NEMA welcomes House action on energy legislation.
Press Release Summary:
NEMA welcomed passage of HR 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015, by the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 32-20. Legislation includes NEMA-supported language which directs Department of Energy to develop a plan to establish a Strategic Transformer Reserve to store large power transformers in strategically located facilities. Bill also includes clarifications to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.
Original Press Release:
NEMA Welcomes House Action on Energy Legislation
ROSSLYN, Va., —The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) today welcomed passage of HR 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015, by the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 32-20. The bill now heads to the floor where it is expected to see further action this fall.
“Today’s action by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, under the leadership of Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), is an important and positive step toward passage this year of the first comprehensive energy bill since 2007,” said NEMA President and CEO Kevin J. Cosgriff.
The legislation includes NEMA-supported language which directs the Department of Energy to develop a plan to establish a Strategic Transformer Reserve to store large power transformers in strategically located facilities. Such pre-positioning will contribute to grid reliability and resiliency should a natural disaster or intentional man-made damage require the quick replacement of these sophisticated electrical devices.
The bill also includes clarifications to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which will improve the rulemaking process that establishes federal minimum energy-efficiency standards for many NEMA products. These process improvements will increase benefits and outcomes to consumers, industry, and the government.
Other NEMA-supported portions of the bill would:
increase grid reliability, resilience, physical-, and cyber-security;
increase use of energy-savings performance contracts to finance retrofits in federal facilities;
authorize pilot programs to advance energy-water efficiency programs for utilities, cities, and water districts;
establish an information clearinghouse to assist schools in retrofitting their buildings; and
authorize grants for energy and manufacturing sector job training programs leading toward industry-recognized credentials.
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) represents nearly 400 electrical, medical imaging, and radiation therapy manufacturers. Our combined industries account for more than 400,000 American jobs and more than 7,000 facilities across the U.S. Domestic production exceeds $117 billion per year. Our industry is at the forefront on electrical safety, reliability, resilience, efficiency, and energy security.
National Electrical Manufacturers Association
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