| 1 | 1 | | 87R7594 CXP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Paul H.B. No. 2599 |
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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 ownership and use of mobile batteries to restore |
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| 8 | 8 | | electric service after a natural disaster in the ERCOT power |
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| 9 | 9 | | region. |
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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. Section 35.151, Utilities Code, is amended to |
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| 12 | 12 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 35.151. ELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE. This subchapter |
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| 14 | 14 | | applies to the ownership or operation of electric energy storage |
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| 15 | 15 | | equipment or facilities that are intended to: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) provide energy or ancillary services at wholesale, |
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| 17 | 17 | | including electric energy storage equipment or facilities listed on |
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| 18 | 18 | | a power generation company's registration with the commission or, |
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| 19 | 19 | | for an exempt wholesale generator, on the generator's registration |
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| 20 | 20 | | with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; or |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) provide reliable delivery of electric energy to |
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| 22 | 22 | | distribution customers after a natural disaster. |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 35, Utilities Code, is |
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| 24 | 24 | | amended by adding Section 35.153 to read as follows: |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 35.153. MOBILE BATTERIES FOR RESTORING SERVICE AFTER |
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| 26 | 26 | | NATURAL DISASTER. (a) In this section, "natural disaster" means a |
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| 27 | 27 | | tropical storm or hurricane, ice storm or snow storm, flood, or |
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| 28 | 28 | | other weather-related event that results in a widespread electric |
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| 29 | 29 | | power outage affecting distribution customers of transmission and |
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| 30 | 30 | | distribution utilities. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b) Notwithstanding a provision of this subtitle that |
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| 32 | 32 | | directly or indirectly prohibits a transmission and distribution |
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| 33 | 33 | | utility from owning or operating a generation asset, a transmission |
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| 34 | 34 | | and distribution utility, with prior approval of the commission, |
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| 35 | 35 | | may own and operate a mobile battery to provide electric energy to |
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| 36 | 36 | | restore service to distribution customers after a natural disaster. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (c) The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 38 | 38 | | implement this section and establish criteria for approving the |
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| 39 | 39 | | ownership and operation of a mobile battery under this section. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 3. The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall |
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| 41 | 41 | | adopt rules required by Section 35.153, Utilities Code, as added by |
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| 42 | 42 | | this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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