| 1 | 1 | | By: Hughes S.B. No. 454 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the deployment of advanced metering and meter |
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| 7 | 7 | | information networks in certain areas outside of ERCOT. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter K, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 39.5021 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 39.5021. METERING. (a) Notwithstanding Section |
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| 12 | 12 | | 39.502, an electric utility subject to this subchapter that elects |
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| 13 | 13 | | to deploy advanced metering and meter information networks may |
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| 14 | 14 | | recover reasonable and necessary costs incurred in deploying |
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| 15 | 15 | | advanced metering and meter information networks. An electric |
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| 16 | 16 | | utility that elects to deploy advanced metering or meter |
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| 17 | 17 | | information networks is subject to commission rules adopted under |
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| 18 | 18 | | Sections 39.107(h) and (k). The commission shall ensure that any |
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| 19 | 19 | | deployment plan approved under this section and any related |
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| 20 | 20 | | customer surcharge: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) are not applicable to customer accounts that |
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| 22 | 22 | | receive service at transmission voltage; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) are consistent with commission rules related to |
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| 24 | 24 | | advanced metering systems regarding: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (A) customer protections; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (B) data security, privacy, and ownership; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | (C) options given consumers to continue to |
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| 28 | 28 | | receive service through a non-advanced meter. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (b) An electric utility subject to this subchapter that |
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| 30 | 30 | | elects to deploy an advanced meter information network shall deploy |
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| 31 | 31 | | the network as rapidly as practicable to allow customers to better |
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| 32 | 32 | | manage energy use and control costs. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 34 | 34 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 35 | 35 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 36 | 36 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 37 | 37 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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