Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB985 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Buckingham, Zaffirini S.B. No. 985
	1	+	By: Buckingham S.B. No. 985
	2	+	(In the Senate - Filed March 3, 2021; March 18, 2021, read
	3	+	first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence;
	4	+	April 9, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
	5	+	Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; April 9, 2021,
	6	+	sent to printer.)
	7	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	8	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 985 By: Johnson
2	9
3	10
4	11		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	12		AN ACT
6	13		relating to reports by the Public Utility Commission of Texas on the
7	14		ability of electric generators to respond to abnormal weather
8	15		conditions.
9	16		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	17		SECTION 1. The heading to Section 186.007, Utilities Code,
11	18		is amended to read as follows:
12	19		Sec. 186.007. WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS REPORTS
13	20		[REPORT].
14	21		SECTION 2. Sections 186.007(a-1), (b), (d), (e), and (f),
15	22		Utilities Code, are amended to read as follows:
16	23		(a-1) The commission shall analyze emergency operations
17	24		plans developed by electric utilities as defined by Section 31.002,
18	25		power generation companies, municipally owned utilities, and
19	26		electric cooperatives that operate generation facilities in this
20	27		state and prepare a weather emergency preparedness report on power
21	28		generation weatherization preparedness. In preparing the report,
22	29		the commission shall:
23	30		(1) review the emergency operations plans currently on
24	31		file with the commission;
25	32		(2) analyze and determine the ability of the electric
26	33		grid to withstand extreme weather events in the upcoming year,
27	34		including weather events that have only a one percent or two percent
28	35		chance of occurring in the upcoming year;
29	36		(3) consider the anticipated weather patterns for the
30	37		upcoming year as forecasted by the National Weather Service or any
31	38		similar state or national agency; and
32	39		(4) make recommendations on improving emergency
33	40		operations plans and procedures in order to ensure the continuity
34	41		of electric service.
35	42		(b) The commission shall [may] require an electric
36	43		generation entity subject to this section to file an updated
37	44		emergency operations plan if it finds that an emergency operations
38	45		plan on file does not contain adequate information to determine
39	46		whether the electric generation entity can provide adequate
40	47		electric generation services.
41	48		(d) The commission shall submit the report described by
42	49		Subsection (a-1) to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the
43	50		house of representatives, and the members of the legislature not
44	51		later than September 30 of each even-numbered year[, 2012].
45	52		(e) The commission may submit additional [subsequent]
46	53		weather emergency preparedness reports if the commission finds that
47	54		significant changes to weatherization techniques have occurred or
48	55		are necessary to protect consumers or vital services, or if there
49	56		have been changes to statutes or rules relating to weatherization
50	57		requirements. A report under this subsection must be submitted not
51	58		later than:
52	59		(1) March 1 for a summer weather emergency
53	60		preparedness report; and
54	61		(2) September 1 for a winter weather emergency
55	62		preparedness report.
56	63		(f) The emergency operations plans submitted for a [the]
57	64		report described by Subsection (a-1) and any additional
58	65		[subsequent] plans submitted under Subsection (e) are public
59	66		information except for the portions of the plan considered
60	67		confidential under Chapter 552, Government Code, or other state or
61	68		federal law. If portions of a plan are designated as confidential,
62	69		the plan shall be provided to the commission in a redacted form for
63	70		public inspection with the confidential portions removed. An
64	71		electric generation entity within the ERCOT power region shall
65	72		provide the entity's plan to ERCOT in its entirety.
66	73		SECTION 3. The first report described by Section
67	74		186.007(a-1), Utilities Code, as amended by this Act, is due
68	75		September 30, 2022.
69	76		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
70	77		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
71	78		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
72	79		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
73	80		Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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