Relating to rates of and certificates of convenience and necessity for certain non-ERCOT electric utilities.
Impact
The legislation aims to ensure that non-ERCOT electric utilities can effectively recover reasonable and necessary costs associated with transmission investments. By providing clear timelines for the issuance of certificates, SB841 is designed to eliminate delays in the process, granting utilities greater certainty and potentially speeding up infrastructure development. The regulatory authority is mandated to take certain actions, including granting approvals within specified time frames to improve operational efficiency for these utilities.
Summary
SB841 introduces changes regarding the regulation of certain non-ERCOT electric utilities in Texas. The bill focuses on streamlining the processes for the issuance of certificates of convenience and necessity as well as rate adjustments for these utilities. Under SB841, electric utilities operating outside of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) are given specific guidelines on how to apply for these certificates and what procedures must be followed by the Public Utility Commission of Texas in approving their applications.
Conclusion
Overall, SB841 represents a significant shift in how electric utilities outside of ERCOT will operate concerning regulatory approval and rate adjustments. By aiming to streamline these processes, the bill has the potential to foster investment in non-ERCOT areas, but it also raises important questions about balancing efficiency with consumer protections and regulatory oversight.
Contention
While the bill emphasizes efficiency, there may be concerns regarding oversight and consumer protection. The quicker approval process could lead to controversies surrounding cost recovery and rate adjustments, as consumers may worry about the potential for increased rates without adequate scrutiny. Opposition may arise from parties advocating for stricter regulations and transparency measures to protect consumers from unfair rate hikes or inadequate service oversight.
Relating to the amendment of a certificate of convenience and necessity to provide electricity service to certain water control and improvement districts.
Relating to the amendment of a certificate of convenience and necessity to provide electricity service to certain water control and improvement districts.
Establishing a rebuttable presumption against retirement of fossil fuel-fired electric generating units, requiring the state corporation commission to report on such retirements and extending the timelines for the commission to make a determination regarding rate-making treatment for generating or transmission facilities.
Establishing a rebuttable presumption against retirement of fossil fuel-fired electric generating units, requiring the state corporation commission to report on such retirements and extending the timelines for the commission to make a determination regarding rate-making treatment for generating or transmission facilities.
Extending the timelines for the state corporation commission to make a determination regarding rate-making treatment for electric generating or transmission facilities.
Authorizing electric public utilities to recover certain depreciation and construction work in progress expenses and limiting the time that such recovery may be implemented, authorizing the provision of economic development electric rates for certain large electric customers and limiting the time that such rates may be implemented, extending the timeline for the state corporation commission to issue an order in ratemaking treatment proceedings, authorizing electric public utilities to retain certain generating facilities in the utilty's rate base, prohibiting the commission from authorizing the retirement of certain generating facilities unless certain requirements are met, increasing the capacity limitation for the total amount of net metering facilities that may operate in the service territory of an investor-owned electric public utility, requiring net metering facilities to be appropriately sized based on the customer's average load and establishing requirements for exporting power from a net metering system to a utility.