December 16, 2025
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National Taxpayers Union urges all representatives to vote “YES” on H.R. 3616, the Reliable Power Act authored by Rep. Balderson (R-OH). This legislation would require federal agencies to assess and mitigate the impact of any proposed regulations on the stability of the electric grid before those regulations are finalized to ensure the reliability of our systems.
Across the country, electricity demand is increasing at a pace not seen in decades. Data centers, advanced manufacturing, and population growth are placing unprecedented strain on an aging grid. To make matters worse, premature retirement of reliable generation sources, such as coal, natural gas, and nuclear, have exacerbated the gap between supply and demand.
The accelerated decommissioning of generation from traditional fuel has occurred not due to market forces, but instead by state and federal policies that limit production, encourage investment in renewables, or increase environmental compliance costs. Worst of all was President Biden’s proposed greenhouse gas regulation known as Clean Power Plan 2.0, which would have had dangerous implications for grid networks. PJM, the nation’s largest grid operator, even noted that the “Final Rule may work to drive premature retirement of coal units that provide essential reliability services and dissuade new gas resources from coming online.”
This legislation appropriately recognizes that a resilient grid requires a diverse and dependable generation mix. Rather than prioritizing one technology over another, the Reliable Power Act emphasizes outcomes—keeping the lights on and powering our economy from disruptions. Specifically, H.R. 3616 would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to review federal agency actions so no final rule can move forward if it would cause a substantial negative impact on the adequacy of the bulk-power system. Equally important, the Reliable Power Act strengthens coordination between federal agencies, grid operators, and state regulators. Fragmented oversight and conflicting requirements have too often delayed critical investments or created uncertainty for those responsible for keeping the system running.
Far too often, federal agencies seek to institute rules that harm baseload power generation to reduce carbon emissions, but which ultimately raise costs on ratepayers or disconnect power plants from the grid. The Reliable Power Act finally breaks such a cycle and avoids future electricity rationing.
Roll call votes on this legislation will be included in NTU’s annual rating of Congress and “YES” votes will be considered the pro-taxpayer position.
If you have any questions, please contact NTU’s Senior Director of Government Affairs Thomas Aiello at Taiello@ntu.org
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