To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize Federal agencies to provide certain essential assistance for hazard mitigation for electric utilities, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Val T. Hoyle
D-OR | Primary Sponsor
Legislative Progress
Passed HouseReceived; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland …
Passed House (inferred from eh version)
Ms. Hoyle of Oregon (for herself and Mr. Ezell) introduced …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The POWER Act of 2025 changes federal disaster assistance rules to help electric utilities make their power grids stronger and more resilient during disaster recovery. Currently, when electric utilities receive federal emergency funds to restore power after hurricanes, wildfires, or other disasters, they must choose between quick repairs and long-term improvements like burying power lines or installing storm-resistant poles. This bill lets them do both at the same time and still qualify for additional federal funding for permanent improvements.
Who Benefits and How
Electric utilities of all types - investor-owned companies like Duke Energy, municipal utilities, and rural electric cooperatives - are the primary beneficiaries. They can now combine immediate power restoration work with grid hardening projects (like replacing wooden poles with concrete or steel, undergrounding lines, or upgrading substations) while accessing multiple streams of FEMA disaster assistance. This reduces administrative complexity and allows utilities to build back stronger infrastructure rather than simply replacing damaged equipment with identical materials. Communities in disaster-prone areas also benefit from more resilient power infrastructure.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Federal taxpayers bear the cost of expanded FEMA assistance eligibility, as utilities can now access both emergency restoration funds (Section 403) and hazard mitigation grants (Section 406) for related work. FEMA faces increased administrative burden reviewing and approving more complex project applications that blend immediate restoration with long-term mitigation. The bill applies only to funds appropriated after enactment, so it won't increase costs retroactively.
Key Provisions
- Allows electric utilities to perform "cost-effective hazard mitigation activities" alongside emergency power restoration work funded by FEMA Section 403 assistance
- Explicitly protects utilities' eligibility for Section 406 hazard mitigation grants even if they already received Section 403 emergency assistance for the same facility
- Applies only to appropriations made on or after the bill's enactment date, ensuring no retroactive budget impact
- Defines electric utilities broadly to include all types (investor-owned, municipal, cooperative)
- Removes the current either/or choice utilities face between fast emergency repairs and permanent resilience improvements
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Allows electric utilities to combine disaster power restoration with hazard mitigation work and remain eligible for additional federal mitigation assistance under the Stafford Act
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Enable electric utilities to improve grid resilience during disaster recovery by combining immediate restoration with long-term hardening, while preserving access to additional federal mitigation funding"
Likely Beneficiaries
- Electric utilities (investor-owned, municipal, and cooperative)
- Communities served by electric utilities in disaster-prone areas
Likely Burden Bearers
- Federal taxpayers (through expanded FEMA assistance eligibility)
- FEMA (increased administrative burden to process combined restoration/mitigation projects)
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Refers to Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b), which provides federal assistance for emergency protective measures
Refers to Section 406 of the Stafford Act, which provides federal assistance for permanent work and hazard mitigation measures
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology