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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to energy emergency alerts and notifications in the ERCOT |
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power region. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.918 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.918. ENERGY EMERGENCY ALERTS IN ERCOT POWER REGION. |
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(a) The commission shall require an independent organization |
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certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power region to adopt |
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protocols to declare: |
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(1) an energy emergency alert level 1 when operating |
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reserves are less than 4,600 megawatts and are not expected to |
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recover within 30 minutes; |
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(2) an energy emergency alert level 2 when operating |
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reserves are less than 3,500 megawatts and are not expected to |
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recover within 30 minutes; and |
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(3) an energy emergency alert level 3 when operating |
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reserves are less than 2,000 megawatts and are not expected to |
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recover within 30 minutes. |
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(b) As soon as possible after an energy emergency alert is |
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declared or an alert level changes, the Texas Division of Emergency |
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Management shall request that the Federal Emergency Management |
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Agency issue a wireless emergency alert notifying residents of this |
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state of the declaration or change using mobile devices. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter H, Chapter 418, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 418.196 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 418.196. PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION RELATING TO ENERGY |
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EMERGENCY ALERTS. (a) In this section, "state agency" means a |
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department, commission, board, office, council, authority, or |
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other agency in the executive branch of state government that is |
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created by the constitution or a statute of this state, including a |
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university system or institution of higher education as defined by |
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Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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(b) If an independent organization certified under Section |
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39.151, Utilities Code, for the ERCOT power region declares an |
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energy emergency alert, each state agency shall publish a |
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notification regarding the alert on the home page of the agency's |
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Internet website as soon as practicable. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |