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House Bill 3309 |
House Author: Gattis |
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Effective: 6-19-09 |
Senate Sponsor: Ogden |
House Bill 3309 amends provisions of the Utilities Code relating to the electric power industry, and to associated certificates of convenience and necessity (CCNs), to require the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to consolidate CCN application proceedings for the construction of electric transmission lines if it is apparent that transmission lines that are the subject of separate proceedings share a common point of interconnection. It authorizes a CCN to be granted for a facility used as part of the transmission system serving the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) power region solely for the transmission of electricity and allows the PUC to consider a CCN application of that nature if filed by an individual, partnership, mutual or cooperative association, or corporation that is not currently certificated as an electric utility. The bill establishes criteria for the PUC's grant of an ERCOT transmission CCN. A conforming change expands the prohibition against providing electric service to the public, absent a CCN, to apply the prohibition to all individuals, partnerships, mutual or cooperative associations, and corporations. Previous law applied the prohibition to such entities only if they owned or operated for compensation in Texas equipment or facilities to produce, generate, transmit, distribute, sell, or furnish electricity in Texas and were not otherwise excepted from the prohibition. Another conforming change exempts the holder of an ERCOT transmission CCN from retail service requirements applicable to other CCN holders.