Connect the Grid Act | ChamberLight

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS

House BillHR 7728Energy

Connect the Grid Act

INTRO FEB 26· LAST ACTION FEB 26

READING

8MIN

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Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

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Voters should care about this bill because it directly addresses a critical issue of electricity reliability, especially for Texas residents who have experienced devastating power outages, such as during Winter Storm Uri in 2021. If this bill becomes law, it would fundamentally change how the Texas grid operates, moving it from a largely isolated system to one integrated with the broader national grid. This integration is designed to provide greater stability, allowing Texas to import electricity during shortages and export it during surpluses.

Without this bill, the Texas grid would remain largely independent, leaving it more vulnerable to isolated failures and potentially higher electricity prices during peak demand or extreme weather. The bill's emphasis on new transmission infrastructure and expanded federal oversight aims to prevent future widespread outages and could lead to a more resilient, efficient, and potentially cleaner energy system by facilitating the transfer of renewable energy. It also signals a significant shift in federal-state power dynamics regarding energy infrastructure.

KEY PROVISIONS

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PROVISION 01

Removes existing exemptions that largely keep the Texas grid (ERCOT) from federal oversight, bringing it under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

This provision ends Texas's grid independence, allowing federal regulators to enforce reliability standards and potentially mandate infrastructure changes.

PROVISION 02

Requires new federal reliability standards to be developed, mandating specific minimum transfer capacities (gigawatts) between ERCOT and neighboring power grids (SPP, MISO, and the Western Interconnection).

This ensures that Texas's grid will have robust physical connections to import and export significant amounts of electricity, enhancing reliability during emergencies.

PROVISION 03

Mandates a joint plan from ERCOT and its neighbors to build or upgrade transmission facilities to achieve these interconnections by January 1, 2037.

This establishes a clear timeline and responsibility for creating the physical infrastructure needed for grid integration.

PROVISION 04

Increases the borrowing authority for the Transmission Facilitation Program from $2.5 billion to $13.5 billion to help fund new or upgraded transmission lines.

This provides significant financial resources to support the construction of major transmission projects, including those required by this bill.

PROVISION 05

Requires project plans to prioritize using existing rights-of-way, degraded land, expanding access to renewable energy, and involving environmental justice communities and labor organizations.

This ensures that new infrastructure development considers environmental impact, promotes clean energy, and includes community and labor input.

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ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

FEB 26

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 26

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

HOUSE · INTROREFERRAL

BILL INFO

TypeHouse Bill

NumberHR 7728

Congress119th

StatusIn Committee

IntroducedFeb 26, 2026

Last actionFeb 26, 2026

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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 26, 2026

House BillHR 7728Energy

Connect the Grid Act

INTRODUCED FEB 26, 2026· LAST ACTION FEB 26, 2026

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

8 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps Congress.gov

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Removes existing exemptions that largely keep the Texas grid (ERCOT) from federal oversight, bringing it under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

This provision ends Texas's grid independence, allowing federal regulators to enforce reliability standards and potentially mandate infrastructure changes.

high

This ensures that Texas's grid will have robust physical connections to import and export significant amounts of electricity, enhancing reliability during emergencies.

high

Mandates a joint plan from ERCOT and its neighbors to build or upgrade transmission facilities to achieve these interconnections by January 1, 2037.

This establishes a clear timeline and responsibility for creating the physical infrastructure needed for grid integration.

med

Increases the borrowing authority for the Transmission Facilitation Program from $2.5 billion to $13.5 billion to help fund new or upgraded transmission lines.

This provides significant financial resources to support the construction of major transmission projects, including those required by this bill.

med

Requires project plans to prioritize using existing rights-of-way, degraded land, expanding access to renewable energy, and involving environmental justice communities and labor organizations.

This ensures that new infrastructure development considers environmental impact, promotes clean energy, and includes community and labor input.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) must convene a technical conference to assist entities with compliance.

Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment.

FERC must order the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to submit a proposed reliability standard for minimum total transfer capability between ERCOT and its neighbors.

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment.

ERCOT and its neighboring balancing authorities must jointly submit a plan to achieve the required minimum total transfer capability.

By January 1, 2037.

Siting and construction or modification of transmission facilities to meet the new standards must be completed.

Not later than one year after the date of enactment.

The Secretary of Energy must conduct and submit a study on the benefits of interconnection with Mexico.

FUNDING & AUTHORIZATIONS

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

AMOUNT	PROGRAM	TYPE	YEARS
$13,500,000,000	Transmission Facilitation Program	discretionary	Not specified, continuous until exhausted or repealed.

GLOSSARY

AI-written

ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas): The independent organization that manages the flow of electric power to most of Texas, operating a grid that is largely separate from the rest of the U.S.
Federal Power Act (FPA): A federal law that gives the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authority to regulate the transmission and sale of electricity in interstate commerce.
FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission): An independent federal agency that regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas, and oil pipelines.
Interconnection: Physical links between different electric power grids, allowing them to share or exchange electricity.
Gigawatts (GW): A unit of power equal to one billion watts, used to measure the capacity of large power plants or how much electricity can flow through a grid.
Transmission Facilitation Program: A U.S. Department of Energy program that helps finance new and upgraded high-voltage electric transmission lines across the country.
Environmental Justice Community: A community (often with a high proportion of minority or low-income residents) that has historically been exposed to more environmental pollution and hazards.

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

FEB 26

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 26

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

INTROREFERRAL

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Feb 26, 2026

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Connect the Grid Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

SPONSORSHIP

ACTION TIMELINE

BILL INFO

READER REACTIONS

Discussion

Connect the Grid Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

DEADLINES & DATES

FUNDING & AUTHORIZATIONS

GLOSSARY

ACTION TIMELINE

SPONSORS

READER REACTIONS

What do you think?

Discussion

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