The BIG WIRES Act requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to establish minimum standards for the amount of electric power that can be transferred between different regions of the country's electrical grid. Within 18 months of enactment, the Commission must create rules requiring each transmission region to increase its ability to send or receive power from neighboring regions to at least 30 percent of its peak electricity demand, or add 15 percent to its current capacity, whichever is less. The bill aims to address what Congress identifies as decades of stagnation in interregional transmission infrastructure, arguing that inadequate connections between regions have contributed to grid unreliability during extreme weather events and artificially high energy prices. Regional transmission operators would have two years to develop joint plans showing how they will meet these new capabilities, designating which entities will build necessary facilities and allocating their costs, with a deadline of December 31, 2035 for construction. The legislation includes a carve-out allowing Texas's ERCOT system to voluntarily comply with the requirements while maintaining its existing regulatory status.
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