[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2244 Introduced in House (IH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2244
To establish a Strategic Transformer Reserve program, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 8, 2015
Mrs. Ellmers of North Carolina (for herself and Mr. McNerney)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a Strategic Transformer Reserve program, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. STRATEGIC TRANSFORMER RESERVE PROGRAM.
(a) Finding.--Congress finds that the storage of strategically
located spare large power transformers will diminish the vulnerability
of the United States to multiple risks facing electric grid
reliability, including physical attack, cyber attack, electromagnetic
pulse, geomagnetic disturbances, severe weather, and seismic events.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Bulk-power system.--The term ``bulk-power system'' has
the meaning given such term in section 215(a) of the Federal
Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824o(a)).
(2) Critically damaged large power transformer.--The term
``critically damaged large power transformer'' means a large
power transformer that--
(A) has sustained extensive damage such that--
(i) repair or refurbishment is not
economically viable; or
(ii) the extensive time to repair or
refurbish the large power transformer would
create an extended period of instability in the
bulk-power system; and
(B) prior to sustaining such damage was part of the
bulk-power system.
(3) Large power transformer.--The term ``large power
transformer'' means a power transformer, including related
critical equipment, that is, or is intended to be, a part of
the bulk-power system, with a maximum nameplate rating of 100
megavolt-amperes or higher.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
(5) Spare large power transformer.--The term ``spare large
power transformer'' means a large power transformer that is
stored within the Strategic Transformer Reserve to be available
to temporarily replace a critically damaged large power
transformer.
(c) Strategic Transformer Reserve Plan.--
(1) Plan.--Not later than one year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the Office
of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, shall prepare
and submit to Congress for approval a plan to establish a
Strategic Transformer Reserve for the storage, in strategically
located facilities, of spare large power transformers in
sufficient numbers to temporarily replace critically damaged
large power transformers.
(2) Inclusions.--The Strategic Transformer Reserve plan
shall include a description of--
(A) the appropriate number of spare large power
transformers and total capacity in megawatts necessary
in the Strategic Transformer Reserve to provide or
restore sufficient resiliency to the bulk-power system
to mitigate significant impacts to the electric grid
resulting from--
(i) physical attack;
(ii) cyber attack;
(iii) electromagnetic pulse attack;
(iv) geomagnetic disturbances;
(v) severe weather; or
(vi) seismic events;
(B) the potential locations for, and feasibility
and appropriate number of, strategic storage locations,
including consideration of--
(i) the physical security of such
locations;
(ii) the protection of the confidentiality
of such locations; and
(iii) the proximity of such locations to
sites of potentially critically damaged large
power transformers, so as to enable efficient
delivery of spare large power transformers to
such sites;
(C) the degree of flexibility of spare large power
transformers in the Strategic Transformer Reserve to
conform to different substation configurations,
including consideration of transformer--
(i) power and voltage rating for each
winding;
(ii) overload requirements;
(iii) impedance between windings;
(iv) configuration of windings; and
(v) tap requirements;
(D) an estimate of the direct cost of the Strategic
Transformer Reserve, as proposed, including--
(i) the cost of storage facilities for the
spare large power transformers;
(ii) the cost of the spare large power
transformers; and
(iii) management, maintenance, and
operation costs;
(E) the funding options available to establish,
stock, manage, and maintain the Strategic Transformer
Reserve, including consideration of public-private
cost-sharing options;
(F) the ease and speed of transportation,
installation, and energization of spare large power
transformers, including consideration of factors such
as--
(i) transformer transportation weight;
(ii) transformer size;
(iii) topology of critical substations;
(iv) availability of appropriate
transformer mounting pads;
(v) flexibility of the spare large power
transformers as described in subparagraph (C);
and
(vi) ability to rapidly transition a spare
large power transformer from storage to
energization;
(G) eligibility criteria for withdrawal of spare
large power transformers from the Strategic Transformer
Reserve to replace critically damaged large power
transformers, including consideration of related
existing industry programs;
(H) the process by which owners of critically
damaged large power transformers may apply for a
withdrawal from the Strategic Transformer Reserve;
(I) the process by which spare large power
transformers withdrawn from the Strategic Transformer
Reserve are returned to the Strategic Transformer
Reserve;
(J) any cost-share or rental fees determined
appropriate for restocking returned spare large power
transformers to the Strategic Transformer Reserve to be
paid by owners of critically damaged large power
transformers that have withdrawn such spare large power
transformers; and
(K) other considerations for designing,
constructing, stocking, and managing the Strategic
Transformer Reserve.
(d) Congressional Approval of Strategic Transformer Reserve Plan.--
The Secretary may not establish a Strategic Transformer Reserve until
Congress has approved the plan submitted pursuant to subsection (c).
(e) Restriction.--No funds may be used by the Secretary to
establish a Strategic Transformer Reserve without prior Congressional
approval of the plan submitted pursuant to subsection (c).
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