Bill Text: TX HB2796 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced

Texas House Bill 2796 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating to the regulation of bulk-power system equipment by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-04-14 - Left pending in committee [HB2796 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HB2796-Introduced.html

	87R8954 JXC-D

	By: Patterson	H.B. No. 2796



	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the regulation of bulk-power system equipment by the
	Public Utility Commission of Texas.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Chapter 32, Utilities Code, is amended by adding
	Subchapter D to read as follows:
	SUBCHAPTER D. BULK-POWER SYSTEM TRANSACTIONS
	Sec. 32.151. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
	(1) "Bulk-power system" means:
	(A) the facilities and control systems necessary
	for operating an interconnected electric energy transmission
	network or a portion of a network, other than:
	(i) transmission lines rated at less than
	69,000 volts; and
	(ii) facilities used in the local
	distribution of electric energy; and
	(B) electric energy from generation facilities
	needed to maintain transmission reliability.
	(2) "Bulk-power system equipment" means items used in
	bulk-power system substations, control rooms, or power generating
	stations, including reactors, capacitors, substation transformers,
	current coupling capacitors, large generators, backup generators,
	substation voltage regulators, shunt capacitor equipment,
	automatic circuit reclosers, instrument transformers, coupling
	capacity voltage transformers, protective relaying, metering
	equipment, high voltage circuit breakers, generation turbines,
	industrial control systems, distributed control systems, and
	safety instrumented systems.
	Sec. 32.152. BULK-POWER SYSTEM TRANSACTIONS. (a) The
	commission by rule shall prohibit the acquisition, importation,
	transfer, or installation of bulk-power system equipment in this
	state that:
	(1) was designed, developed, manufactured, or
	supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the
	jurisdiction of communist China; and
	(2) is part of a transaction that the commission
	determines presents an undue security or safety risk to the
	bulk-power system in this state because of potential:
	(A) sabotage to or subversion of the design,
	integrity, manufacturing, production, distribution, installation,
	operation, or maintenance of the bulk-power system in this state;
	or
	(B) catastrophic effects for the security or
	resiliency of critical infrastructure or the economy of this state.
	(b) The commission may:
	(1) design or negotiate measures to mitigate risks
	described by Subsection (a); and
	(2) require that a person acquiring, importing,
	transferring, or installing bulk-power system equipment in this
	state incorporate a mitigation measure in the acquisition,
	importation, transfer, or installation.
	(c) The commission may:
	(1) establish and publish criteria for pre-approving
	particular equipment and particular vendors in the bulk-power
	system equipment market as compliant with this section; and
	(2) publish a list of pre-approved equipment and
	vendors.
	SECTION 2. The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall
	develop recommendations on ways to identify, isolate, monitor, or
	replace bulk-power system equipment that was designed, developed,
	manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or
	subject to the jurisdiction of communist China as soon as
	practicable, taking into consideration overall risk to the
	bulk-power system.
	SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 32, Utilities Code, as
	added by this Act, applies only to a contract for the acquisition,
	importation, transfer, or installation of bulk-power system
	equipment entered into on or after the effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.