A bill to reauthorize a program for preventing outages and enhancing the resilience of the electric grid, and for other purposes.

119th Congress Introduced by John Cornyn and 1 co-sponsor

The bill reauthorizes a federal program to prevent electric grid outages and boost grid resilience through funding, research, and coordination.

Introduced in Senate

Overview

S. 4827, introduced in the 119th Congress and referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, aims to reauthorize a program focused on preventing outages and enhancing the resilience of the nation’s electric grid, along with other related purposes. The bill is sponsored by Senators with co-sponsors John Cornyn and Alex Padilla. The action history shows the bill was read twice and referred to the committee on June 18, 2026, and introduced on the same day.

Purpose and Intent

Reauthorize a federal program dedicated to preventing electric grid outages.

Enhance resilience of the electric grid against outages and disruptions.

Pursue additional related objectives as defined in the bill, which may include research, deployment, and coordination activities to bolster grid reliability and resilience.

Key Provisions and Changes (as described by the bill’s title and summary)

Reauthorization: Extends or renews authorization for the program designed to prevent outages and improve grid resilience beyond current authorization levels and timelines.

Outage Prevention: Implementations or mandates intended to reduce the likelihood and duration of power outages, including preparedness, response, and recovery measures.

Grid Resilience: Initiatives to strengthen the physical and cyber resilience of the electric grid, potentially covering infrastructure hardening, monitoring, automation, and cybersecurity.

Related Provisions: The bill may include additional provisions common to resilience initiatives, such as funding mechanisms, reporting requirements, interagency coordination, grants or loan programs, and stakeholder engagement.

Affected Parties and Impacts

Electric Utilities and Grid Operators: Likely beneficiaries of grants, funding, or technical support to improve reliability and resilience.

Federal Agencies: Departments and agencies involved in energy policy, grid security, and emergency preparedness may implement, administer, or oversee the program.

Consumers: Indirect beneficiaries through improved reliability and reduced outage risk, potential long-term cost implications depending on funding and deployment.

Industry Stakeholders: Equipment manufacturers, service providers, researchers, and state/local governments may participate in program activities or benefit from funding opportunities.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Introduction and Referral: Introduced in the Senate on June 18, 202526 and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Next Steps: Committee consideration, potential amendments, and a floor vote following committee action. If enacted, the program would be reauthorized under the new statutory framework with specified funding and reporting requirements (details not provided in the summary).

Potential Considerations

Funding Levels: The bill’s reauthorization would specify authorized funding amounts and duration; readers should review the text for exact dollar figures and timeframes.

Oversight and Reporting: Likely to include annual or periodic reporting to Congress on program progress, outcomes, and use of funds.

Compatibility with Existing Programs: Interaction with current grid resilience and reliability initiatives, cybersecurity mandates, and disaster preparedness laws.

Note: This summary is based on the bill’s title, sponsor information, and standard features of similar reauthorization measures. For precise provisions, funding amounts, and timelines, please consult the full Congressional text and committee reports.