Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB330, As Engrossed : a negative impact of ($1,216,491) through the biennium ending August 31, 2025.

The bill would create the Texas Grid Security Commission, to be composed of representatives of several state agencies, power generation companies, and transmission and distribution utilities.

The bill would require certain members of the security commission to apply for a secret security clearance or an interim secret security clearance to be granted by the federal government. 

The bill would require the security commission to conduct certain evaluations, including evaluations of all hazards to the ERCOT electric grid, the resilience of municipalities, nuclear generation sites in the state, and certain standards.

The bill would require the security commission to investigate the steps that local communities and other states have taken to address grid resilience. The commission could request funding from the Texas Divisions of Emergency Management (TDEM) to conduct site visits to these locations, as required. Based on the findings of these evaluations, the security commission would be required to consider and recommend resilience standards for municipalities and critical components of the ERCOT grid.

The bill would require the security commission, by October 1, 2024, to prepare and deliver a report to the legislature on the recommended resilience standards and anticipated timeline for implementation. By that date, the security commission would also have to prepare and deliver a plan for protecting the ERCOT electric grid from all hazards. 

The bill would require the security commission to prepare and deliver an annual report assessing natural and man-made threats to the electric grid and efforts to mitigate the threats.

The bill would require the security commission to establish resilience standards for micro-grids. 

The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) estimates that, to implement the provisions of the bill, the agency would need additional staffing and resources to provide subject matter expertise. The 1.2 additional FTEs include 1.0 Division Director ($197,590 in fiscal 2024 and $213,694 in fiscal 2025) and 0.2 Program Specialist IV ($12,723 each fiscal year). The agency also anticipates costs for other personnel, fuels and lubricants, consumable supplies, utilities, travel, building rent, other operating expenses, and employee benefits. In total, the fiscal impact to TDEM would be $388,343 in fiscal 2024 and $385,108 in fiscal 2025.