Ratepayer Protection Act
To amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a Federal standard relating to the recovery of the full, incremental costs of upgrades that serve large-load customers, and for other purposes.
HB9340, known as the Ratepayer Protection Act, proposes to change how large-load customers recover costs for utility upgrades. Specifically, it aims to establish a federal standard for these customers to fully recover the extra costs of upgrades they need. The bill was introduced on June 18, 2026, and after passing through several steps in the legislative process, it was passed by the House on September 16, 2026. However, recent developments show that on September 30, 2026, a motion to proceed with the bill in the Senate was withdrawn, and a cloture vote failed with 57 in favor and 43 against.
This bill would primarily affect large-load customers who rely on utility services for their businesses or operations. It ensures that these customers can recover the full cost of necessary upgrades, which might otherwise be passed on to all utility customers. The bill has bipartisan support with sponsors from both Democratic and Republican parties.
Currently, the bill is in the Senate where it has been read twice and placed on the legislative calendar. However, there have been attempts to move the bill forward that have not yet succeeded. It is important to watch for further updates as the legislative process continues.
