Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3182 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R10682 JXC-D
2	2	By: Rosenthal H.B. No. 3182
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the weather emergency preparedness of gas pipeline
8	8	facilities and facilities for providing electric service.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 35, Utilities Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 35.0021 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 35.0021. WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. (a) The
13	13	commission by rule shall require each provider of generation in the
14	14	ERCOT power region to:
15	15	(1) prepare, submit to the commission, and update as
16	16	necessary an emergency operations plan for providing adequate
17	17	electric generation service during a weather emergency; and
18	18	(2) implement measures to prepare generation
19	19	facilities to provide adequate electric generation service during a
20	20	weather emergency.
21	21	(b) An emergency operations plan is public information
22	22	except for the portions of the plan considered confidential under
23	23	Chapter 552, Government Code, or other state or federal law. If
24	24	portions of a plan are designated as confidential, the plan shall be
25	25	provided to the commission in a redacted form for public inspection
26	26	with the confidential portions removed.
27	27	(c) Each provider of generation shall submit the provider's
28	28	plan in its entirety to the independent organization certified
29	29	under Section 39.151.
30	30	SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 38, Utilities Code, is
31	31	amended by adding Section 38.074 to read as follows:
32	32	Sec. 38.074. WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. (a) The
33	33	commission by rule shall require each electric cooperative,
34	34	municipally owned utility, and transmission and distribution
35	35	utility providing transmission or distribution service in the ERCOT
36	36	power region to:
37	37	(1) prepare, submit to the commission, and update as
38	38	necessary an emergency operations plan for maintaining service
39	39	quality and reliability during a weather emergency; and
40	40	(2) implement measures to prepare facilities to
41	41	maintain service quality and reliability during a weather
42	42	emergency.
43	43	(b) An emergency operations plan is public information
44	44	except for the portions of the plan considered confidential under
45	45	Chapter 552, Government Code, or other state or federal law. If
46	46	portions of a plan are designated as confidential, the plan shall be
47	47	provided to the commission in a redacted form for public inspection
48	48	with the confidential portions removed.
49	49	(c) Each electric cooperative, municipally owned utility,
50	50	and transmission and distribution utility shall provide the
51	51	cooperative's or utility's plan in its entirety to the independent
52	52	organization certified under Section 39.151.
53	53	SECTION 3. Section 121.2015(a), Utilities Code, is amended
54	54	to read as follows:
55	55	(a) The railroad commission shall adopt rules regarding:
56	56	(1) public education and awareness relating to gas
57	57	pipeline facilities; [and]
58	58	(2) community liaison for responding to an emergency
59	59	relating to a gas pipeline facility; and
60	60	(3) measures gas pipeline facility operators must
61	61	implement to prepare gas pipeline facilities to maintain service
62	62	quality and reliability during a weather emergency.
63	63	SECTION 4. Section 186.007, Utilities Code, is transferred
64	64	to Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Utilities Code, redesignated as
65	65	Section 31.006, Utilities Code, and amended to read as follows:
66	66	Sec. 31.006 [186.007]. WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
67	67	REPORT. (a) [In this section, "commission" means the Public
68	68	Utility Commission of Texas.
69	69	[(a-1)] The commission shall analyze emergency operations
70	70	plans developed under Sections 35.0021 and 38.074 [by electric
71	71	utilities as defined by Section 31.002, power generation companies,
72	72	municipally owned utilities, and electric cooperatives that
73	73	operate generation facilities in this state] and prepare an annual
74	74	[a] weather emergency preparedness report on power generation,
75	75	transmission, and distribution weatherization in this state
76	76	[preparedness]. In preparing the report, the commission shall:
77	77	(1) review the emergency operations plans currently on
78	78	file with the commission;
79	79	(2) analyze and determine the ability of the electric
80	80	grid to withstand extreme weather events in the upcoming year;
81	81	(3) consider the anticipated weather patterns for the
82	82	upcoming year as forecasted by the National Weather Service or any
83	83	similar state or national agency; and
84	84	(4) make recommendations on improving emergency
85	85	operations plans and procedures in order to ensure the continuity
86	86	of electric service.
87	87	(b) The commission may require an [electric generation]
88	88	entity subject to Section 35.0021 or 38.074 [this section] to file
89	89	an updated emergency operations plan if it finds that an emergency
90	90	operations plan on file does not contain adequate information to
91	91	determine whether the entity [electric generation entity] can
92	92	provide adequate service during a weather emergency [electric
93	93	generation services].
94	94	(c) The commission may adopt rules relating to the
95	95	implementation of the report [described by Subsection (a-1)].
96	96	(d) The commission shall submit each [the] report
97	97	[described by Subsection (a-1)] to the lieutenant governor, the
98	98	speaker of the house of representatives, and the members of the
99	99	legislature [not later than September 30, 2012].
100	100	(e) The commission shall [may] submit supplemental
101	101	[subsequent] weather emergency preparedness reports to the
102	102	lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
103	103	and the members of the legislature if the commission finds that
104	104	significant changes to weatherization techniques have occurred or
105	105	are necessary to protect consumers or vital services, or if there
106	106	have been changes to statutes or rules relating to weatherization
107	107	requirements. A report under this subsection must be submitted not
108	108	later than:
109	109	(1) March 1 for a summer weather emergency
110	110	preparedness report; and
111	111	(2) September 1 for a winter weather emergency
112	112	preparedness report.
113	113	[(f) The emergency operations plans submitted for the
114	114	report described by Subsection (a-1) and any subsequent plans
115	115	submitted under Subsection (e) are public information except for
116	116	the portions of the plan considered confidential under Chapter 552,
117	117	Government Code, or other state or federal law. If portions of a
118	118	plan are designated as confidential, the plan shall be provided to
119	119	the commission in a redacted form for public inspection with the
120	120	confidential portions removed. An electric generation entity
121	121	within the ERCOT power region shall provide the entity's plan to
122	122	ERCOT in its entirety.]
123	123	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.