Bill Text: TX HB3182 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the weather emergency preparedness of gas pipeline facilities and facilities for providing electric service.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-19 - Referred to State Affairs [HB3182 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB3182-Introduced.html
87R10682 JXC-D | ||
By: Rosenthal | H.B. No. 3182 |
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relating to the weather emergency preparedness of gas pipeline | ||
facilities and facilities for providing electric service. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 35, Utilities Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 35.0021 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 35.0021. WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. (a) The | ||
commission by rule shall require each provider of generation in the | ||
ERCOT power region to: | ||
(1) prepare, submit to the commission, and update as | ||
necessary an emergency operations plan for providing adequate | ||
electric generation service during a weather emergency; and | ||
(2) implement measures to prepare generation | ||
facilities to provide adequate electric generation service during a | ||
weather emergency. | ||
(b) An emergency operations plan is public information | ||
except for the portions of the plan considered confidential under | ||
Chapter 552, Government Code, or other state or federal law. If | ||
portions of a plan are designated as confidential, the plan shall be | ||
provided to the commission in a redacted form for public inspection | ||
with the confidential portions removed. | ||
(c) Each provider of generation shall submit the provider's | ||
plan in its entirety to the independent organization certified | ||
under Section 39.151. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 38, Utilities Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 38.074 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 38.074. WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. (a) The | ||
commission by rule shall require each electric cooperative, | ||
municipally owned utility, and transmission and distribution | ||
utility providing transmission or distribution service in the ERCOT | ||
power region to: | ||
(1) prepare, submit to the commission, and update as | ||
necessary an emergency operations plan for maintaining service | ||
quality and reliability during a weather emergency; and | ||
(2) implement measures to prepare facilities to | ||
maintain service quality and reliability during a weather | ||
emergency. | ||
(b) An emergency operations plan is public information | ||
except for the portions of the plan considered confidential under | ||
Chapter 552, Government Code, or other state or federal law. If | ||
portions of a plan are designated as confidential, the plan shall be | ||
provided to the commission in a redacted form for public inspection | ||
with the confidential portions removed. | ||
(c) Each electric cooperative, municipally owned utility, | ||
and transmission and distribution utility shall provide the | ||
cooperative's or utility's plan in its entirety to the independent | ||
organization certified under Section 39.151. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 121.2015(a), Utilities Code, is amended | ||
to read as follows: | ||
(a) The railroad commission shall adopt rules regarding: | ||
(1) public education and awareness relating to gas | ||
pipeline facilities; [ |
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(2) community liaison for responding to an emergency | ||
relating to a gas pipeline facility; and | ||
(3) measures gas pipeline facility operators must | ||
implement to prepare gas pipeline facilities to maintain service | ||
quality and reliability during a weather emergency. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 186.007, Utilities Code, is transferred | ||
to Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Utilities Code, redesignated as | ||
Section 31.006, Utilities Code, and amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 31.006 [ |
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REPORT. (a) [ |
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plans developed under Sections 35.0021 and 38.074 [ |
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[ |
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transmission, and distribution weatherization in this state | ||
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(1) review the emergency operations plans currently on | ||
file with the commission; | ||
(2) analyze and determine the ability of the electric | ||
grid to withstand extreme weather events in the upcoming year; | ||
(3) consider the anticipated weather patterns for the | ||
upcoming year as forecasted by the National Weather Service or any | ||
similar state or national agency; and | ||
(4) make recommendations on improving emergency | ||
operations plans and procedures in order to ensure the continuity | ||
of electric service. | ||
(b) The commission may require an [ |
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entity subject to Section 35.0021 or 38.074 [ |
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an updated emergency operations plan if it finds that an emergency | ||
operations plan on file does not contain adequate information to | ||
determine whether the entity [ |
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provide adequate service during a weather emergency [ |
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(c) The commission may adopt rules relating to the | ||
implementation of the report [ |
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(d) The commission shall submit each [ |
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[ |
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speaker of the house of representatives, and the members of the | ||
legislature [ |
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(e) The commission shall [ |
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[ |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, | ||
and the members of the legislature if the commission finds that | ||
significant changes to weatherization techniques have occurred or | ||
are necessary to protect consumers or vital services, or if there | ||
have been changes to statutes or rules relating to weatherization | ||
requirements. A report under this subsection must be submitted not | ||
later than: | ||
(1) March 1 for a summer weather emergency | ||
preparedness report; and | ||
(2) September 1 for a winter weather emergency | ||
preparedness report. | ||
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |