By: Eltife S.B. No. 547
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to transition to competition in the Southwestern Electric
  Power Company service area.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter K to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER K. TRANSITION TO COMPETITION FOR CERTAIN
  AREAS OUTSIDE OF ERCOT
         Sec. 39.501.  APPLICABILITY. (a)  This subchapter applies
  to an investor-owned electric utility:
               (1)  that is operating solely outside of ERCOT in areas
  of this state that were included in the Southwest Power Pool on
  January 1, 2008;
               (2)  that was not affiliated with the Southeastern
  Electric Reliability Council on January 1, 2008; and
               (3)  to which Subchapter I does not apply.
         (b)  The legislature finds that an electric utility subject
  to this subchapter is unable at this time to offer fair competition
  and reliable service to all retail customer classes in the area
  served by the utility.  As a result, the introduction of retail
  competition for such an electric utility is delayed until fair
  competition and reliable service are available to all retail
  customer classes as determined under this subchapter.
         Sec. 39.502.  COST-OF-SERVICE REGULATION. (a) Until the
  date on which an electric utility subject to this subchapter is
  authorized by the commission under Section 39.503(f) to implement
  retail customer choice, the rates of the utility are subject to
  regulation under Chapter 36.
         (b)  Until the date on which an electric utility subject to
  this subchapter implements customer choice, the provisions of this
  chapter, other than this subchapter and Sections 39.904 and 39.905,
  do not apply to that utility.
         Sec. 39.503.  TRANSITION TO COMPETITION. (a)  The events
  prescribed by Subsections (b)-(f) shall be followed to introduce
  retail competition in the service area of an electric utility
  subject to this subchapter. The commission may modify the sequence
  of events required by Subsections (b)-(e), but not the substance of
  the requirements. Full retail competition may not begin in the
  service area of an electric utility subject to this subchapter
  until all actions prescribed by those subsections are completed.
         (b)  The first stage for the transition to competition
  consists of the following activities:
               (1)  approval of a regional transmission organization
  by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the power region
  that includes the electric utility's service area and commencement
  of independent operation of the transmission network under the
  approved regional transmission organization;
               (2)  development of retail market protocols to
  facilitate retail competition; and
               (3)  completion of an expedited proceeding to develop
  non-bypassable delivery rates for the customer choice pilot project
  to be implemented under Subsection (c)(1).
         (c)  The second stage for the transition to competition
  consists of the following activities:
               (1)  initiation of the customer choice pilot project in
  accordance with Section 39.104;
               (2)  development of a balancing energy market, a market
  for ancillary services, and a market-based congestion management
  system for the wholesale market in the power region in which the
  regional transmission organization operates; and
               (3)  implementation of a seams agreement with adjacent
  power regions to reduce barriers to entry and facilitate
  competition.
         (d)  The third stage for the transition to competition
  consists of the following activities:
               (1)  the electric utility filing with the commission:
                     (A)  an application for business separation in
  accordance with Section 39.051;
                     (B)  an application for unbundled transmission
  and distribution rates in accordance with Section 39.201;
                     (C)  an application for certification of a
  qualified power region in accordance with Section 39.152; and
                     (D)  an application for price-to-beat rates in
  accordance with Section 39.202;
               (2)  the commission:
                     (A)  approving a business separation plan for the
  utility;
                     (B)  setting unbundled transmission and
  distribution rates for the utility;
                     (C)  certifying a qualified power region, which
  includes conducting a formal evaluation of wholesale market power
  in the region, in accordance with Section 39.152;
                     (D)  setting price-to-beat rates for the utility;
  and
                     (E)  determining which competitive energy
  services must be separated from regulated utility activities in
  accordance with Section 39.051; and
               (3)  completion of the testing of retail and wholesale
  systems, including those systems necessary for switching customers
  to the retail electric provider of their choice and for settlement
  of wholesale market transactions, by the regional transmission
  organization, the registration agent, and market participants.
         (e)  The fourth stage for the transition to competition
  consists of the following activities:
               (1)  commission evaluation of the results of the pilot
  project;
               (2)  initiation by the electric utility of a capacity
  auction in accordance with Section 39.153 at a time to be determined
  by the commission; and
               (3)  separation by the utility of competitive energy
  services from its regulated utility activities, in accordance with
  the commission order approving the separation of competitive energy
  services.
         (f)  The fifth stage for the transition to competition
  consists of the following activities:
               (1)  evaluation by the commission of whether the
  electric utility can offer fair competition and reliable service to
  all retail customer classes in the area served by the utility, and:
                     (A)  if the commission concludes that the electric
  utility can offer fair competition and reliable service to all
  retail customer classes in the area served by the utility, the
  commission issuing an order initiating retail competition for the
  utility; and
                     (B)  if the commission determines that the
  electric utility cannot offer fair competition and reliable service
  to all retail customer classes in the area served by the utility,
  the commission issuing an order further delaying retail competition
  for the utility; and
               (2)  on the issuance of an order from the commission
  initiating retail competition for the utility, completion by the
  utility of the business separation and unbundling in accordance
  with the commission order approving the unbundling.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.