S 1020
Became law
Allows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to give licensees of certain hydropower projects up to 6 more years, in three-year-or-shorter steps, to begin construction.
Official title: A bill to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend the time period during which licensees are required to commence construction of certain hydropower projects.
Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions
House
Received
01-AUG-2025
Passed
21-APR-2026
Senate
Introduced
13-MAR-2025
Referred
13-MAR-2025
Passed
29-JUL-2025
President
Presented
30-APR-2026
Signed
11-MAY-2026
Became law
11-MAY-2026
- Covers hydropower projects licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission before March 13, 2020, and only when the licensee requests an extension and shows good cause.
- Permits up to 3 consecutive 2-year extensions, adding no more than 6 years beyond the 8 years already allowed under Section 13 of the Federal Power Act.
- Allows the Commission to reinstate a license that expired after December 31, 2023 and before the date of enactment, with the extension taking effect on the date of expiration.
Current. The Congressional Research Service's summary covers the bill's latest wording (Public Law, 11-MAY-2026).
CRS is the Library of Congress's nonpartisan research office. Read it on congress.govEnergy
■ 6 R■ 1 D
6 Republicans
1 Democrat