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CIVIC HERALD
HR 3632 · 119th Congress · HouseIn committee

Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025

Provisional: our plain-language summary, pending review.

In plain language: This bill requires power plant operators to give five years' advance notice before closing down any major electric generating facility, unless it is knocked offline by an emergency. If federal regulators determine that power supplies are or will become inadequate within five years, they can order those plants to keep running for up to five-year intervals and mandate new power line planning. The bill also requires regulators to set rates to compensate plant owners for these added costs, while exempting operators from penalties or lawsuits if running the plants violates federal, state, or local environmental laws.

Sponsored by

Provisionalunreviewed: impact, provisions, stakeholders, summary
People affected—not determinable from the text provided; applies to operators of bulk-power generating units, public utilities, transmission organizations, and state commissions nationwide
Fiscal magnitude—CBO cost estimate published (H.R. 3632, Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025, 2025-09-29); dollar figure pending review extraction — see receipt
Reach
provisional · pending review64rigor: heuristic llm
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Issues

What this bill touches.

Pollution & development−55Courts & liability−45Federal vs. state/local+50Energy sources−50Greenhouse-gas policy−30

The sign shows the bill's direction on each issue (+ toward, − away); the number is its magnitude. Color never encodes good or bad, and never party.

Who it affects

Who it helps · who it burdens.

Provisional: our reading of who it affects, pending review.

Who it helps

  • owners and operators of electric power plantsReceive FERC-determined rates and cost allocations to compensate them for the extra costs of continuing operations under a reliability order, and are shielded from civil liability, criminal liability, and citizen lawsuits under federal, state, or local environmental laws for actions necessary to comply.provisional
  • state utility commissions and transmission organizationsGain the right to file formal complaints with FERC to trigger hearings within 90 days and secure federal orders requiring utilities or power plants to fix current or anticipated service inadequacies.provisional
  • public electric utilitiesAre protected from FERC orders that would compel them to enlarge generating facilities or force electricity sales/exchanges that would impair service to their existing customers.provisional

Who it burdens

  • owners and operators of electric power plantsMust give at least five years' advance public notice before retiring any generating unit of five megawatts or larger (unless due to an unplanned disaster), and may be ordered by FERC to continue operating generating units that were planned for retirement.provisional
  • state utility commissions and transmission organizationsCan be required by FERC to develop and implement long-term plans for planning, constructing, and operating interstate transmission facilities.provisional

Who opposes it

  • environmental citizen suit plaintiffsTheir ability to bring citizen lawsuits or enforce federal, state, or local environmental compliance is explicitly eliminated against parties taking actions necessary to comply with FERC reliability orders.provisional

Dollar-level funding (FEC sector totals) is coming in a later phase.

What it does

The provisions, in plain language.

Provisional: our reading of what the bill does, pending review.

Show all 7 provisions

  1. Authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), upon receiving a complaint and holding a hearing within 90 days, to issue orders or regulations fixing electric service if interstate utility service is inadequate or likely to become inadequate within five years.

    Sec. 2(207)(a)(1)provisional

  2. Authorizes FERC to require power plants to continue operating and to mandate that state regulators, transmission organizations, or utilities develop and implement long-term interstate transmission plans.

    Sec. 2(207)(a)(2)(B)provisional

  3. Requires FERC to establish rates, charges, and cost allocations to compensate power plant owners and utilities for the additional costs of complying with reliability orders.

    Sec. 2(207)(a)(2)(C)provisional

  4. Shields parties from civil or criminal liability, penalties, and citizen lawsuits under federal, state, or local environmental laws for actions or omissions necessary to comply with a FERC reliability order.

    Sec. 2(207)(a)(5)provisional

  5. Requires power plant owners to submit a public notice to FERC, state regulators, and transmission organizations at least five years before retiring a generating unit of five megawatts or larger, with an exception for unplanned emergencies or disasters.

    Sec. 2(207)(b)provisional

  6. Prohibits FERC from ordering utilities to expand generating facilities or to sell or exchange electricity if doing so would harm service to their existing customers.

    Sec. 2(207)(a)(2)(A)provisional

  7. Limits FERC reliability orders to an initial term of up to five years, and sets a procedure for affected parties to request an extension of up to five additional years.

    Sec. 2(207)(a)(3)-(4)provisional

  1. Authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), upon receiving a complaint and holding a hearing within 90 days, to issue orders or regulations fixing electric service if interstate utility service is inadequate or likely to become inadequate within five years.

    Sec. 2(207)(a)(1)provisional

  2. Authorizes FERC to require power plants to continue operating and to mandate that state regulators, transmission organizations, or utilities develop and implement long-term interstate transmission plans.

    Sec. 2(207)(a)(2)(B)provisional

  3. Requires FERC to establish rates, charges, and cost allocations to compensate power plant owners and utilities for the additional costs of complying with reliability orders.

    Sec. 2(207)(a)(2)(C)provisional

  4. Shields parties from civil or criminal liability, penalties, and citizen lawsuits under federal, state, or local environmental laws for actions or omissions necessary to comply with a FERC reliability order.

    Sec. 2(207)(a)(5)provisional

  5. Requires power plant owners to submit a public notice to FERC, state regulators, and transmission organizations at least five years before retiring a generating unit of five megawatts or larger, with an exception for unplanned emergencies or disasters.

    Sec. 2(207)(b)provisional

How your members of Congress line up

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The record

How members voted on Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025.

Recorded roll calls on this bill, most recent first. Open one to see each member's position.

  • House · Dec 16, 2025 · YEA-AND-NAY

    On Passage · Passed

    Source →

  • House · Dec 16, 2025 · YEA-AND-NAY

    On Motion to Recommit · Failed

    Source →

Timeline

How it moved.

Show all 24 actions
  1. Dec 17, 2025Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  2. Dec 16, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Dec 16, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 222 - 202 (Roll no. 342). (text: CR H5927-5928)
  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)
  5. Dec 16, 2025On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 207 - 218 (Roll no. 341).
  6. Dec 16, 2025Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5934-5935)
  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.
  8. Dec 16, 2025The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
  9. Dec 16, 2025Ms. Scholten moved to recommit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. (text: CR H5933)
  10. Dec 16, 2025The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  11. Dec 16, 2025DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 3632.
  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.
  13. Dec 16, 2025Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 951. (consideration: CR H5927-5933)
  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.
  15. Nov 25, 2025Supplemental report filed by the Committee on Energy and Commerce, H. Rept. 119-307, Part II.
  16. Sep 23, 2025Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 261.
  17. Sep 23, 2025Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-307.
  18. Jun 25, 2025Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 21.
  19. Jun 25, 2025Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  20. Jun 5, 2025Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Yeas and Nays: 15 - 14.
  21. Jun 5, 2025Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  22. Jun 3, 2025Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.
  23. May 29, 2025Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
  24. May 29, 2025Introduced in House
  1. Dec 17, 2025Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  2. Dec 16, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Dec 16, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 222 - 202 (Roll no. 342). (text: CR H5927-5928)
  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)
  5. Dec 16, 2025On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 207 - 218 (Roll no. 341).
  6. 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.
  7. Sep 23, 2025Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-307.
  8. Jun 25, 2025Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 21.
  9. May 29, 2025Introduced in House

The original text

Read it for yourself.

Read the original text →

Sources & provenance

Congress.govrefreshed 4 months ago

Cite this page

Civic Herald. “Power Plant Reliability Act of 2025 (H.R. 3632, 119th Congress).” https://civicherald.app/bills/119-hr-3632. Congress.gov record as of Jul 13, 2026.

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