H.R. 8568, the Lowering Utility Bills Act, modifies federal electricity regulations to reduce what utilities can charge consumers by limiting their profits and preventing them from passing certain expenses to ratepayers. The bill requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to set lower profit returns for electric transmission providers and requires investor-owned utilities to calculate their allowable profits using averaged market data, with additional reductions based on the regulatory protections they receive. Both transmission providers and utilities are prohibited from charging customers for lobbying, political contributions, executive entertainment, advertising to influence public opinion, rate case legal fees, and expenses for non-utility business operations. Utilities must also demonstrate they have prioritized cost-saving technologies and participated in regional planning before recovering capital costs from ratepayers. The legislation applies to all federally regulated transmission providers and investor-owned utilities and takes effect through amendments to the Federal Power Act.
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