e-KNOW Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (15 Jun 2010): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
What this bill does
The e-KNOW Act, introduced in the Senate in 2010, would amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. It would grant electric consumers the right to access their retail electric energy consumption data and the rates applied to their usage. This information would need to be provided electronically, free of charge, in a timely manner, and with privacy protections.
Retail electricity providers would be responsible for supplying this information. The bill specifies that consumers could access data in machine-readable form, at a granularity no less detailed than how it's recorded for billing or by smart meters, and data would be retained for at least 13 months. Utilities could recover reasonable costs for providing this information through customer rates, if approved by the relevant regulatory authority.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) would be required to issue national guidelines for implementing these consumer access rights, while respecting existing state and local regulations. State attorneys general or designated state officials could bring civil actions in federal court to enforce compliance with these standards. The bill was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Electric Consumer Right to Know Act or the e-KNOW Act - Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to grant an electric consumer the right to access the consumer's retail electric energy information in an electronic form, in conformity with nationally recognized open standards, free of charge, and in a manner that is timely and convenient and that provides adequate protections for the security of the information and the privacy of the electric consumer.
Requires such information to be provided by the consumer's retail electricity provider (or such other entity as may be designated by the authority responsible for regulating the retail sale and delivery of electricity to the consumer).
Identifies the type of retail electric energy information which the consumer has the right to access, including: (1) the consumer's electric energy consumption over a defined time period; and (2) the prices or rates applied to the consumer's electricity usage for such time period.
Permits a utility providing retail electric energy information to recover in rates the cost of providing the information, if the cost is determined reasonable and prudent by the entity with jurisdiction over metering and retail electric service for the consumer.
Directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to: (1) issue guidelines that establish minimum national standards for implementation of the electric consumer right to access retail electric energy information; and (2) preserve the integrity of and be guided by actions taken by state and local regulatory authorities to ensure electric consumer access to such information.
Empowers the attorney general, official, or agency of the state, as parens patriae, to bring a civil action in federal district court to compel compliance with such standards.
Timeline
15 Jun 2010
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Common questions
- What does S. 3487 do?
- The e-KNOW Act, introduced in the Senate in 2010, would amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. It would grant electric consumers the right to access their retail electric energy consumption data and the rates applied to their usage. This information would need to be provided electronically, free of charge, in a timely manner, and with privacy protections. Retail electricity providers would be responsible for supplying this information. The bill specifies that consumers could access data in machine-readable form, at a granularity no less detailed than how it's recorded for billing or by smart meters, and data would be retained for at least 13 months. Utilities could recover reasonable costs for providing this information through customer rates, if approved by the relevant regulatory authority. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) would be required to issue national guidelines for implementing these consumer access rights, while respecting existing state and local regulations. State attorneys general or designated state officials could bring civil actions in federal court to enforce compliance with these standards. The bill was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Has S. 3487 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for S. 3487. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored S. 3487?
- S. 3487 was sponsored by Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO] (D-CO), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 3487?
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (15 Jun 2010).
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More bills from Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO]
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e-KNOW Act
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