Reliable Power Act
Download PDFSponsored by
Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
ID: C001095
Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy. Hearings held.
April 14, 2026
Introduced
Committee Review
📍 Current Status
Next: The bill moves to the floor for full chamber debate and voting.
Floor Action
Passed Senate
House Review
Passed Congress
Presidential Action
Became Law
📚 How does a bill become a law?
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Bill Summary
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of Senator Cotton's Reliable Power Act. Because what the world really needs is more bureaucratic red tape to strangle the life out of an already ailing energy sector.
Let's dissect this mess, shall we? The bill amends the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to review regulations that may affect the reliable operation of the bulk-power system. Oh, how noble. It's like they're trying to convince us that they actually care about keeping the lights on.
New regulations are being created or modified, because who doesn't love a good game of regulatory whack-a-mole? The bill introduces an annual long-term assessment of the bulk-power system, which will undoubtedly be a thrilling exercise in bureaucratic navel-gazing. And, of course, there's the obligatory "notice of generation inadequacy" provision, because what's a regulatory bill without a healthy dose of fear-mongering?
The affected industries and sectors are, predictably, the energy sector and related businesses. Because who else would be impacted by a bill that's ostensibly about ensuring reliable power? The compliance requirements and timelines are, as always, Byzantine in their complexity. Federal agencies will have to submit covered agency actions to FERC for review and comment, because what could possibly go wrong with adding another layer of bureaucratic oversight?
Enforcement mechanisms and penalties are, naturally, vague and toothless. Because who needs actual consequences when you can just pay lip service to the idea of accountability? The economic and operational impacts will be, as always, a delightful surprise for the industries affected. I'm sure they'll just love the added costs, complexity, and uncertainty that this bill will bring.
In short, the Reliable Power Act is a classic case of legislative lupus – it's a disease that masquerades as a cure, but ultimately only serves to further weaken the patient (in this case, the energy sector). The real diagnosis? A bad case of regulatory-itis, caused by an overdose of bureaucratic hubris and a healthy dose of special interest group influence. Treatment? A strong dose of skepticism, a healthy serving of contempt for the politicians involved, and a hearty "don't bother" to the voters who will inevitably be duped into thinking this bill is anything more than a thinly veiled attempt to line the pockets of energy industry insiders.
Related Topics
💰 Campaign Finance Network
Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No committee contributions found
Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance
This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA]
ID: M001243
Top Contributors
10
Donor Network - Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 28 nodes and 27 connections
Total contributions: $226,019
Top Donors - Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
Showing top 23 donors by contribution amount
Industry Impact
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped,4 harmed.
- +Electric Utilities confidence 0.90
Section 2(h)(4)(B) requires the Commission to provide recommendations to prevent significant negative impact on bulk-power system reliability, which benefits electric utilities by ensuring grid stability and resource adequacy.
- −Renewable Energy confidence 0.70
Section 2(h)(1)(A)(i) defines covered agency actions as those relating to or directly affecting any generation resource, which could include renewable energy regulations subject to FERC review, potentially imposing delays or modifications.
- −Nuclear Power confidence 0.70
Section 2(h)(1)(A)(i) includes nuclear generation as a covered resource, meaning agency actions affecting nuclear power would be subject to FERC review and potential modification, imposing regulatory burden.
- −Coal Mining confidence 0.70
Section 2(h)(1)(A)(i) covers coal-fired generation as a resource, so agency actions affecting coal plants would trigger FERC review, potentially imposing costs or delays.
- −Oil & Gas confidence 0.60
Section 2(h)(1)(A)(i) includes natural gas generation as a covered resource, meaning EPA or DOE regulations affecting gas-fired plants would be subject to FERC review, imposing potential regulatory hurdles.
Who funds the sponsor on these industries
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]) received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.
Industries this bill HELPS
- from 14contributions
- BARANYAI, PATRICIA A.$175
Industries this bill HARMS
- Oil & Gas$1,150from 4contributions
- TEMPLE, RICHARD$500
- THOMPSON, JAMES R. MR.$500
- JOHNSON, ERNESTO$150
Project 2025 Policy Matches
This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document. AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.
