| 1 | 1 | | 87R11757 JXC-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Sherman, Sr. H.B. No. 3213 |
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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 the winter weather emergency preparedness of facilities |
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| 8 | 8 | | for providing electric service. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 86, Natural Resources |
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| 11 | 11 | | Code, is amended by adding Section 86.044 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 86.044. WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. The |
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| 13 | 13 | | commission by rule shall require an operator of a gas well to |
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| 14 | 14 | | implement measures to prepare the well to operate during a weather |
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| 15 | 15 | | emergency. |
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| 16 | 16 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 35, Utilities Code, is |
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| 17 | 17 | | amended by adding Section 35.0021 to read as follows: |
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| 18 | 18 | | Sec. 35.0021. WINTER WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. The |
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| 19 | 19 | | commission by rule shall require each provider of generation in the |
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| 20 | 20 | | ERCOT power region to: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) ensure that adequate maintenance and inspection of |
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| 22 | 22 | | freeze protection elements is conducted on a timely and repetitive |
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| 23 | 23 | | basis; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) inspect and maintain generating unit heat tracing |
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| 25 | 25 | | equipment; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (3) inspect and maintain generating unit thermal |
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| 27 | 27 | | insulation; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (4) make a plan to erect adequate windbreaks and |
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| 29 | 29 | | enclosures, where needed; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (5) develop and annually conduct winter-specific and |
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| 31 | 31 | | plant-specific operator awareness and maintenance training; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (6) ensure that winterization supplies and equipment |
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| 33 | 33 | | are in place before the winter season; |
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| 34 | 34 | | (7) ensure that adequate staffing is in place for cold |
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| 35 | 35 | | weather events; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (8) take preventative action in anticipation of cold |
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| 37 | 37 | | weather events in a timely manner; |
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| 38 | 38 | | (9) install insulation and heated pipes as necessary; |
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| 39 | 39 | | (10) use crushers to break up frozen coal; |
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| 40 | 40 | | (11) ensure that equipment can withstand ambient |
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| 41 | 41 | | temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit for at least two days; and |
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| 42 | 42 | | (12) heat any wind turbines and ensure that the |
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| 43 | 43 | | turbines can withstand temperatures of -22 degrees Fahrenheit for |
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| 44 | 44 | | at least two days. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 38, Utilities Code, is |
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| 46 | 46 | | amended by adding Section 38.074 to read as follows: |
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| 47 | 47 | | Sec. 38.074. WINTER WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. The |
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| 48 | 48 | | commission by rule shall require each electric cooperative, |
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| 49 | 49 | | municipally owned utility, and transmission and distribution |
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| 50 | 50 | | utility providing transmission or distribution service in the ERCOT |
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| 51 | 51 | | power region to: |
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| 52 | 52 | | (1) ensure that transmission facilities are capable of |
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| 53 | 53 | | performing during cold weather conditions; |
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| 54 | 54 | | (2) ensure that communications responsibility is |
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| 55 | 55 | | placed on more than one system operator or on several key personnel |
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| 56 | 56 | | during an emergency; |
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| 57 | 57 | | (3) consider using persons who are not otherwise |
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| 58 | 58 | | responsible for emergency operations for communications during an |
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| 59 | 59 | | emergency or likely emergency; |
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| 60 | 60 | | (4) conduct critical load review for gas production |
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| 61 | 61 | | and transmission facilities and determine the level of protection |
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| 62 | 62 | | such facilities should be accorded in the event of system stress or |
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| 63 | 63 | | load shedding; |
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| 64 | 64 | | (5) train operators in proper load shedding procedures |
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| 65 | 65 | | and conduct periodic drills to maintain load shedding skills; |
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| 66 | 66 | | (6) install insulation and heated pipes as necessary; |
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| 67 | 67 | | and |
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| 68 | 68 | | (7) ensure that equipment can withstand ambient |
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| 69 | 69 | | temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit for at least two days. |
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| 70 | 70 | | SECTION 4. Subchapter D, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
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| 71 | 71 | | amended by adding Section 39.159 to read as follows: |
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| 72 | 72 | | Sec. 39.159. INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION COMMUNICATION. An |
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| 73 | 73 | | independent organization certified under Section 39.151 for the |
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| 74 | 74 | | ERCOT power region shall: |
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| 75 | 75 | | (1) communicate with transmission and distribution |
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| 76 | 76 | | utilities, municipally owned utilities, and electric cooperatives |
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| 77 | 77 | | about deteriorating weather conditions in a timely manner; and |
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| 78 | 78 | | (2) provide transmission and distribution utilities, |
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| 79 | 79 | | municipally owned utilities, and electric cooperatives with access |
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| 80 | 80 | | to information about loads on the systems of the utilities and |
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| 81 | 81 | | cooperatives that could be curtailed by the organization to provide |
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| 82 | 82 | | operating reserves or as emergency interruptible load service. |
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| 83 | 83 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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