Bill Text: TX HB4562 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the extreme weather emergency preparedness of facilities providing gas or fuel to be used in the production of an electric service; requiring reporting.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-29 - Referred to Energy Resources [HB4562 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB4562-Introduced.html
By: Anchia | H.B. No. 4562 |
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relating to the extreme weather emergency preparedness of | ||
facilities providing gas or fuel to be used in the production of an | ||
electric service; requiring reporting. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 81, Natural Resources | ||
Code, is amended by adding Section 81.073 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 81.073. WEATHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. (a) In this | ||
section, "extreme weather emergency" means a period when: | ||
(1) the previous day's highest temperature did not | ||
exceed 10 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature is predicted to | ||
remain at or below that level for the next 24 hours according to the | ||
nearest National Weather Service reports; or | ||
(2) the National Weather Service issues a heat | ||
advisory for any county in the relevant service territory, or when | ||
such an advisory has been issued on any one of the previous two | ||
calendar 16 days. | ||
(b) The commission by rule shall require each provider of | ||
gas supply for generation in the ERCOT power region to: | ||
(1) implement measures to prepare generation | ||
facilities, including weatherization protocols and standards, to | ||
provide adequate supply during an extreme weather emergency; | ||
(2) make all reasonable efforts to prevent | ||
interruptions of gas supply during an extreme weather emergency; | ||
(3) reestablish supply within the shortest possible | ||
time, should an interruption occur due to an extreme weather | ||
emergency; and | ||
(4) make reasonable efforts to manage emergencies | ||
resulting from a failure of service caused by an extreme weather | ||
emergency, including issuing instructions to its employees on | ||
procedures to be followed in the event of an extreme weather | ||
emergency. | ||
(c) The rules adopted under Subsection (b) may not neglect | ||
any local neighborhood or geographic area, including rural areas, | ||
communities of less than 1000 people, and low-income areas. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 81, Natural Resources | ||
Code, is amended by adding Section 81.074 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 81.074. REPORTING INCIDENTS. (a) In this section, | ||
"extreme weather emergency" has the meaning assigned by Section | ||
81.073, Natural Resources Code. | ||
(b) The commission by rule shall require each provider of | ||
gas producers providing supply intended for generation in the ERCOT | ||
power region to: | ||
(1) Register with the Transmission Distribution | ||
Utility serving the power for the location of the gas wellhead, | ||
equipment or facility, as critical infrastructure. | ||
(2) Contact the Transmission Distribution Utility | ||
providing the power to the gas wellhead, equipment or facility | ||
within 4 hours after power is lost during an extreme weather | ||
emergency. | ||
(3) Report outages of power to gas wellheads, | ||
equipment or a facility providing gas for supply of electric | ||
generation in the ERCOT region within 4 hours of notification or | ||
knowledge of power loss and during an extreme weather emergency; | ||
(c) The commission shall require incident reports for power | ||
outages that result in a loss of gas supply intended for electric | ||
generation in the ERCOT market. | ||
(d) The commission shall develop an electronic process of | ||
filing all incident reports. | ||
(e) The commission shall provide immediate and free access | ||
to the reporting of incidents. This shall be provided on the | ||
commission website for viewing as reports are made. | ||
(f) The commission shall develop the electronic reporting | ||
system and provide the website access by November 1, 2021. The | ||
information included shall begin with incident reports filed with | ||
the commission beginning January 1, 2021. | ||
SECTION 3. The Railroad Commission of Texas shall adopt | ||
rules as required by Sections 81.073 and 81.074, Natural Resources | ||
Code, as added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2020. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |