[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6401 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6401

     To spur rapid and sustainable growth in renewable electricity 
   generation in the United States through priority interconnection, 
           renewable energy payments, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 26, 2008

 Mr. Inslee (for himself, Mr. Delahunt, Mr. Honda, Mr. McDermott, and 
Mr. Grijalva) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on 
     Science and Technology and Ways and Means, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To spur rapid and sustainable growth in renewable electricity 
   generation in the United States through priority interconnection, 
           renewable energy payments, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Renewable Energy Jobs and Security 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that:
            (1) Electricity produced from renewable resources helps to 
        reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and limits emissions of other 
        pollutants regulated pursuant to the Clean Air Act, enhances 
        national energy security, and provides substantial economic 
        benefits.
            (2) The need exists for the rapid expansion of low and zero 
        carbon-emitting electric generation at a far greater pace than 
        current levels.
            (3) Distributed electric generation is energy efficient, 
        promotes grid stability and reduces transmission system 
        congestion during periods of peak demand.
            (4) A transition toward renewable energy sources brings 
        economic benefit to consumers by reducing their exposure to 
        increasingly volatile fossil fuel markets.
            (5) Renewable energy payments, also known as ``feed-in 
        tariffs'', are a proven mechanism for accelerating the 
        development of renewable energy in grid-connected areas.
            (6) By guaranteeing access to the grid and setting a 
        favorable price per unit of power, feed-in tariffs ensure that 
        renewable energy is a sound long-term investment for companies, 
        for industry, and for individuals and thereby creates a strong 
        economic incentive for investing in renewable energy 
        technologies.
            (7) The International Energy Agency, the European 
        Commission and the United Kingdom's Stern Review have 
        determined that feed-in tariff policies in Germany, Spain, 
        France and other European Union countries have achieved larger 
        renewable energy deployment at lower costs, compared with 
        policies in other European Union countries.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to--
            (1) enable the rapid and sustainable development of 
        distributed renewable electricity generation in the United 
        States;
            (2) stimulate the development of new jobs and industry in 
        the United States;
            (3) create a stable and secure market for capital 
        investments in renewable energy technologies;
            (4) reduce air and water pollution, related health problems 
        and health-care expenditures;
            (5) help prevent greenhouse gas concentrations in the 
        atmosphere from reaching levels that would cause dangerous 
        global temperature increases of more than 2 degrees Celsius 
        above pre-industrial levels;
            (6) protect natural resources in the United States;
            (7) allow all citizens to participate in renewable 
        electricity generation;
            (8) reduce the price volatility and long term costs of 
        electricity;
            (9) place the United States at the forefront of the global 
        renewable energy revolution; and
            (10) reduce the dependence of the United States on foreign 
        sources of energy.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 3 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 794) is amended by 
adding the following new paragraphs at the end:
            ``(30) The term `renewable energy' means energy generated 
        from--
                    ``(A) solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, wind, 
                geothermal or marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy;
                    ``(B) biomass (as defined in section 9001 of the 
                Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 
                U.S.C. 8101));
                    ``(C) landfill gas;
                    ``(D) biogas derived from farm waste; or
                    ``(E) qualified hydropower.
            ``(31) The term `geothermal energy' means energy derived 
        from a geothermal deposit (within the meaning of section 
        613(e)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986).
            ``(32) The term `marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy' 
        means energy derived from--
                    ``(A) waves, tides, and currents in oceans, 
                estuaries, and tidal areas;
                    ``(B) free flowing water in rivers, lakes, and 
                streams;
                    ``(C) free flowing water in an irrigation system, 
                canal, or other man-made channel, including projects 
                that utilize nonmechanical structures to accelerate the 
                flow of water for electric power production purposes; 
                or
                    ``(D) differentials in ocean temperature (ocean 
                thermal energy conversion).
            ``(33) The term `renewable energy facility' means an 
        electric energy generation unit owned and operated by any 
        person (including a utility) that--
                    ``(A) is placed in service after December 31, 2008;
                    ``(B) provides electricity directly to the electric 
                power grid;
                    ``(C) uses renewable energy as its sole energy 
                source; and
                    ``(D) has a nameplate capacity of not more than 20 
                megawatts.
            ``(34) The term `network upgrades' means additions or 
        modifications to any system for the transmission or 
        distribution of electric energy at or beyond the point at which 
        a generator interconnects to the system to accommodate 
        renewable energy generated by a renewable energy facility and 
        delivered to the system.
            ``(35)(A) The term `qualified hydropower' means--
                    ``(i) incremental hydropower generation that is 
                achieved from increased efficiency or additions of 
                capacity made on or after January 1, 2009, at a 
                hydroelectric facility that was placed in service 
                before that date; or
                    ``(ii) additions of capacity made on or after 
                January 1, 2009, at an existing nonhydroelectric dam, 
                if--
                            ``(I) the hydroelectric project installed 
                        on the nonhydroelectric dam is licensed by the 
                        Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and meets 
                        all other applicable environmental, licensing, 
                        and regulatory requirements, including 
                        applicable fish passage requirements;
                            ``(II) the nonhydroelectric dam was placed 
                        in service before the date of the enactment of 
                        this paragraph and operated for flood control, 
                        navigation, or water supply purposes and did 
                        not produce hydroelectric power on the date of 
                        the enactment of this paragraph; and
                            ``(III) the hydroelectric project is 
                        operated so that the water surface elevation at 
                        any given location and time that would have 
                        occurred in the absence of the hydroelectric 
                        project is maintained, subject to any license 
                        requirements imposed under applicable law that 
                        change the water surface elevation for the 
                        purpose of improving the environmental quality 
                        of the affected waterway.
            ``(B) The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shall 
        certify if a hydroelectric project licensed at a 
        nonhydroelectric dam meets the criteria described in 
        subparagraph (A)(ii)(III).
            ``(C) Nothing in this paragraph shall affect the standards 
        under which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issues 
        licenses for and regulates hydropower projects under part I of 
        the Federal Power Act.''.

