Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3749 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R13155 CXP-D
2	2	By: Lucio III H.B. No. 3749
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the provision of electric service during extreme
8	8	weather conditions.
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. EXTREME WEATHER PREPAREDNESS. The commission
13	13	shall conduct regular inspections of facilities and equipment used
14	14	by providers of generation in the ERCOT power region to ensure
15	15	adequate weatherization preparedness for extreme weather
16	16	conditions.
17	17	SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is
18	18	amended by adding Section 39.918 to read as follows:
19	19	Sec. 39.918. PUBLICATION OF ENERGY EMERGENCY ALERTS. If an
20	20	independent organization certified under Section 39.151 for the
21	21	ERCOT power region declares an energy emergency alert, the
22	22	commission shall publish a notification regarding the alert on the
23	23	home page of the commission's Internet website as soon as
24	24	practicable.
25	25	SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 186, Utilities Code, is
26	26	amended by adding Section 186.008 to read as follows:
27	27	Sec. 186.008. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN AUDITS. (a) The
28	28	Public Utility Commission of Texas by rule shall develop a
29	29	procedure for auditing emergency operations plans developed by:
30	30	(1) electric utilities, as defined by Section 31.002;
31	31	(2) power generation companies, as defined by Section
32	32	31.002;
33	33	(3) municipally owned utilities, as defined by Section
34	34	11.003;
35	35	(4) electric cooperatives;
36	36	(5) retail electric providers, as defined by Section
37	37	31.002; and
38	38	(6) the independent organization certified under
39	39	Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power region.
40	40	(b) The procedure for auditing emergency operations plans
41	41	must require an entity described by Subsection (a) to file an
42	42	updated emergency operations plan if the Public Utility Commission
43	43	of Texas finds that the entity's emergency operations plan on file
44	44	does not contain adequate information to determine whether the
45	45	entity can provide adequate services during an emergency.
46	46	SECTION 4. (a) Not later than December 1, 2021, the governor
47	47	shall appoint a task force to conduct a study of the actions of the
48	48	Public Utility Commission of Texas, the independent organization
49	49	certified under Section 39.151, Utilities Code, for the ERCOT power
50	50	region, and electricity market participants taken during February
51	51	2021 to respond to the extreme weather event of that month.
52	52	(b) A person must have expertise in electricity markets to
53	53	be eligible for appointment to the task force.
54	54	(c) Not later than September 1, 2022, the task force shall
55	55	submit a report of the findings of the study and any associated
56	56	recommendations to the legislature.
57	57	(d) The task force is abolished and this section expires
58	58	December 31, 2022.
59	59	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.