Texas House Bill HB2898

Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Caption

Relating to notice required after an intentional shutoff of electric and water service.

Impact

The implementation of HB 2898 will significantly affect how utility companies manage customer communication during emergencies. By instituting a clear requirement for timely notifications, the bill aims to enhance customer awareness and preparedness. Utilities will need to establish or upgrade their communication systems to ensure they can meet the requirements outlined in the legislation. This may incur additional operational costs but is expected to lead to better customer satisfaction and trust.

Summary

House Bill 2898 mandates that electric and water utilities provide timely notification to customers following an intentional service shutoff. Specifically, the bill requires utilities to notify affected customers within three hours of shutting off services due to emergency circumstances. The notification must be delivered via email or text message and must include the expected time for service restoration and whether the shutoff is a part of a rolling outage. This measure is designed to improve communication and transparency between utilities and their customers during critical situations.

Contention

While HB 2898 is largely seen as a proactive step in utility customer service, some stakeholders raise concerns regarding the practicality of implementing such notification systems, especially for smaller utilities that may lack the infrastructure. There are arguments that the notification window of three hours may not always be feasible, particularly under severe emergency conditions. Additionally, there might be implications on how these notifications are handled and the potential for increased customer complaints if notifications are not timely or if they fail to meet the outlined requirements.