Cramer: House Considers Energy Bill Protecting Grid-Enabled Water Heaters

Press Release

Congressman Kevin Cramer announced the U.S. House of Representatives will consider S. 535, the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015 on Tuesday, April 21, 2015. This legislation protects Grid-Enabled Water Heaters from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) regulations ultimately benefiting electric utility customers in North Dakota.

"I am encouraged the House will take up this legislation just one week after the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously passed a bill I co-sponsored addressing the same issue. If we fail to act, consumers will face higher electricity costs and decreased energy efficiency. This bill will exempt grid-enabled large water heaters from DOE's regulations ensuring their continued production and use. These water heaters are widely used by many household, farms, and businesses and utilities as demand response tools. I hope my colleagues will join me in passing this legislation to give consumers, electric utilities, and manufacturers of these water heaters certainty and choice," said Cramer

Electric utilities across the country provide demand response programs to their customers whereby a bill credit or lower rate is offered in exchange for the electric provider able to remotely turn off the water heater during peak electric demand periods. This allows customers to save money, reduce peak electric grid demand which saves all ratepayers money, and allow intermittent renewables to be better integrated into the grid.

Congressman Cramer is a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. He serves on the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

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