                        TITLE I--INTERCONNECTION

SEC. 101. FEDERAL INTERCONNECTION STANDARDS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY 
              FACILITIES.

    Part II of the Federal Power Act is amended by adding the following 
new section after section 210:

``SEC. 210A. EXPEDITED FEDERAL INTERCONNECTION STANDARDS FOR RENEWABLE 
              ENERGY FACILITIES.

    ``(a) Federal Standards.--In order to encourage the use of 
renewable energy facilities and to ensure the safety and reliability of 
renewable energy facilities and transmission systems interconnected 
with those facilities, within one year after the enactment of this 
section, the Commission shall propose rules establishing standards for 
the physical connection between--
            ``(1) renewable energy facilities; and
            ``(2) transmission facilities of transmitting utilities 
        subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission under this part.
    ``(b) Expedited Procedures.--The standards under this section shall 
include separate expedited procedures for interconnecting renewable 
energy facilities up to 10 kilowatts and a separate standard that 
expedites interconnection for renewable energy facilities up to 2000 
kilowatts. In designing such expedited procedures, the Commission shall 
consider model rules published by the Interstate Renewable Energy 
Council.
    ``(c) Final Rule.--Within 2 years after the enactment of this 
section, and after notice and opportunity for comment, the Commission 
shall promulgate, and from time-to-time thereafter revise, final 
standards under this section. Such revisions shall take into account 
changes in the underlying standards and technologies. Such revisions 
shall be made available to State regulatory authorities for their 
consideration prior to final promulgation.
    ``(d) Safety, Reliability, Performance, and Cost.--The standards 
under this section shall establish those measures for the safety and 
reliability of the affected equipment and transmission systems as may 
be appropriate. Such standards shall be consistent with the reliability 
standards under section 215 and all applicable safety and performance 
standards established by the national electrical code, the Institute of 
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Underwriters Laboratories, or the 
American National Standards Institute, and the North American Electric 
Reliability Council, yet constitute the minimum cost and technical 
burdens to the interconnecting renewable energy facility as the 
Commission shall, by rule, prescribe.
    ``(e) Additional Charges.--The standards under this section shall 
prohibit the imposition of additional charges by the owners or 
operators of transmission systems for equipment or services for 
interconnection that are additional to those necessary to achieve the 
objectives of subsection (d).
    ``(f) Reliability.--The rules under this section shall include 
provisions respecting minimum reliability of renewable energy 
facilities (including reliability of such facilities during 
emergencies) and rules respecting reliability of electric energy 
service to be available to such facilities from transmitting utilities 
and public utilities during emergencies. Consistent with standards 
approved by the Commission under section 215, rules for the purchase of 
electric energy from a renewable energy facility shall also ensure that 
such purchases do not affect the reliability of any person purchasing 
electric energy from the renewable energy facility.
    ``(g) Grid Interconnection-Related Network Upgrades.--The standards 
under this subsection shall provide the following:
            ``(1) The obligation to provide priority interconnection 
        for renewable energy facilities (as required under subsection 
        (h)) shall apply to:
                    ``(A) Any transmitting utility providing 
                transmission service subject to the jurisdiction of the 
                Commission to electric utilities in a retail service 
                territory that includes the renewable energy facility 
                if--
                            ``(i) such transmitting utility is in 
                        possession of transmission facilities 
                        technically suitable to receive electricity 
