| 1 | 1 | | 2025S0069-1 02/04/25 |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Bettencourt, et al. S.B. No. 2110 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to electric grid resiliency measures, including a study by |
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| 10 | 10 | | the Public Utility Commission of Texas of the cost of burying |
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| 11 | 11 | | overhead power lines. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "commission" means the |
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| 14 | 14 | | Public Utility Commission of Texas. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (b) The commission shall evaluate: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) the potential costs of burying existing overhead |
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| 17 | 17 | | power lines in seacoast territory, as defined by Section 2210.003, |
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| 18 | 18 | | Insurance Code; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) the potential costs of burying all existing |
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| 20 | 20 | | overhead power lines in this state. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (c) The commission shall submit a report of the results of |
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| 22 | 22 | | the study conducted under Subsection (b) of this section and any |
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| 23 | 23 | | associated recommendations to the legislature not later than |
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| 24 | 24 | | December 31, 2026. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (d) This section expires January 1, 2027. |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 38, Utilities Code, is |
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| 27 | 27 | | amended by adding Sections 38.080 and 38.081 to read as follows: |
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| 28 | 28 | | Sec. 38.080. WOODEN POLE REPLACEMENT IN SEACOAST TERRITORY. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (a) The commission by rule shall require an electric utility |
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| 30 | 30 | | operating in seacoast territory, as defined by Section 2210.003, |
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| 31 | 31 | | Insurance Code, to: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) replace all wooden transmission or distribution |
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| 33 | 33 | | poles in the service area of the utility in seacoast territory |
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| 34 | 34 | | before January 1, 2045; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | (2) not later than September 1, 2026, submit to the |
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| 36 | 36 | | commission a plan for the replacement. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (b) Each plan must prioritize the replacement of poles: |
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| 38 | 38 | | (1) located within 10 miles of the coast; or |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) that serve critical infrastructure facilities, as |
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| 40 | 40 | | defined by Section 424.001, Government Code. |
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| 41 | 41 | | Sec. 38.081. VEGETATION MANAGEMENT SCHEDULE AND REPORTING. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (a) Each electric utility shall submit to the commission a |
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| 43 | 43 | | vegetation management plan that provides for the clearing at least |
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| 44 | 44 | | every three years of trees, tree limbs, and other vegetative growth |
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| 45 | 45 | | from utility line easements and utility structures in the entire |
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| 46 | 46 | | service area of the utility. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (b) Each electric utility shall establish: |
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| 48 | 48 | | (1) a procedure for a customer to request vegetation |
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| 49 | 49 | | management service; and |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) a procedure to ensure the performance of a service |
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| 51 | 51 | | requested under Subdivision (1) not later than the 30th day after |
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| 52 | 52 | | the date the customer makes the request, unless the requested |
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| 53 | 53 | | service cannot legally or safely be performed. |
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| 54 | 54 | | (c) The commission by rule may adopt a standard vegetation |
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| 55 | 55 | | management service request procedure for the purposes of this |
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| 56 | 56 | | section. |
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| 57 | 57 | | (d) Not later than May 1 of each year, each electric utility |
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| 58 | 58 | | shall submit to the commission a report describing the utility's |
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| 59 | 59 | | vegetation management activities. |
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| 60 | 60 | | SECTION 3. Section 38.101(a), Utilities Code, is amended to |
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| 61 | 61 | | read as follows: |
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| 62 | 62 | | (a) Not later than May 1 of each year, each electric utility |
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| 63 | 63 | | shall submit to the commission a report describing the utility's |
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| 64 | 64 | | activities related to: |
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| 65 | 65 | | (1) identifying areas that are susceptible to damage |
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| 66 | 66 | | during severe weather and hardening transmission and distribution |
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| 67 | 67 | | facilities in those areas; and |
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| 68 | 68 | | (2) [vegetation management; and |
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| 69 | 69 | | [(3)] inspecting distribution poles. |
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| 70 | 70 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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