Bill Text: TX SB1501 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to energy and efficiency conservation programs administered by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-04-11 - Referred to State Affairs [SB1501 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SB1501-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to energy and efficiency conservation programs administered by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-04-11 - Referred to State Affairs [SB1501 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SB1501-Introduced.html
82R10030 RWG-F | ||
By: Watson | S.B. No. 1501 |
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relating to energy and efficiency conservation programs | ||
administered by the Texas Public Utility Commission. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 36.204, Utilities Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 36.204. COST RECOVERY AND INCENTIVES. In establishing | ||
rates for an electric utility, the commission may: | ||
(1) allow timely recovery of the reasonable costs of | ||
conservation, load management, and purchased power, | ||
notwithstanding Section 36.201; and | ||
(2) authorize additional incentives for: | ||
(A) conservation, load management, purchased | ||
power, and renewable resources; or | ||
(B) programs with measurable and verifiable | ||
results that inform commercial or residential consumers about: | ||
(i) energy efficient materials; or | ||
(ii) methods to reduce energy consumption | ||
through behavioral changes that lead to efficient use patterns and | ||
practices. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 39.905(d), Utilities Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(d) The commission shall establish a procedure for | ||
reviewing and evaluating market-transformation program options | ||
described by this subsection and other options. In evaluating | ||
program options, the commission may consider the ability of a | ||
program option to reduce costs to customers through reduced demand, | ||
energy savings, and relief of congestion. Utilities may choose to | ||
implement any program option approved by the commission after its | ||
evaluation in order to satisfy the goal in Subsection (a), | ||
including: | ||
(1) energy-smart schools; | ||
(2) appliance retirement and recycling; | ||
(3) air conditioning system tune-ups; | ||
(4) the use of trees or other landscaping for energy | ||
efficiency; | ||
(5) customer energy management and demand response | ||
programs; | ||
(6) high performance residential and commercial | ||
buildings that will achieve the levels of energy efficiency | ||
sufficient to qualify those buildings for federal tax incentives; | ||
(7) programs for customers who rent or lease their | ||
residence or commercial space; | ||
(8) programs providing energy monitoring equipment to | ||
customers that enable a customer to better understand the amount, | ||
price, and time of the customer's energy use; | ||
(9) energy audit programs for owners and other | ||
residents of single-family or multifamily residences and for small | ||
commercial customers; | ||
(10) net-zero energy new home programs; | ||
(11) solar thermal or solar electric programs; [ |
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(12) programs for using windows and other glazing | ||
systems, glass doors, and skylights in residential and commercial | ||
buildings that reduce solar gain by at least 30 percent from the | ||
level established for the federal Energy Star windows program; and | ||
(13) energy use programs with measurable and | ||
verifiable results that inform commercial or residential consumers | ||
about: | ||
(A) energy efficient materials; or | ||
(B) methods to reduce energy consumption through | ||
behavioral changes that lead to efficient use patterns and | ||
practices. | ||
SECTION 3. 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, 2011. |