Summary of the E-Access Act
Summary of the E-Access Act
Inspired by the old adage “knowledge is power,” Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.) joined together to introduce the Access to Consumer Energy Information (E-Access) Act on March 27, 2014. S. 2165 is a common-sense piece of legislation that would provide Americans with access to electricity consumption information for their homes and businesses, allowing them to better measure and manage their electricity usage to reduce costs.
E-Access Does Three Things
The bill seeks to improve access to energy consumption data by providing incentives to utilities and states that offer that information to their commercial and residential customers. Currently, under the State Energy Program within the Department of Energy (DOE), activities to enhance customer access to energy information are not eligible for DOE funds. If this bill is enacted, state activities meant to improve customer access to and understanding of energy usage would qualify for government funding.
Additionally, the E-Access Act would require DOE to create model guidelines for improving access to electric energy information domestically. These guidelines would address specific issues including timeframe, consumer data, privacy protections, security, and how to present the information in a readily understandable format. Once these guidelines are in place, any state that meets the voluntary requirements established by DOE would qualify for federal support for implementing such a program.
Impact
The E-Access Act would address a fundamental need for the American people. Much like knowing the miles per gallon of your car or the cost to run home appliances, having more energy information about your house or office will only serve to empower consumers further. By having access to real-time energy information, consumers can better identify areas with potential cost savings and better manage their homes and businesses to reduce energy. If enacted, the E-Access Act has the potential to dramatically shift how we look at our electricity bills and how we better manage our homes and businesses.
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