Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB278 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R1711 TJS-D
2	2	By: Anchia H.B. No. 278
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to energy demand and incentives for distributed renewable
8	8	generation.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 39.917 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 39.917. GOAL FOR DISTRIBUTED RENEWABLE GENERATION.
13	13	(a) In this section, "distributed renewable generation" has the
14	14	meaning assigned by Section 39.916.
15	15	(b) It is the goal of the legislature that by January 1,
16	16	2020, an additional 2,000 megawatts of generating capacity from
17	17	distributed renewable energy sources will have been installed in
18	18	this state and that, by January 1, 2015, at least 1,000 megawatts of
19	19	that additional generating capacity will have been installed in
20	20	this state.
21	21	(c) Electric utilities shall administer programs to give
22	22	all customers, in all customer classes, an opportunity and
23	23	incentive to use distributed renewable generation as a supplemental
24	24	energy source, including programs that provide incentives to:
25	25	(1) commercial and residential customers to build
26	26	integrated solar and geothermal generation of their residence or
27	27	place of business; and
28	28	(2) homebuilders to build integrated solar and
29	29	geothermal generation in new homes.
30	30	(d) A retail electric provider shall provide its customers
31	31	with distributed renewable generation educational materials.
32	32	(e) The commission shall provide oversight and adopt rules
33	33	and procedures to ensure that the utilities can achieve the goal
34	34	prescribed by this section, including rules and procedures:
35	35	(1) establishing a distributed renewable generation
36	36	cost recovery factor for ensuring timely and reasonable cost
37	37	recovery for utility expenditures made to satisfy the goal
38	38	prescribed by this section;
39	39	(2) establishing an incentive under Section 36.204 to
40	40	reward utilities administering programs under this section;
41	41	(3) providing a utility that is unable to establish a
42	42	distributed renewable generation cost recovery factor in a timely
43	43	manner due to a rate freeze with a mechanism to enable the utility
44	44	to:
45	45	(A) defer the costs of complying with this
46	46	section; and
47	47	(B) recover the deferred costs through a
48	48	distributed renewable generation cost recovery factor on the
49	49	expiration of the rate freeze period;
50	50	(4) ensuring that the costs associated with the
51	51	programs provided under this section are borne by the customer
52	52	classes that receive the services under the programs; and
53	53	(5) ensuring the program encourages the utilities to
54	54	pass on the value of the incentives to end-use consumers.
55	55	(f) The distributed renewable generation cost recovery
56	56	factor under Subsection (e) may not result in an over-recovery of
57	57	costs but may be adjusted each year to change rates to enable
58	58	utilities to match revenues against distributed renewable
59	59	generation costs and any incentives they receive. The factor shall
60	60	be adjusted to reflect any over-collection or under-collection of
61	61	distributed renewable generation cost recovery revenue in previous
62	62	years.
63	63	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
64	64	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
65	65	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
66	66	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
67	67	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.