| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas |
|
|
to ensure the independent organization certified for the ERCOT |
|
|
power region has adequate reserve power to prevent blackout |
|
|
conditions. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 39.159 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 39.159. ENSURING RESERVE POWER CAPACITY. (a) The |
|
|
commission by rule shall develop a process for obtaining emergency |
|
|
reserve power generation capacity as appropriate to prevent |
|
|
blackout conditions caused by shortages of generated power in the |
|
|
ERCOT power region. The rules must provide: |
|
|
(1) parameters for estimating the amount of emergency |
|
|
reserve power generation capacity necessary to prevent blackout |
|
|
conditions; and |
|
|
(2) mechanisms for equitably sharing the costs of |
|
|
making the reserve capacity available and the costs of generated |
|
|
power provided to prevent blackout conditions. |
|
|
(b) In accordance with rules adopted under Subsection (a), |
|
|
an independent organization certified under Section 39.151 for the |
|
|
ERCOT power region shall adopt procedures and enter contracts as |
|
|
necessary to ensure the availability of a defined amount of |
|
|
emergency reserve power generation capacity the organization may |
|
|
call on to prevent blackouts caused by shortages of generated |
|
|
power. |
|
|
(c) Before the independent organization calls on the |
|
|
emergency reserve power generation capacity to prevent blackout |
|
|
conditions, the organization shall use all other sources of power |
|
|
and demand reduction available in accordance with commission rules |
|
|
adopted under this section. |
|
|
SECTION 2. 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. |