                        from the renewable energy facility; and
                            ``(ii) there is no other transmission or 
                        distribution facility with a technically and 
                        economically more suitable connection point.
                    ``(B) Transmission facilities shall be deemed to be 
                technically suitable under subparagraph (A) even if 
                feeding in the electricity requires the transmitting 
                utility to upgrade its transmission facilities at a 
                reasonable economic expense, as determined by the 
                Commission. In this case, the transmitting utility 
                shall upgrade its transmission facilities without undue 
                delay, if so requested by an interconnecting renewable 
                energy facility.
                    ``(C) The obligation to upgrade the transmission 
                facilities shall apply to all technical facilities 
                required for operating the transmission system and to 
                all connecting installations which are owned by or 
                passed into the ownership of the transmitting utility.
            ``(2) Exceptions.--The standards under this section shall 
        not require any transmitting utility to interconnect with 
        renewable energy facilities or to provide priority access to 
        available transfer capability on the transmission system if the 
        transmitting utility is already committed through long-term 
        contracts to full capacity of its load and such utility has no 
        ability to transmit any new generation from renewable energy 
        facilities to any other electric utility.
            ``(3) Costs of network upgrades.--The standards under this 
        section shall provide that all prudently incurred costs 
        associated with network upgrades to accommodate new renewable 
        energy facilities for the purchase and transmission of 
        electricity produced from renewable energy facilities shall be 
        initially borne by the electric utility or transmitting 
        utility. The electric utility or transmitting utility shall be 
        reimbursed for such costs through the regional cost sharing 
        mechanism under section 225.
    ``(h) Priority of Orders.--Any renewable energy facility may apply 
to the Commission for an order requiring the interconnection of such 
facility with the transmission system of any transmitting utility in 
accordance with the standards under this section, and the Commission 
shall issue such an order after notice and opportunity for hearing in 
accordance with section 210(b). The Commission shall give priority to 
the consideration of applications from renewable energy facilities 
under this section over applications for orders under section 210 and 
shall ensure that applications by renewable energy facilities are given 
priority interconnection and priority access to available transfer 
capability on the transmission system over applications from facilities 
that are not renewable energy facilities.
    ``(i) Interconnection Clustering.--To facilitate the objectives of 
subsection (h) relating to interconnection and to reduce backlogs in 
the interconnection queue, the Commission may consider a clustering 
approach to the interconnection of electric generation facilities with 
a nameplate capacity greater than 2 megawatts. Under such 
interconnection clustering procedures, requests for interconnection 
that are placed within succeeding 6-month periods may be eligible to be 
interconnected concurrently.
    ``(j) Relationship to Existing Law Regarding Interconnection.--
Except as otherwise provided in this section, nothing in this section 
affects the application of section 210 of this Act or section 
111(d)(16) (relating to interconnection) of the Public Utility 
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. Nothing in this section shall be 
interpreted as an expansion of the jurisdiction of the Commission with 
respect to the facilities subject to the jurisdiction of the 
Commission.
    ``(k) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect with respect 
to applications submitted to the Commission under subsection (h) after 
the effective date of regulations promulgated under this section.''.