Introduction
AI Analysis:
"The Reliable Power Act aligns with Project 2025's objective of promoting American energy security and ensuring access to abundant, reliable, and affordable energy, although the bill's approach is more focused on regulatory oversight rather than directly unleashing all of America's energy resources. The bill's emphasis on reviewing regulations that may affect the bulk-power system and introducing an annual long-term assessment of the bulk-power system shares some goals with Project 2025's policy."
— 363 — 12 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND RELATED COMMISSIONS Bernard L. McNamee AMERICAN ENERGY AND SCIENCE DOMINANCE The next conservative Administration should prioritize energy and science dominance to ensure that Americans have abundant, affordable, and reliable energy; create good-paying jobs; support domestic manufacturing and technology leadership; and strengthen national security. Achieving these goals will require bold policy action and reforms that involve the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE); the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). American Energy Dominance. Access to affordable, reliable, and abundant energy is vital to America’s economy, national security, and quality of life. Yet ideologically driven government policies have thrust the United States into a new energy crisis just a few short years after America’s energy renaissance, which began in the first decade of the 2000s, transformed the United States from a net energy importer (oil and natural gas) to energy independence and then energy dominance. Americans now face energy scarcity, an electric grid that is less reliable, and arti- ficial shortages of natural gas and oil despite massive reserves within the United States—all of which has led to higher prices that burden both the American people and the economy. The new energy crisis is caused not by a lack of resources, but by extreme “green” policies. Under the rubrics of “combating climate change” and “ESG” (environmen- tal, social, and governance), the Biden Administration, Congress, and various states, as well as Wall Street investors, international corporations, and progressive spe- cial-interest groups, are changing America’s energy landscape. These ideologically — 364 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise driven policies are also directing huge amounts of money to favored interests and making America dependent on adversaries like China for energy. In the name of combating climate change, policies have been used to create an artificial energy scarcity that will require trillions of dollars in new investment, supported with taxpayer subsidies, to address a “problem” that government and special interests themselves created. The result has been increased energy costs that: l Hurt individuals and families, especially low-income Americans and seniors on fixed incomes; l Make businesses that create the jobs that drive our economy and quality of life less competitive; and l Make America less energy secure. Moreover, increased energy scarcity will allow government, either directly or through access to banks and Wall Street investors, to decide who is “worthy” to receive funding for energy projects. In the end, government control of energy is control of people and the economy. This is one reason why the trend toward nationalization of our energy industry through government mandates, bans on the production and use of oil and natural gas, and nationalization of the electric grid is so dangerous. At the same time, adversaries like China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and non-state actors are constantly engaged in cyberattacks against our energy infra- structure. We have already seen what supposedly “minor” attacks, such as the cyberattack on the Colonial Oil Pipeline1 or the physical attack on electric infra- structure in North Carolina,2 can do. A coordinated cyber and physical attack on natural gas pipelines and the electric grid during an extended cold spell could be catastrophic. Yet the current Administration’s first concern is plowing taxpayer dollars into intermittent wind and solar projects and ending the use of reliable fossil fuels. A conservative President must be committed to unleashing all of America’s energy resources and making the energy economy serve the American people, not special interests. This means that the next conservative Administration should: l Promote American energy security by ensuring access to abundant, reliable, and affordable energy. l Affirm an “all of the above” energy policy through which the best attributes of every resource can be harnessed for the benefit of the American people.
Introduction
AI Analysis:
"The bill's focus on reliable power and FERC oversight has some tangential relation to the Project 2025 policy's goals of promoting energy security and refocusing the Department of Energy, but it does not directly address or implement these objectives. The bill's emphasis on bureaucratic review and regulatory assessment diverges from the policy's aim to reduce government interference in energy decisions."
