| 1 | 1 | | 81R11084 TRH-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lucio III H.B. No. 4636 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to energy efficiency audits and improvement loans for |
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| 8 | 8 | | customers of electric utilities and transmission and distribution |
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| 9 | 9 | | utilities. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 39.9055 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 39.9055. ENERGY EFFICIENCY AUDITS AND IMPROVEMENT |
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| 14 | 14 | | LOANS. (a) On the request of a customer and at no cost to the |
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| 15 | 15 | | customer, an electric utility or transmission and distribution |
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| 16 | 16 | | utility shall perform an energy efficiency audit of the customer's |
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| 17 | 17 | | premises. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) An electric utility or transmission and distribution |
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| 19 | 19 | | utility shall offer a customer who participates in an energy audit |
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| 20 | 20 | | under Subsection (a) a low-interest loan to pay the costs of |
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| 21 | 21 | | installing approved energy efficiency improvements to the |
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| 22 | 22 | | customer's premises. A customer who receives a loan under this |
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| 23 | 23 | | subsection shall repay the loan by a surcharge on the customer's |
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| 24 | 24 | | monthly electricity bill. If a customer sells, ceases to rent, or |
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| 25 | 25 | | otherwise permanently abandons the premises for which a loan is |
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| 26 | 26 | | granted, the customer shall immediately repay the entire balance of |
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| 27 | 27 | | the loan. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (c) Each electric utility and transmission and distribution |
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| 29 | 29 | | utility shall market the availability of energy efficiency audits |
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| 30 | 30 | | and upgrade loans under this section to customers of the utility |
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| 31 | 31 | | through retail electric providers. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (d) The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 33 | 33 | | implement this section. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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