PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 18, 1998
Electric Consumer Choice Act - Amends the Federal Power Act to declare that nothing in Federal law shall be construed to authorize a State to: (1) establish, maintain, or enforce on behalf of any electric utility an exclusive right to sell electric energy; or (2) unduly discriminate against any consumer seeking to purchase electric energy in interstate commerce from any supplier. Declares that no supplier of electric energy, who would otherwise have a right of access to a transmission or local distribution facility because such facility is essential for the conduct of interstate commerce in electric energy, shall be denied access to transmission or local distribution facilities or precluded from engaging in electric energy retail sales on the grounds that such denial or preclusion is authorized by State action establishing, maintaining, or enforcing an exclusive right to sell, transmit, or locally distribute electric energy. (Sec. 6) Authorizes a State or State commission to prohibit an electric utility from selling electric energy to an ultimate consumer in such State if the utility (or any affiliate) owns or controls transmission or local distribution facilities and is not itself providing unbundled local distribution service in a State in which it owns or operates an electricity-generating facility.
People & committees
Sen. Nickles, Don [R-OK] · R–OK
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S6564-6565)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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