POWER Act of 2025

The POWER Act (Promoting Opportunities to Widen Electrical Resilience Act) would amend federal disaster relief law to help electric utilities rebuild infrastructure more resiliently after major disasters. Currently, utilities that receive federal emergency funding from FEMA to restore power after a disaster are ineligible for additional federal funding to make improvements that would protect against future hazards. This bill would change that restriction, allowing utilities to use federal disaster recovery funds to implement cost-effective measures that make electrical infrastructure stronger and more resistant to damage from storms, wildfires, and other natural disasters.

The practical effect would be to help communities restore power faster while simultaneously making their electrical systems more resilient. Instead of choosing between immediate recovery and long-term improvements, utilities could do both. This would be particularly beneficial in regions frequently affected by severe weather, hurricanes, wildfires, and ice storms, where repeated infrastructure damage creates ongoing costs for utilities and extended power outages for customers. The bill applies only to not-for-profit electric utilities, including electric cooperatives and public power systems.