WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

H.R. 3632 · 119th Congress

Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025

Passed HouseEnergy
IntroducedMay 29, 2025
Passed HouseDec 16, 2025
Passed SenateNot yet
To PresidentNot yet
Became lawNot yet

Where it stands

Passed House. Latest step, Dec 17, 2025: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The House passed it 222–202. All 4 of Iowa's representatives voted yes in the House. It would change 1 section of existing law.

How this bill changes the law

Sourced

H.R. 3632 would change 1 section of existing law. Read from the bill text as sent to the Senate (Dec 17, 2025).

16 U.S.C. 824f Ordering furnishing of adequate service

What the words would change: every change, in place (1)

Today's wording of each part of the law, with what would be struck out and added. Each change also gives the bill's own instruction, word for word.

  1. 16 U.S.C. 824frewrittenby H.R. 3632 Sec. 2

    207 Furnishing of adequate service; advance notice of planned retirements.—(a) Furnishing of adequate service.—(1) In general.— Whenever the Commission, upon complaint of a State commission or a Transmission Organization, after notice to each State commission and public utility affected, and after opportunity for hearing within 90 days of receipt of such complaint, finds that any interstate service of any public utility is inadequate or insufficient, or is likely to become inadequate or insufficient within 5 years of receiving such complaint, the Commission shall determine the proper, adequate, or sufficient service to be furnished, and shall fix the same by issuing an order, rule, or regulation.(2) Requirements.— The Commission, in an order, rule, or regulation issued under paragraph (1)—(A) may not—(i) compel the enlargement of generating facilities; or(ii) compel the public utility to sell or exchange electric energy when to do so would impair its ability to render proper, adequate, or sufficient service to its customers;(B) may require—(i) continuing the operation of an electric generating unit; and(ii) any affected State commission, Transmission Organization, or public utility to develop and implement a long-term plan for the planning, construction, and operation of interstate transmission facilities that may be necessary for the public utility to provide adequate and sufficient interstate service; and(C) shall determine—(i) any rate or charge necessary to provide compensation for the additional costs of the proper, adequate, or sufficient service to be furnished, including compensation to an owner or operator of an electric generating unit that is required to continue to operate under such order, rule, or regulation; and(ii) the cost allocation of any rate or charge.(3) Term length.— Except as provided in paragraph (4), an order, rule, or regulation issued under paragraph (1) shall terminate on the date that the Commission determines appropriate, which may not be later than 5 years after the date on which the Commission issues such order, rule, or regulation.(4) Extension.—(A) Request for extension.— Not earlier than the date that is 180 days prior to the date on which an order, rule, or regulation terminates, as determined under paragraph (3), and not later than 60 days prior to such termination date, any affected State commission, Transmission Organization, or public utility may submit to the Commission a request to extend such order, rule, or regulation.(B) Deadline.— With respect to a request submitted under subparagraph (A), the Commission shall—(i) not later than 14 days after the date on which the Commission receives the request, notify each affected State commission, Transmission Organization, and public utility of the request;(ii) provide an opportunity for a hearing on the request before accepting or denying the request under clause (iii); and(iii) not later than 60 days after the date on which the Commission receives the request—(I) accept the request and extend the applicable order, rule, or regulation; or(II) deny the request.(C) Term length.— An order, rule, or regulation extended under subparagraph (B) shall terminate on the date that the Commission determines appropriate, which may not be later than 5 years after the date on which the Commission extended such order, rule, or regulation.(5) Treatment of certain actions.— To the extent an omission or action taken by a party, that is necessary to comply with an order, rule, or regulation issued or extended under this subsection, including any omission or action taken to voluntarily comply with such order, rule, or regulation, results in noncompliance with, or causes such party to not comply with, any Federal, State, or local environmental law or regulation, such omission or action shall not be considered a violation of such environmental law or regulation, or subject such party to any requirement, civil or criminal liability, or a citizen suit under such environmental law or regulation.(b) Advance notice of planned retirements.—(1) In general.— If an owner or operator of a generating facility plans to retire an electric generating unit that is a component of such facility, such owner or operator shall submit to the Commission and any affected State commission or Transmission Organization a notice of such plan at least 5 years before the date on which such owner or operator plans to retire such electric generating unit.(2) Unplanned retirements.— An owner or operator of a generating facility that retires an electric generating unit due to an unplanned catastrophe, emergency, disaster, or similar event that renders such electric generating unit inoperable is not subject to the notice requirement described in paragraph (1).(3) Publicly available.— The Commission shall make publicly available each notice submitted under paragraph (1).(c) Definitions.— In this section:(1) Bulk-power system.— The term bulk-power system has the meaning given such term in section 215(a).(2) Electric generating unit.— The term electric generating unit means an electric energy producing unit that—(A) is a component of a generating facility;(B) has a power production capacity of not less than 5 megawatts; and(C) is interconnected to the bulk-power system.(3) Retire.— The term retire, with respect to an electric generating unit, means to, for an indefinite period of time—(A) idle the electric generating unit;(B) disconnect the electric generating unit from the bulk-power system; or(C) otherwise make unavailable for sale all electric energy that is generated by the electric generating unit.

