter grid tech simultaneously. While this might simplify applications or target specific weaknesses, it could also mean missing out on more comprehensive, robust solutions that offer better long-term resilience. On a more straightforward note, the bill extends the availability of these grid improvement funds under section 40101 through 2031, giving more time for these projects to get off the ground.