SEC. 102. ADOPTION OF CERTAIN STANDARDS.

    (a) Interconnection Not Subject to Federal Power Act 
Jurisdiction.--Section 113(b) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policy 
Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2623) is amended by adding the following at the 
end thereof:
            ``(6) Interconnection standards.--Each electric utility 
        shall adopt such standards for the interconnection with 
        renewable energy facilities as are necessary as to ensure that 
        renewable energy facilities are given priority interconnection 
        and priority access to available capacity on the transmission 
        and distribution system of such utility over electricity from 
        facilities that do not generate electricity from renewable 
        energy facilities and permit any renewable energy facility to 
        apply to the State regulatory authority for an order requiring 
        the interconnection of such facility with the system of the 
        electric utility. Such standards shall be based on the 
        standards promulgated by the Commission under section 210A of 
        the Federal Power Act. Such standards shall not affect the 
        application of section 111(d)(15).''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 113(a) of such Act is amended 
by adding the following at the end of subsection (a): ``For purposes of 
applying this section in the case of the standard under paragraph (6) 
of subsection (b), in lieu of the two-year period referred to in this 
section there shall be substituted a period of one year after the date 
on which a rule is prescribed or revised by the Commission under 
section 210A.''.

                  TITLE II--RENEWABLE ENERGY PAYMENTS

SEC. 201. RENEWABLE ENERGY PAYMENT STUDY AND REPORT.

    (a) Definitions.--
            (1) The term ``renewable energy facility'' has the meaning 
        provided by section 3 of the Federal Power Act.
            (2) The term ``Commission'' refers to the Federal Energy 
        Regulatory Commission.
    (b) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary of Energy, 
acting through the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the 
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, shall jointly transmit to 
Congress and to the Commission a report that spatially maps national 
renewable energy resources and conducts cost assessments for renewable 
energy facility development with respect to all available technologies. 
Such reports may draw from reviews and assessments conducted pursuant 
to section 201 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Such reports shall 
each include each of the following:
            (1) Maps of renewable energy resource availability based on 
        the best available data and at the highest spatial resolution 
        necessary to help identify the best sites for the development 
        of renewable energy facilities.
            (2) Recommendations for minimum tariff rates that should be 
        paid during each of the following 2 years to renewable energy 
        facility operators to provide for reasonable profits for 
        renewable energy facility owners (with consideration to 
        development costs, including costs of manufacturing, 
        installation, operation and maintenance) pursuant to the 
        standard under section 215 of the Public Utility Regulatory 
        Policies Act of 1978 (as amended by section 202 of this Act), 
        adjusted by an appropriate annual tariff degression, with 
        consideration to the following:
                    (A) The maps described in paragraph (1).
                    (B) The goal is to provide for the profitable 
                development of renewable energy facilities that use 
                available commercialized technologies and operate 
                within regions that, on average, experience the top 
                30th percentile of renewable energy resource potential 
                in the United States.
                    (C) The best available scientific and electricity 
                market data, including data made available through 
                reports from amendments made by section 202 of this 
                Act.
                    (D) The renewable energy technology market, 
                including advancements in research, development, 
                deployment and innovation.
                    (E) The percentage of renewable power generation 
                for each technology that can be reliably accommodated 
                on the electric grid.
            (3) Recommendations to the Commission regarding new 
        renewable energy technologies that may be considered eligible 
        for future power purchase agreements under the standard under 
        section 210B of the Federal Power Act, as added by section 202 
        of this Act.
            (4) Other recommendations to the Commission and to State 
        regulatory authorities regarding electricity reliability, 
        technical, economic, legal or safety considerations that could 
        be acted upon in order to better achieve the purposes of this 
        Act.
            (5) Renewable energy facility operators shall upon request, 
        provide the Commission, the State regulatory authorities, the 
        Secretary of Energy (acting through the Lawrence Berkeley 
        National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy 
        Laboratory) any information that may be relevant to performing 
        their duties under this Act.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Energy such sums as may be necessary 
to carry out this section.

