Mississippi Gulf News

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 9541, known as the Promoting Opportunities to Widen Electrical Resilience (POWER) Act. This legislation, crafted by U.S. Representatives Mike Ezell and Val Hoyle, aims to provide public power utilities with enhanced tools for investing in long-term hazard mitigation and grid resilience while rebuilding infrastructure after major disasters.

Representative Ezell emphasized the importance of the bill, stating: "Public power utilities play a critical role in ensuring our communities have reliable, resilient electricity, especially after a major disaster." He highlighted that the bill provides necessary resources for Mississippi communities to invest in hazard mitigation and strengthen grid resilience.

Representative Hoyle added: “As weather events become increasingly severe and common, we must do more to better prepare for the next disaster.” She noted that the bill equips electric utilities with tools to rebuild resiliently post-disaster, reducing future power outage risks.

Currently, federal funding from FEMA used for restoring electric service post-disaster makes utilities ineligible for additional federal resilience improvement funds. The POWER Act addresses this by modifying eligibility criteria for public utilities.

Scott Corwin from the American Public Power Association stated: "The POWER Act reduces the painful choice between immediate response and long-term investments," allowing communities to restore power swiftly while planning future hazard mitigation efforts.

Jim Matheson of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association praised the act's provision of access to Public Assistance funding during disaster recovery. He remarked on its significance as cooperatives rebuild following hurricanes and wildfires.

Dr. Natalie Enclade from BuildStrong America described it as a "game-changer" for lifeline infrastructure protection by incorporating cost-effective hazard mitigation into recovery efforts.

The POWER Act is designed not only to restore but also improve affected infrastructure through easier access to long-term hazard mitigation funding. It now awaits consideration by the United States Senate before potentially reaching the President's desk for enactment into law.