Senator Martin Heinrich introduces two bills to reform U.S. electric grid

Senator Martin Heinrich has introduced two separate pieces of legislation aimed at addressing the financial and structural challenges of the United States electric grid.

The GRID Savings Act of 2026 seeks to protect residential and small business ratepayers by requiring large electricity users—defined as facilities demanding more than 150 megawatts—to bear the costs of the grid upgrades necessary for their connection. The bill would grant the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rulemaking authority to ensure interconnection costs are assigned to the customer rather than the general rate base.

Additionally, the Grid Resiliency Tax Credit Act proposes an investment tax credit to incentivize the expansion and modernization of the power grid. The bill would provide a tax credit equal to 30% of the investment for qualifying transmission lines that have a capacity of at least 500 MW and transmit power across state boundaries or between planning regions. This legislation aims to improve grid resilience against storms and wildfires while addressing projected increases in electricity demand.