SEC. 202. GUARANTEED POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENTS.

    (a) Public Utilities Regulated Under the Federal Power Act.--Part 
II of the Federal Power Act is amended by adding the following new 
section after section 210A (as added by this Act):

``SEC. 210B. RENEWABLE ENERGY PAYMENTS.

    ``(a) Renewable Energy Payment Rules.--Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of the Renewable Energy Jobs and Security Act, 
the Commission shall prescribe, and from time-to-time thereafter 
revise, such rules as it determines necessary to encourage the purchase 
of electric energy by public utilities from renewable energy 
facilities. The rules shall require public utilities to offer to 
purchase electric energy from renewable energy facilities in accordance 
with this section at uniform national rates established pursuant to 
this section. Each such public utility shall purchase electricity from 
renewable energy facilities on a priority basis, and each transmitting 
utility (as defined in the Federal Power Act) shall transmit such 
energy on a priority basis. Such rules shall be prescribed, after 
consideration of recommendations made in reports under section 201 of 
the Renewable Energy Jobs and Security Act, after consultation with 
representatives of State regulatory agencies having ratemaking 
authority for electric utilities, and after public notice and a 
reasonable opportunity for interested persons (and State agencies) to 
submit data, views, and arguments. Such rules may not authorize a 
renewable energy facility to make any sale for purposes other than 
resale.
    ``(b) Effective Date.--The rules under this section shall apply 
only to contracts for the purchase and sale of electric energy from 
renewable energy facilities entered into after the effective date of 
such rules and before the date 20 years after such effective date.
    ``(c) Renewable Energy Payment Rates for Purchase of Power.--
            ``(1) Purposes.--The purposes of this subsection are to--
                    ``(A) provide for the profitable development of 
                renewable energy facilities that use available 
                commercialized technologies and operate within regions 
                that, on average, experience the top 30th percentile of 
                renewable energy resource potential in the United 
                States;
                    ``(B) prevent excessive profits for renewable 
                energy facility operators;
                    ``(C) minimize upward pressure on renewable energy 
                market prices; and
                    ``(D) prevent unnecessary costs to ratepayers.
            ``(2) Uniform national rates.--Except as otherwise 
        specified in this section, the rates paid for the purchase of 
        electric energy from renewable energy facilities under 
        contracts entered into under this section shall be established 
        on a uniform national basis by the Commission by rule. Such 
        rates shall be--
                    ``(A) fixed throughout the duration of a contract 
                extending for a period of at least 20 years;
                    ``(B) no less than the amount needed for 
                development plus a reasonable profit, with 
                consideration to--
                            ``(i) the technology used;
                            ``(ii) the year the installation is placed 
                        into service; and
                            ``(iii) the size of the renewable energy 
                        facility.
            ``(3) Rates of return.--Such rates shall be set to provide 
        a nominal, post-tax project internal rate of return of not less 
        than 10 percent after recovery of all operating and maintenance 
        costs for projects sited in locations with favorable renewable 
        energy resource potential, consistent with the purposes of this 
        subsection.
            ``(4) Bonus tariffs.--Bonus rates may be paid to provide 
        additional incentives for each of the following purposes:
                    ``(A) Biogas-powered renewable energy facilities to 
                promote electric generation from biogas derived from 
                farm waste.
                    ``(B) Renewable energy facility development in 
                areas where distributed generation reduces grid 
                congestion and improves overall grid efficiency.
                    ``(C) For power delivered from renewable energy 
                facilities on peak.
                    ``(D) To renewable energy facilities with onsite 
                energy storage capability that significantly increases 
                the capacity factor or availability.
            ``(5) Periodic adjustment.--The Commission shall review the 
        rates under this subsection every 2 years and adjust those 
        rates applicable to prospective contracts in accordance with 
        paragraph (2) and in a manner that is consistent with the 
        purposes of this subsection.
            ``(6) Degression rates.--For new facilities commencing 
