H.R. 7697

119 HR 7697 IH: International AI Energy Grid Modernization Strategy Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-02-25
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 7697  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   February 25, 2026   Mr. Hernández  (for himself,  Mr. Liccardo , and  Mrs. Grijalva ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Foreign Affairs    A BILL
To establish an international strategy for AI research and development to improve outdated electrical grids, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   International AI Energy Grid Modernization Strategy Act  .
2.
Findings; sense of Congress
(a)
Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1)
Electrical grids around the world are facing increasing challenges due to aging infrastructure, growing energy demands, and accelerating climate-related risks.
(2)
Many electrical grids lack the resilience and flexibility needed to withstand natural disasters, extreme weather events, or long-term climate disruptions.
(3)
The threat of cyber attacks on critical energy infrastructure is escalating, with adversarial actors targeting electrical grid operations, data systems, and control networks that were not originally designed for modern digital threats.
(4)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies present a transformative opportunity to modernize electrical grids by enabling predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring, anomaly detection, autonomous system restoration, and the integration of distributed energy resources.
(5)
International collaboration in the research, development, and responsible deployment.
(6)
Advancing these innovations is not only vital to energy security and climate adaptation but also critical to global economic development, public health, and national security.
(b)
Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that the United States should actively engage with international organizations, such as the International Energy Agency and the International Renewable Energy Agency, to support global coordination on AI applications for secure, resilient, and sustainable advanced energy technologies for electrical grids, including AI-enabled grid management tools, which can accelerate global grid modernization, enhance grid resilience, and establish shared cybersecurity protocols.
3.
International strategy for artificial intelligence energy grid modernization
(a)
Development
The Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall develop and implement a comprehensive international strategy to advance the research, development, and deployment of AI-enabled technologies for the modernization and resilience of electrical grids worldwide. Such strategy shall include measures to—
(1)
strengthen partnerships with allied and partner countries, academic institutions, and private-sector stakeholders to modernize and digitalize electrical grids;
(2)
accelerate the development, testing, and deployment of AI-enabled grid technologies to improve reliability, enhance grid resilience, detect and respond to cyber threats, and integrate renewable energy resources and distributed energy resources;
(3)
promote equitable access to advanced grid modernization tools in developing and vulnerable regions, including natural disaster-prone areas;
(4)
support workforce development and technical training related to AI, cybersecurity, and smart-grid operations; and
(5)
facilitate coordination across relevant Federal departments and agencies as appropriate, including the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Energy, and Department of Commerce.
(b)
Authorization
To carry out the objectives described in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (a), the Secretary of State is authorized to support programs, projects, and activities that—
(1)
facilitate international research partnerships focused on AI applications that enhance the stability, flexibility, and resilience of electrical grids;
(2)
promote demonstration and validation of AI-enabled grid management systems capable of real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and autonomous system restoration;
(3)
launch pilot projects to evaluate the security, scalability, and performance of AI tools for grid modernization in diverse environments;
(4)
encourage public-private partnerships to commercialization and deployment of advanced energy technologies for electrical grids; and
(5)
provide technical assistance, education, and workforce training to strengthen local capacity for AI-enabled grid operations.
(c)
International cooperation
The Secretary of State, in consultation with the heads of relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall seek to establish cooperative agreements with allied and partner countries to support joint research, technology transfer, capacity-building, and deployment of AI-enabled grid modernization tools, provided that such agreements—
(1)
further the international strategy described under subsection (a);
(2)
involve only research not requiring access to classified information or military-specific AI systems; and
(3)
comply with all applicable United States export-control laws, including the Export Administration Regulations (parts 730 through 774 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (subchapter M of chapter I of title 22, Code of Federal Regulations).
4.
Report
Not later than 540 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5 years, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report describing progress made in implementing the strategy developed pursuant to section 3, including—
(1)
partnerships established under such strategy, including the number, type, and participating countries or organizations;
(2)
research, development, and demonstration activities conducted under such strategy, including AI-enabled grid technologies developed, tested, or deployed;
(3)
outcomes of pilot projects, including assessments of security, scalability, performance, and any measurable improvements to grid reliability or resilience;
(4)
advancements in AI-enabled cybersecurity tools, including capabilities for intrusion detection, anomaly detection, and system restoration;
(5)
technical assistance, workforce development, or capacity-building activities, including the number of trainings conducted and the number of personnel trained;
(6)
progress on the integration of renewable energy resources and distributed energy resources through AI-enabled systems;
(7)
international cooperation agreements negotiated or implemented under the strategy;
(8)
any challenges encountered in implementing the strategy;
(9)
recommendations for improving such implementation; and
(10)
metrics evaluating changes in the resilience of electrical grids as a result of such implementation, to the extent data is available.