Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2076 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R11824 JXC-D
2	2	By: Menéndez S.B. No. 2076
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the prevention of and response to blackout conditions
8	8	in the ERCOT power region.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 39.159 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 39.159. ENSURING RESERVE POWER CAPACITY. (a) The
13	13	commission by rule shall develop a process for obtaining emergency
14	14	reserve power generation capacity as appropriate to prevent
15	15	blackout conditions caused by shortages of generated power in the
16	16	ERCOT power region. The rules must provide:
17	17	(1) parameters for estimating the amount of emergency
18	18	reserve power generation capacity necessary to prevent blackout
19	19	conditions; and
20	20	(2) mechanisms for equitably sharing the costs of
21	21	making the reserve capacity available and the costs of generated
22	22	power provided to prevent blackout conditions.
23	23	(b) In accordance with rules adopted under Subsection (a),
24	24	an independent organization certified under Section 39.151 for the
25	25	ERCOT power region shall adopt procedures and enter contracts as
26	26	necessary to ensure the availability of a defined amount of
27	27	emergency reserve power generation capacity the organization may
28	28	call on to prevent blackouts caused by shortages of generated
29	29	power.
30	30	(c) Before the independent organization calls on the
31	31	emergency reserve power generation capacity to prevent blackout
32	32	conditions, the organization shall use all other sources of power
33	33	and demand reduction available in accordance with commission rules
34	34	adopted under this section.
35	35	SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is
36	36	amended by adding Section 39.9031 to read as follows:
37	37	Sec. 39.9031. DISASTER BILL PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. (a) The
38	38	commission shall establish a program to provide bill payment
39	39	assistance using state money appropriated for that purpose to
40	40	retail customers of municipally owned utilities, electric
41	41	cooperatives, and retail electric providers in the ERCOT power
42	42	region.
43	43	(b) The program must:
44	44	(1) provide assistance only for unusually high bills
45	45	for services provided after February 13, 2021, and before February
46	46	19, 2021, to low-income customers;
47	47	(2) establish criteria for determining whether a bill
48	48	is unusually high;
49	49	(3) allow a customer to apply for assistance to the
50	50	municipally owned utility, electric cooperative, or retail
51	51	electric provider that served the customer during the time period
52	52	in Subdivision (1); and
53	53	(4) require a municipally owned utility, electric
54	54	cooperative, or retail electric provider that receives an
55	55	application under Subdivision (3) to:
56	56	(A) submit the application to the commission; and
57	57	(B) provide to the customer any assistance sent
58	58	by the commission to the utility, cooperative, or provider in
59	59	response to the application.
60	60	(c) The commission shall consult with the counsellor to
61	61	adopt appropriate criteria for designating a customer as low-income
62	62	for the purposes of this section.
63	63	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
64	64	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
65	65	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
66	66	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
67	67	Act takes effect September 1, 2021.