Contact Congress about H.R. 8400: DATA Act of 2026
Some new local power systems could serve brand-new customers without many federal power rules. They would have to stay separate from the main grid. If they connect to it, the federal rules come back.
Modern Action explains legislation in plain English, helps you choose whether to support, oppose, or ask for changes, and drafts a message tied to the bill, your stance, and the elected officials who can act on it.
DATA Act of 2026 is a House bill in committee. The latest recorded action: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Latest action on H.R. 8400: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Who this affects: This bill mainly affects new developments, campuses, industrial parks, and other sites that may want their own separate power system. It also affects customers who would get electricity from those systems. Local and state officials could feel it when CREUs use streets or other public corridors, because the bill narrows what they can review in those permit decisions.
Why this matters: This bill matters because it could make it easier to build new power systems outside the main grid, while also removing many federal protections that usually apply to electric service. That could speed up local grids for new sites. It could also leave customer protection, safety, and reliability rules to state or local systems that the bill does not describe. The right-of-way rules could also change how much say local governments have when CREU wires or equipment go into public corridors.
Key provisions in H.R. 8400
- The bill creates a new kind of power provider called a consumer-regulated electric utility, or CREU. It can serve only new electric demand and must stay fully separate from the main grid and regulated utilities.
- CREUs could build and run their own power systems. That includes power plants, batteries, transmission lines, local distribution wires, and retail electric service.
- CREUs would not count as public utilities under the Federal Power Act. That means they avoid federal rules on rates, company structure, finances, transmission, distribution, and mergers or purchases.
- CREUs would not have to follow federal reliability standards or register with the Electric Reliability Organization, the group that helps enforce grid reliability rules. That changes if they later connect to the main power grid.
- A CREU loses its special status right away if it connects to the main grid or another wire system for regular or backup power. Once that happens, all the federal rules it avoided apply.
How Modern Action helps you take action on H.R. 8400
You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.
Questions people ask about H.R. 8400
- What is H.R. 8400?
- Some new local power systems could serve brand-new customers without many federal power rules. They would have to stay separate from the main grid. If they connect to it, the federal rules come back.
- How do I support or oppose H.R. 8400?
- Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.
- Who should I contact about H.R. 8400?
- Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.
- Can Modern Action explain H.R. 8400 before I act?
- Yes. Modern Action gives you a plain-English summary, current status, and action context before you send anything.
