U.S. Senate bill would require grid operators to offer ‘connect and manage’ interconnection

A new Senate bill would change how power plants and storage projects get connected to the electric grid, which matters for anyone watching the pace of new energy supply — including rooftop solar and battery storage tied into larger systems. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced the bill, which would require regional grid operators across the country to offer a faster interconnection process called "connect and manage," similar to what Texas grid operator ERCOT already uses. A recent study found ERCOT processed more than 100 gigawatts of interconnection agreements from 2020 through 2024, far outpacing other regions, and credited its connect-and-manage approach as a likely reason.

Under the bill, this new process would be called "Basic Access Service for Energy-Only Delivery," or BASED. It would rely on managing grid constraints through operational tools like curtailment or redispatch, rather than requiring new transmission lines or costly upgrades before a project can connect. Grid operators would have to offer this service within 12 to 18 months of the bill becoming law, and file study timelines with federal regulators at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) even sooner. Customers could also ask to have their project evaluated on its own, separate from slower grouped studies.

For homeowners, this bill does not create any new rebate or program to sign up for. It is a policy proposal aimed at speeding up how new power sources, including large battery storage and renewable projects, get added to the grid. If it becomes law and works as intended, it could mean more generation and storage capacity coming online faster, which affects overall grid reliability and electricity supply over time.