    The bill says: Section 207 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824f) is amended to read as follows:

From the bill's official text on GovInfo and the U.S. Code, 2024 edition, which may not yet show changes made since.

What it does

Sourced

Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025

This bill modifies the process that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) uses to determine, upon a complaint from a state commission, whether a public utility (i.e., power plant) must remain open because the retirement of the power plant will make the bulk power system unreliable, including by allowing transmission organizations to also file complaints with FERC.

If FERC finds that any interstate service of any public utility is inadequate or insufficient, or is likely to become inadequate or insufficient within five years of receiving such complaint, then FERC must determine the proper, adequate, or sufficient service to be furnished through an order, rule, or regulation (order).

The bill specifies that FERC may order a power plant to remain open for up to five years. Any affected state commission, transmission organization, or power plant may request that FERC extend such order.

A FERC order must determine (1) any rate or charge necessary to provide compensation for the additional costs of the service, and (2) the cost allocation of any rate or charge.

A power plant owner or operator must notify FERC and affected state commissions or transmission organizations at least five years before any planned retirement of a unit of an electric generating facility except in the case of an emergency or similar event that renders a unit inoperable.

The bill exempts from federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations any action taken by a generating facility to comply with such orders.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service (Reported to House, Sep 23, 2025).

Our plain-language breakdown, with what it means for you and the case for and against, is written once a bill starts to move.

What has happened

Sourced
  1. Dec 17, 2025Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.Senate
  2. Dec 16, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.House floor actions
  3. Dec 16, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 222 - 202 (Roll no. 342). (text: CR H5927-5928) Roll call recordHouse floor actions
  4. Dec 16, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 222 - 202 (Roll no. 342). (text: CR H5927-5928) Roll call recordLibrary of Congress
  5. Dec 16, 2025On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 207 - 218 (Roll no. 341). Roll call recordHouse floor actions
  6. Dec 16, 2025Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5934-5935)House floor actions
  7. Dec 16, 2025POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate H.R. 3632, the Chair put the question on motion to recommit and announced the noes had prevailed. Ms. Scholten demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.House floor actions
  8. Dec 16, 2025The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.House floor actions
  9. Dec 16, 2025Ms. Scholten moved to recommit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. (text: CR H5933)House floor actions
  10. Dec 16, 2025The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.House floor actions
  11. Dec 16, 2025DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 3632.House floor actions
  12. Dec 16, 2025Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4776, H.R. 1366, H.R. 845, H.R. 3616, H.R. 3632 and H.R. 4371. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4776, under a structured rule and H.R. 1366, H.R. 845, H.R. 3616, H.R. 3632, and H.R. 4371 under a closed rule. The resolution provides one motion to recommit on each bill.House floor actions
  13. Dec 16, 2025Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 951. (consideration: CR H5927-5933)House floor actions
  14. Dec 16, 2025Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 951 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4776, H.R. 1366, H.R. 845, H.R. 3616, H.R. 3632 and H.R. 4371. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4776, under a structured rule and H.R. 1366, H.R. 845, H.R. 3616, H.R. 3632, and H.R. 4371 under a closed rule. The resolution provides one motion to recommit on each bill.House floor actions
  15. Nov 25, 2025Supplemental report filed by the Committee on Energy and Commerce, H. Rept. 119-307, Part II.House floor actions
  16. Nov 25, 2025Supplemental report filed by the Committee on Energy and Commerce, H. Rept. 119-307, Part II.Library of Congress
  17. Sep 23, 2025Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 261.House floor actions
  18. Sep 23, 2025Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-307.House floor actions
  19. Sep 23, 2025Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-307.Library of Congress
  20. Jun 25, 2025Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 21.House committee actions
  21. Jun 25, 2025Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session HeldHouse committee actions
  22. Jun 5, 2025Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Yeas and Nays: 15 - 14.House committee actions
  23. Jun 5, 2025Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session HeldHouse committee actions
  24. Jun 3, 2025Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.House committee actions
  25. May 29, 2025Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.House floor actions
  26. May 29, 2025Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress
  27. May 29, 2025Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

Show key steps only

Recorded votes

Sourced
  1. Dec 16, 2025 · HousePassed 222–202
    On Passage · needed a majority
    R 215 yes, 3 noD 7 yes, 199 noEach member · Record
1 other recorded vote (procedure and amendments)
  1. Dec 16, 2025 · HouseFailed 207–218
    On Motion to Recommit · needed a majority
    R 0 yes, 218 noD 207 yes, 0 noEach member · Record

Cosponsors

  • Earl L. "Buddy" Carter R-GA-1
  • Carol D. Miller R-WV-1
  • Jay Obernolte R-CA-23
  • Robert F. Onder, Jr. R-MO-3