§18772. Data collection in the electricity sector

(a) Dashboard

(1) Establishment

(A) In general

Not later than 90 days after November 15, 2021, the Administrator shall establish an online database to track the operation of the bulk power system in the contiguous 48 States (referred to in this section as the "Dashboard").

(B) Improvement of existing dashboard

The Dashboard may be established through the improvement, in accordance with this subsection, of an existing dashboard of the Energy Information Administration, such as-

(i) the U.S. Electric System Operating Data dashboard; or

(ii) the Hourly Electric Grid Monitor.

(2) Expansion

(A) In general

Not later than 1 year after November 15, 2021, the Administrator shall expand the Dashboard to include, to the maximum extent practicable, hourly operating data collected from the electricity balancing authorities that operate the bulk power system in all of the several States, each territory of the United States, and the District of Columbia.

(B) Types of data

The hourly operating data collected under subparagraph (A) may include data relating to-

(i) total electricity demand;

(ii) electricity demand by subregion;

(iii) short-term electricity demand forecasts;

(iv) total electricity generation;

(v) net electricity generation by fuel type, including renewables;

(vi) electricity stored and discharged;

(vii) total net electricity interchange;

(viii) electricity interchange with directly interconnected balancing authorities; and

(ix) where available, the estimated marginal greenhouse gas emissions per megawatt hour of electricity generated-

(I) within the metered boundaries of each balancing authority; and

(II) for each pricing node.

(b) Mix of energy sources

(1) In general

Not later than 1 year after November 15, 2021, the Administrator shall establish, in accordance with section 18777 of this title and this subsection and to the extent the Administrator determines to be appropriate, a system to harmonize the operating data on electricity generation collected under subsection (a) with-

(A) measurements of greenhouse gas and other pollutant emissions collected by the Environmental Protection Agency;

(B) other data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency or other relevant Federal agencies, as the Administrator determines to be appropriate; and

(C) data collected by State or regional energy credit registries.

(2) Outcomes

The system established under paragraph (1) shall result in an integrated dataset that includes, for any given time-

(A) the net generation of electricity by megawatt hour within the metered boundaries of each balancing authority; and

(B) where available, the average and marginal greenhouse gas emissions by megawatt hour of electricity generated within the metered boundaries of each balancing authority.

(3) Real-time data dissemination

To the maximum extent practicable, the system established under paragraph (1) shall disseminate data-

(A) on a real-time basis; and

(B) through an application programming interface that is publicly accessible.

(4) Complementary efforts

The system established under paragraph (1) shall complement any existing data dissemination efforts of the Administrator that make use of electricity generation data, such as electricity demand by subregion and electricity interchange with directly interconnected balancing authorities.

(c) Observed characteristics of bulk power system resource integration

(1) In general

Not later than 1 year after November 15, 2021, the Administrator shall establish a system to provide to the public timely data on the integration of energy resources into the bulk power system and the electric distribution grids in the United States, and the observed effects of that integration.

(2) Requirements

In carrying out paragraph (1), the Administrator shall seek to improve the temporal and spatial resolution of data relating to how grid operations are changing, such as through-

(A) thermal generator cycling to accommodate intermittent generation;

(B) generation unit self-scheduling practices;

(C) renewable source curtailment;

(D) utility-scale storage;

(E) load response;

(F) aggregations of distributed energy resources at the distribution system level;

(G) power interchange between directly connected balancing authorities;

(H) expanding Regional Transmission Organization balancing authorities;

(I) improvements in real-time-

(i) accuracy of locational marginal prices; and

(ii) signals to flexible demand; and

(J) disruptions to grid operations, including disruptions caused by cyber sources, physical sources, extreme weather events, or other sources.

(d) Distribution system operations

(1) In general

Not later than 1 year after November 15, 2021, the Administrator shall establish a system to provide to the public timely data on the operations of load-serving entities in the electricity grids of the United States.

(2) Requirements

(A) In general

In carrying out paragraph (1), the Administrator shall-

(i) not less frequently than annually, provide data on-

(I) the delivered generation resource mix for each load-serving entity; and

(II) the distributed energy resources operating within each service area of a load-serving entity;

(ii) harmonize the data on delivered generation resource mix described in clause (i)(I) with measurements of greenhouse gas emissions collected by the Environmental Protection Agency;

(iii) to the maximum extent practicable, disseminate the data described in clause (i)(I) and the harmonized data described in clause (ii) on a real-time basis; and

(iv) provide historical data, beginning with the earliest calendar year practicable, but not later than calendar year 2020, on the delivered generation resource mix described in clause (i)(I).

(B) Data on the delivered generation resource mix

In collecting the data described in subparagraph (A)(i)(I), the Administrator shall-

(i) use existing voluntary industry methodologies, including reporting protocols, databases, and emissions and energy use tracking software that provide consistent, timely, and accessible carbon emissions intensity rates for delivered electricity;

(ii) consider that generation and transmission entities may provide data on behalf of load-serving entities;

(iii) to the extent that the Administrator determines necessary, and in a manner designed to protect confidential information, require each load-serving entity to submit additional information as needed to determine the delivered generation resource mix of the load-serving entity, including financial or contractual agreements for power and generation resource type attributes with respect to power owned by or retired by the load-serving entity; and

(iv) for any portion of the generation resource mix of a load-serving entity that is otherwise unaccounted for, develop a methodology to assign to the load-serving entity a share of the otherwise unaccounted for resource mix of the relevant balancing authority.

( Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title IV, §40412, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1039 .)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Wage Rate Requirements

For provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for construction, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.