The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would gain authority to ban people and companies, permanently or temporarily, from buying or selling electricity, financial transmission rights, natural gas, or related transmission services if they violate the Federal Power Act's or Natural Gas Act's anti-manipulation and false-reporting rules. The bill also creates a new prohibition on knowingly filing false natural gas price and transportation information with federal agencies or private price reporters with intent to defraud. Existing enforcement provisions are updated to reach corporations and indirect activity, not just individuals acting directly. No new criminal penalties are added.
Corporate Benefits
- Energy market participants — Subject to FERC bans on buying or selling for manipulation violations
Transparency & Accountability
- FERC market-ban authority — Extended to corporations and indirect activity in electric and gas markets
- False natural gas price reporting — Prohibited when intended to defraud federal or private price reporters
Congressional Summary
Energy Consumer Protection Act of 2026This bill expands enforcement provisions under the Federal Power Act and the Natural Gas Act to protect consumers from price manipulation, including by allowing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to temporarily or permanently ban any person from trading in energy markets if the person (1) violates those acts by manipulating the electricity or natural gas markets, or (2) files false information regarding those markets.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-04-21
- Date Added
- 2026-05-19
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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