        construction in each year after the first year for which 
        tariffs under this section applied to any facility, the tariffs 
        rates paid under this standard under this section may be 
        reduced relative to the previous year in accordance with annual 
        tariff degression rates. Such degression rate shall be specific 
        to each technology.
            ``(7) Priority.--The rules under the standard under this 
        subsection shall require each public utility to purchase and 
        each transmitting utility to transmit renewable energy from 
        renewable energy facilities on a priority basis. Such 
        requirement shall not apply if the public utility or 
        transmitting utility is already committed through long-term 
        contracts to full capacity of its load and such utility has no 
        ability to transmit any new generation from renewable energy 
        facilities to a neighboring utility.
    ``(d) Reliability.--The rules under this section shall include 
provisions respecting minimum reliability of renewable energy 
facilities (including reliability of such facilities during 
emergencies) and rules respecting reliability of electric energy 
service to be available to such facilities from public utilities during 
emergencies. The rules shall also insure that such purchases do not 
affect the reliability of the purchasing public utility.
    ``(e) Standard Contracts.--The Commission shall approve a standard 
contract to be used in all power purchase agreements under this section 
that are subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission under this part. 
The contract shall include the prices paid for each kilowatt hour 
generated, the duration of the contract. The Commission shall provide 
public utilities subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission with 
standard contracts within 18 months of the date of enactment of this 
subsection.
    ``(f)  Relationship to Other Federal and State Standards, 
Requirements, Taxes, and Benefits.--Except for accelerated tax 
depreciation, no person who elects to sell power under a contract under 
this section shall be entitled to any tax credits or deductions 
associated with renewable energy production under Federal tax laws or 
to any other incentives or benefits under any Federal law associated 
with renewable energy. Any State or utility may provide additional 
incentives to promote the deployment of renewable energy facilities 
and, except as provided in subsection (g) with respect to net metering, 
any renewable energy facility may utilize such benefits. No public 
utility making purchases of electric energy under a contract under this 
section shall be exempt from any State law requiring minimum purchase 
percentages of renewable energy. No renewable energy facility making 
sales of renewable energy to a public utility under this section shall 
be entitled to any credit or allowance for renewable energy generation 
under any such State or Federal law. Any credit or allowance for 
renewable energy generation needed to meet any State or Federal law 
requiring minimum purchases of renewable energy shall belong to the 
public utility that purchases electric energy under a contract under 
this section unless otherwise specified in State or Federal law.
    ``(g) Net Metering.--If energy generated by any renewable energy 
facility is eligible for net metering treatment under State law, all 
energy generated by such facility shall be subject to such State law in 
lieu of this section unless the owner or operator of the facility makes 
an election for such electric generation to be subject to this section. 
For renewable energy facilities interconnecting to public utilities 
within the jurisdiction of the Commission, the election shall be 
submitted to the Commission in such form and at such time as the 
Commission shall prescribe by rule. The election shall include notice 
to the appropriate State agency administering the State net metering 
program.
    ``(h) Public Reporting Requirements.--By September 30 of each 
calendar year after 2009, each public utility shall publicly report to 
the Energy Information Administration without undue delay the following 
information recorded during the previous calendar year:
            ``(1) The network upgrade costs associated with compliance 
        with the standards under section 210A of this Act.
            ``(2) The total quantity of electricity and the total 
        amounts paid to renewable energy facility operators in 
        accordance with compliance with the rules under this section.
            ``(3) The total quantity of electricity delivered to by the 
        public utility.
            ``(4) The total number of renewable energy facilities of 
        each technology and application in the area in which the public 
        utility supplies electric energy.
            ``(5) For each technology and application, the amount of 
        growth in capacity installed relative to the number of new 
        interconnections in the area in which the public utility 
        supplies electric energy.
