Overview
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright sent FERC a draft rule asserting federal jurisdiction over interconnections for new loads above roughly 20 MW when connected directly to transmission facilities.
- The proposal invites comment on expedited studies that could be completed in as little as 60 days, with priority for curtailable loads and co‑located projects pairing data centers with on‑site generation.
- Customers could file joint load‑and‑generation requests under standardized procedures that include study deposits, readiness requirements, and withdrawal penalties to deter speculative queueing.
- The draft contemplates that large loads would bear network upgrade costs in many cases, and it clarifies technical requirements for hybrid facilities’ protection systems and defined injection or withdrawal rights.
- Wright separately asked FERC to ease preliminary hydropower permitting by clarifying that third‑party opposition does not constitute a veto, as stakeholders prepare for a contested docket, legal scrutiny over state versus federal roles, and a requested final action by April 30, 2026.