Rulemaking to expedite generator interconnection procedures

(a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall initiate a rulemaking— (1) to address the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness of existing procedures for processing interconnection requests to ensure that new generation projects and energy storage projects can interconnect quickly, cost-effectively, and reliably; and (2) to revise the pro forma Large Generator Interconnection Procedures and, as appropriate, the pro forma Large Generator Interconnection Agreement, promulgated pursuant to section 35.28(f) of title 18, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), to require transmission providers— (A) to develop and employ modeling assumptions for each resource type based on actual operating abilities and practices, for the purposes of studying an interconnection request; (B) to study interconnection requests in a manner consistent with the risk tolerance of the interconnection customer; (C) to select, as appropriate, 1 or more cost-effective solutions to address network reliability needs that may be identified while studying an interconnection request; (D) to provide sufficient information to interconnection customers for the interconnection customers to understand how a transmission provider has implemented the assumptions and solutions described in subparagraphs (A) and (C); (E) to share and employ, as appropriate, queue management best practices, including with respect to the use of advanced computing technologies, automation, and standardized study criteria, in evaluating interconnection requests, in order to expedite study results; and (F) to implement transparency and performance-enhancing measures to ensure timely and cost-conscious construction of necessary network upgrades once an interconnection agreement has been executed. (b) Deadline for final rule Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall promulgate a final rule to complete the rulemaking initiated under subsection (a). (c) Savings clause Nothing in this section alters, or may be construed to alter, the allocation of costs of the transmission system pursuant to the ratemaking authority of the Commission under section 205 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824d).