— 365 — Department of Energy and Related Commissions l Support repeal of massive spending bills like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)3 and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA),4 which established new programs and are providing hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies to renewable energy developers, their investors, and special interests, and support the rescinding of all funds not already spent by these programs. l Unleash private-sector energy innovation by ending government interference in energy decisions. l Stop the war on oil and natural gas. l Allow individuals, families, and business to use the energy resources they want to use and that will best serve their needs. l Secure and protect energy infrastructure from cyber and physical attacks. l Refocus the Department of Energy on energy security, accelerated remediation, and advanced science. l Promote U.S. energy resources as a means to assist our allies and diminish our strategic adversaries. l Refocus FERC on ensuring that customers have affordable and reliable electricity, natural gas, and oil and no longer allow it to favor special interests and progressive causes. l Ensure that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission facilitates rather than hampers private-sector nuclear energy innovation and deployment. American Science Dominance. Ever since the age of Benjamin Franklin, the United States has been at the forefront of scientific discovery and technological advancement. Beginning with the groundbreaking science of the Manhattan Proj- ect, the U.S. has developed 17 National Laboratories that conduct fundamental and advanced scientific research. The National Labs have been critical in supporting national defense and ensuring that the United States leads on scientific discoveries with transformative applications that benefit America and the world. In recent years, however, U.S. science has been under threat. Externally, adversaries like the Chinese military have been engaged in scientific espionage, infiltrating taxpayer-funded scientific research projects, and funding their own science research. In addition, the National Labs have been too focused on climate change and renewable technologies. — 366 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise American science dominance is critical to U.S. national security and economic strength. The next conservative President therefore needs to recommit the United States to ensuring this dominance. MISSION STATEMENT FOR A REFORMED DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY The Department of Energy should be renamed and refocused as the Department of Energy Security and Advanced Science (DESAS). DESAS would refocus on DOE’s five existing core missions: l Providing leadership and coordination on energy security and related national security issues, l Promoting U.S. energy economic interests abroad, l Leading the nation and the world in cutting-edge fundamental advanced science, l Remediating former Manhattan Project and Cold War nuclear material sites, and l Developing new nuclear weapons and naval nuclear reactors. These missions work together by using advanced science to promote national security while getting the government out of the business of picking winners and losers in energy resources. Reform is needed because DOE, instead of focusing on core energy and security issues, has been spending billions of taxpayer dollars to subsidize renewable energy developers and investors, thereby making Americans less energy secure and distorting energy markets. OVERVIEW DOE was created by the Department of Energy Organization Act of 19775 in response to the 1970s oil crisis, consolidating various energy programs that pre- viously had operated without coordination throughout the federal government in a single department. In addition to addressing energy issues, DOE is tasked with: l Engaging in basic and fundamental science and research through the 17 National Laboratories; l Cleaning up the Manhattan Project and Cold War nuclear material and weapons sites;
Introduction
AI Analysis:
"The bill's focus on reliable power and FERC oversight has some tangential relation to the Project 2025 policy's goals of promoting energy security and refocusing FERC, but it does not directly support or implement these policies. The bill's emphasis on regulatory review and bureaucratic processes diverges from the Project 2025 policy's emphasis on reducing government interference and promoting private-sector innovation."
— 365 — Department of Energy and Related Commissions l Support repeal of massive spending bills like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)3 and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA),4 which established new programs and are providing hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies to renewable energy developers, their investors, and special interests, and support the rescinding of all funds not already spent by these programs. l Unleash private-sector energy innovation by ending government interference in energy decisions. l Stop the war on oil and natural gas. l Allow individuals, families, and business to use the energy resources they want to use and that will best serve their needs. l Secure and protect energy infrastructure from cyber and physical attacks. l Refocus the Department of Energy on energy security, accelerated remediation, and advanced science. l Promote U.S. energy resources as a means to assist our allies and diminish our strategic adversaries. l Refocus FERC on ensuring that customers have affordable and reliable electricity, natural gas, and oil and no longer allow it to favor special interests and progressive causes. l Ensure that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission facilitates rather than hampers private-sector nuclear energy innovation and deployment. American Science Dominance. Ever since the age of Benjamin Franklin, the United States has been at the forefront of scientific discovery and technological advancement. Beginning with the groundbreaking science of the Manhattan Proj- ect, the U.S. has developed 17 National Laboratories that conduct fundamental and advanced scientific research. The National Labs have been critical in supporting national defense and ensuring that the United States leads on scientific discoveries with transformative applications that benefit America and the world. In recent years, however, U.S. science has been under threat. Externally, adversaries like the Chinese military have been engaged in scientific espionage, infiltrating taxpayer-funded scientific research projects, and funding their own science research. In addition, the National Labs have been too focused on climate change and renewable technologies.
About These Correlations
Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.
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