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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to surcharges for advanced metering of electric utility |
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services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.107(h), Utilities Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(h) The commission shall establish a nonbypassable |
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surcharge for an electric utility or transmission and distribution |
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utility to use to recover reasonable and necessary costs incurred |
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in deploying advanced metering and meter information networks to |
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residential customers and nonresidential customers other than |
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those required by the independent system operator to have an |
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interval data recorder meter. The commission shall ensure that the |
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nonbypassable surcharge reflects a deployment of advanced meters |
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that is no more than one-third of the utility's total meters over |
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each calendar year and shall ensure that the nonbypassable |
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surcharge does not result in the utility recovering more than its |
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actual, fully allocated meter and meter information network costs. |
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The expenses must be allocated to the customer classes receiving |
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the services, based on the electric utility's most recently |
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approved tariffs, and the amount of the surcharge must be stated |
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separately on each customer's bill. The commission by rule shall |
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provide that a surcharge under this subsection may not be imposed on |
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a customer before the customer has an advanced meter installed |
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unless the electric utility or transmission and distribution |
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utility provides for the customer to recover the full amount of |
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surcharges paid by means of a discount for billed services after |
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installation of the meter. |
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SECTION 2. The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall |
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adopt rules to implement the changes in law made by Section |
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39.107(h), Utilities Code, as amended by this Act. The rules must |
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take effect not later than January 1, 2010. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |