By Timothy Cama, The Hill.

The Senate is planning to take up and vote on its previously stalled energy reform legislation and appropriations bill for energy and water programs.

The energy reform bill is the result of nearly a year and a half of work by Sens. Lisa Murkowski(R-Alaska) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). It's a bipartisan bill that mostly avoids hot-button issues but aims to modernize policy touching the electrical grid, renewables, energy efficiency, natural gas exports and more.

Days ago, the outlook seemed grim for the bill. But Democrats agreed to drop their demand to attach a $220 million aid package for the water crisis in Flint, Mich., allowing the bill to move forward.