            ``(6) The total amount of electricity (in kWh) generated by 
        renewable energy facilities and from other renewable energy 
        sources in the area in which the public utility supplies 
        electric energy.
            ``(7) The proportion of wind development that is owned and 
        operated by and for communities in the area in which the public 
        utility supplies electric energy.
            ``(8) The proportion of solar development that is owned and 
        operated by customers in the area in which the public utility 
        supplies electric energy.
            ``(9) The location of new renewable energy facility 
        development relative to population density in the area in which 
        the public utility supplies electric energy.
    ``(i) Reports by the Energy Information Administration.--In each of 
the first 2 years and every 2 years thereafter after the enactment of 
this section, the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Energy 
Information Administration, shall make public and submit to Congress a 
report that shall include the number of new renewable energy facilities 
in each State and the environmental benefits and effects of the 
addition of those generators. There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the Secretary of Energy such sums as may be necessary to carry out 
this subsection.
    ``(j) Safety and Performance Standards.--(1) All renewable energy 
facilities entering into contract under this section shall meet all 
applicable safety and performance and reliability standards established 
under section 215 or by the national electrical code, the Institute of 
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Underwriters Laboratories, the 
North American Electric Reliability Corporation or the American 
National Standards Institute.
    ``(2) The Commission shall, after consultation with State 
regulatory authorities and nonregulated utilities and after notice and 
opportunity for comment, limit by regulation the imposition of 
additional charges by electric suppliers and local distribution system 
operators for equipment or services for safety or performance that are 
additional to those necessary to meet the standards and requirements 
referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection and subsection (g)(3) 
of section 210A of the Federal Power Act (relating to network 
upgrades).
    ``(k) Exemptions.--
            ``(1) In general.--Sales of electric energy by renewable 
        energy facilities under this section are exempt from regulation 
        under other provisions of this part and from State laws and 
        regulations respecting the rates, or respecting the financial 
        or organizational regulation, of electric utilities, or from 
        any combination of the foregoing.
            ``(2) Exceptions.--No renewable energy facility shall be 
        exempt under this subsection from--
                    ``(A) the provisions of section 210, 211, or 212 of 
                this Act or the necessary authorities for enforcement 
                of any such provision under this Act; or
                    ``(B) any license or permit requirement under part 
                I of this Act, any provision under this Act related to 
                such a license or permit requirement, or the necessary 
                authorities for enforcement of any such requirement.
    ``(l) Federal Contracts.--No contract between a Federal agency and 
any electric utility for the sale of electric energy by such Federal 
agency for resale which is entered into after the date of the enactment 
of this Act may contain any provision which will have the effect of 
preventing the implementation of any rule under this section with 
respect to such utility. Any provision in any such contract which has 
such effect shall be null and void.''.
    (b) Electric Utilities Not Regulated by FERC.--Section 113 of the 
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 is amended as follows:
            (1) By adding the following new paragraph at the end of 
        subsection (b):
            ``(7) Standard contracts for power purchases from renewable 
        energy facilities.--Each electric utility shall purchase 
        electric energy from renewable energy facilities (as defined in 
        the Federal Power Act) under standard contracts for a 20-year 
        period with rates that are the same as in the case of purchases 
        of electric energy under contracts under section 210B of the 
        Federal Power Act by public utilities subject to the 
        jurisdiction of the Commission under that Act.''.
            (2) By adding the following at the end of subsection (a): 
        ``For purposes of applying this section in the case of the 
        standard under paragraph (7) of subsection (b), in lieu of the 
        two-year period referred to in this section there shall be 
        substituted a period of one year after the date on which a rule 
        is prescribed or revised by the Commission under section 210B 
        of the Federal Power Act.''.

