Bill · S. 4193· Senate(119-S-4193)
Wildfire and Grid Reliability Act
- Introduced
- 3/25/2026
- Last activity
- 3/25/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Sponsored by
- Ron Wyden
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Wildfire and Grid Reliability Act directs the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program within the Office of Electricity. This program aims to improve the reliability of the power grid and reduce wildfire risks caused by power lines. Eligible entities, such as various types of electric utilities, can apply for these grants to fund specific infrastructure upgrades and safety activities. The Secretary is tasked with prioritizing projects that offer the greatest community benefit relative to their cost. The bill includes specific set-asides for wildfire risk reduction and smaller utilities.
Yes· 3 of 7
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+7
The bill aims to reduce the risk of wildfires caused by power lines, which protects natural environments.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+5
The bill prioritizes wildfire risk reduction and grid hardening which are often critical for rural community safety.
Does this make it easier to run a small business?+5
The bill includes a specific set-aside where at least 20 percent of grants are reserved for smaller electric utilities.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Enhanced Public Safety: The program requires that activities are designed to enhance public safety by reducing the risk of power lines causing wildfires (Section 2(b)(2) and 2(b)(3)(A)).
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Improved Grid Reliability: The grants aim to increase the ability of the power grid to withstand natural disasters like earthquakes, ice storms, wind storms, snow storms, and heat storms (Section 2(b)(3)(B) and 2(a)(4)).
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Increased Community Resilience: Funds can be used for electrical facilities that sustain targeted microgrid operations to benefit community resilience following a main power grid outage (Section 2(d)(12)).
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Support for Smaller Utilities: The bill ensures that not less than 20 percent of the grant amounts are made available to eligible entities that sell not more than 4,000,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year (Section 2(f)(2)).
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Targeted Wildfire Mitigation: The program ensures that not less than 40 percent of the total amounts are directed toward entities seeking to reduce wildfire risk (Section 2(f)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Financial Burden on Utilities: To receive a grant, most eligible entities must provide matching funds in the form of cash or in-kind contributions equal to at least 100 percent of the grant amount (Section 2(g)(1)).
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Administrative Requirements: Entities seeking grants for wildfire risk reduction must submit a wildfire mitigation plan as part of their application (Section 2(c)(2)(A)).
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Administrative Requirements: Entities seeking grants to increase grid reliability must submit a report detailing past, current, and future efforts to improve reliability (Section 2(c)(2)(B)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+5Good For Low Income Households+2Good For Urban Residents+2
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+7Improves Public Transit+1
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+5
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Social Security+1
- 3/25/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon