81R5791 TRH-D
By: Kolkhorst H.B. No. 1463
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas
to order certain electric providers to provide power to other
electric providers during a natural disaster or declared emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 38, Utilities Code, is
amended by adding Section 38.073 to read as follows:
Sec. 38.073. AUTHORITY OF COMMISSION DURING AN EMERGENCY.
(a) The commission may require an electric utility, municipally
owned utility, electric cooperative, or retail electric provider to
sell electricity to another electric utility, municipally owned
utility, electric cooperative, or retail electric provider that
loses power due to a natural disaster or other declared emergency.
The commission may order an electric utility, municipally owned
utility, or electric cooperative to provide interconnection
service to another electric utility, municipally owned utility, or
electric cooperative to facilitate a sale of electricity under this
section.
(b) If an entity receives electricity under Subsection (a),
the receiving entity shall reimburse the supplying entity for the
electricity according to the rates or prices charged by the
supplying entity during the supplying entity's most recent full
billing cycle. The entity receiving the electricity is responsible
for any transmission and distribution service charges specifically
incurred in relation to providing the electricity.
(c) An entity that pays for electricity received under
Subsection (b) may fully recover from the entity's customers the
cost of the electricity and any associated transmission and
distribution costs.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.