This bill would stop States, local governments, and their regulators from requiring that electricity generation, retail sales, or procurement include a specific percentage or amount of renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free energy. It also would bar conditioning participation in electricity markets, cost recovery, or utility regulation on meeting those kinds of requirements. Any State law that conflicts with this rule would be preempted and have no force. The bill says States may still own or operate renewable or zero-emission generation facilities. The stated purpose is to protect electric grid reliability by preempting State climate mandates the bill says could obstruct planning, raise electricity costs, or threaten reliability. The bill was introduced on February 11, 2026, by Senator Tom Cotton and was referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
If this bill became law, state-level rules that set specific renewable or zero-emission power targets for generation, sales, or procurement would be invalid. States and their regulators would not be able to require utilities to meet those percentage or quantity targets or to tie market access or cost recovery to them. The bill does not stop a State from owning or operating clean energy power plants. No information in the bill text explains how this change would affect individual electricity bills or service.
No publicly available information. The bill text does not include cost estimates or funding provisions.
The bill's stated purpose is to safeguard the reliability of the electric grid. It says preempting State climate mandates is needed when those mandates "obstruct or distort energy infrastructure planning, inflate electricity costs, or otherwise imperil grid reliability." Supporters, based on the bill text, argue the preemption will protect planning and affordability related to electricity supply.
No publicly available information.