SEC. 203. REGIONAL COST SHARING MECHANISM.

    Part II of the Federal Power Act is amended by adding the following 
new section at the end thereof:

``SEC. 225. REGIONAL COST SHARING MECHANISM.

    ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to finance the power 
purchase agreements under the regulations under section 210B (and under 
the corresponding standard required by section 113(b)(7) of the Public 
Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978) and interconnection and 
network upgrades referred to in section 210A (and under the 
corresponding standard under section 113(b)(6) of the Public Utility 
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978) by creating a cost sharing mechanism 
that equally distributes additional costs of compliance with the 
Renewable Energy Jobs and Security Act to electricity customers on a 
regional basis.
    ``(b) Cost Sharing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall, in consultation with State 
regulatory authorities and nonregulated utilities, design a regional 
cost redistribution mechanism that shall consist of a nonbypassable 
system benefits charge payable by every end-use consumer of an electric 
utility to the electric utility. Revenue from such charge shall be 
transferred to a national renewable energy corporation to be referred 
to as the `RenewCorps' to be established by such utilities and approved 
by the Commission for purposes of this section. The Commission shall 
design a system benefits charge, determine the amount of such charge, 
and establish a cost distribution mechanism so as to achieve each of 
the following:
            ``(1) Full reimbursement to electric utilities and 
        transmitting utilities for the costs associated with network 
        upgrades and interconnection (including the carrying costs of 
        capital while awaiting reimbursement) carried out in accordance 
        with the standards under section 210A and section 113(b)(6) of 
        the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 and for the 
        additional costs of the power purchase requirements of section 
        210B and section 113(b)(7) of the Public Utility Regulatory 
        Policies Act of 1978.
            ``(2) Ensure that systems benefits charges are based on 
        energy usage.
            ``(3) Ensure that monthly charges shall apply to customers 
        according to projected program costs.
    ``(c) Compliance With Accounting Rules.--RenewCorps shall comply 
with such accounting rules and other rules as may be established by the 
Commission.
    ``(d) Regional Disbursement of Funds.--
            ``(1) Reimbursement.--Funds received by RenewCorps from the 
        systems benefits charge under this section shall be disbursed 
        to electric utilities and transmitting utilities to provide 
        reimbursement for--
                    ``(A) the costs associated with network upgrades 
                interconnection carried out in accordance with the 
                standards under section 210A and section 113(b)(6) of 
                the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978;
                    ``(B) the additional costs of the power purchase 
                requirements of section 210 B and section 113(b)(7) of 
                the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to 
                reimburse such utilities for the full additional cost 
                of such power purchase agreements (as adjusted under 
                paragraph (3)).
            ``(2) Quarterly disbursement.--Funds received by RenewCorps 
        from the systems benefits charge under this section shall be 
        disbursed on a quarterly basis. The Renew Corps shall 
        distribute such revenue to electric utilities within each 
        region of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation 
        (NERC) in the United States in proportion to the revenue raised 
        within each such region.
            ``(3) Avoid double cost recovery.--Reimbursements from 
        RenewCorps to electric utilities and transmitting utilities for 
        costs associated with compliance with the Renewable Energy Jobs 
        and Security Act may not also be eligible for recovery by any 
        other means.''.

SEC. 204. CONSISTENCY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS.

    Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to waive any existing Federal 
or State environmental protection provision, including the requirements 
of any of the following:
            (1) The National Forest Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 
        472a et seq.).
            (2) The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
        seq.).
            (3) The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
        U.S.C. 4231 et seq.).
            (4) The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1969 (33 
        U.S.C. 1251 et seq.).
            (5) The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 
        U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).
                                 <all>