Bill Text: TX HB3749 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the provision of electric service during extreme weather conditions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-04-20 - Left pending in committee [HB3749 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB3749-Introduced.html
| 87R13155 CXP-D | ||
| By: Lucio III | H.B. No. 3749 | |
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| relating to the provision of electric service during extreme | ||
| weather conditions. | ||
| 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. EXTREME WEATHER PREPAREDNESS. The commission | ||
| shall conduct regular inspections of facilities and equipment used | ||
| by providers of generation in the ERCOT power region to ensure | ||
| adequate weatherization preparedness for extreme weather | ||
| conditions. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 39.918 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 39.918. PUBLICATION OF ENERGY EMERGENCY ALERTS. If an | ||
| independent organization certified under Section 39.151 for the | ||
| ERCOT power region declares an energy emergency alert, the | ||
| commission shall publish a notification regarding the alert on the | ||
| home page of the commission's Internet website as soon as | ||
| practicable. | ||
| SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 186, Utilities Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 186.008 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 186.008. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN AUDITS. (a) The | ||
| Public Utility Commission of Texas by rule shall develop a | ||
| procedure for auditing emergency operations plans developed by: | ||
| (1) electric utilities, as defined by Section 31.002; | ||
| (2) power generation companies, as defined by Section | ||
| 31.002; | ||
| (3) municipally owned utilities, as defined by Section | ||
| 11.003; | ||
| (4) electric cooperatives; | ||
| (5) retail electric providers, as defined by Section | ||
| 31.002; and | ||
| (6) the independent organization certified under | ||
| Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power region. | ||
| (b) The procedure for auditing emergency operations plans | ||
| must require an entity described by Subsection (a) to file an | ||
| updated emergency operations plan if the Public Utility Commission | ||
| of Texas finds that the entity's emergency operations plan on file | ||
| does not contain adequate information to determine whether the | ||
| entity can provide adequate services during an emergency. | ||
| SECTION 4. (a) Not later than December 1, 2021, the governor | ||
| shall appoint a task force to conduct a study of the actions of the | ||
| Public Utility Commission of Texas, the independent organization | ||
| certified under Section 39.151, Utilities Code, for the ERCOT power | ||
| region, and electricity market participants taken during February | ||
| 2021 to respond to the extreme weather event of that month. | ||
| (b) A person must have expertise in electricity markets to | ||
| be eligible for appointment to the task force. | ||
| (c) Not later than September 1, 2022, the task force shall | ||
| submit a report of the findings of the study and any associated | ||
| recommendations to the legislature. | ||
| (d) The task force is abolished and this section expires | ||
| December 31, 2022. | ||
| SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
