82R4303 ALL-F
 
  By: Carona S.B. No. 981
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the regulation of distributed generation of
  electricity.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is
  amended by adding Section 39.917 to read as follows:
         Sec. 39.917.  REGULATION OF CERTAIN DISTRIBUTED GENERATION.
  (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Distributed generation" means electric
  generation with a capacity of not more than 2,000 kilowatts that is
  installed on a retail electric customer's side of the meter.
               (2)  "Distributed generation owner" means:
                     (A)  the owner of distributed generation; or
                     (B)  a retail electric customer who contracts with
  another person to finance, install, or maintain distributed
  generation on the customer's side of the meter, regardless of
  whether the customer takes ownership of the installed distributed
  generation.
         (b)  If, at the time distributed generation is installed on a
  retail electric customer's side of the meter, the estimated annual
  amount of electric energy to be produced by the distributed
  generation is less than or equal to the customer's estimated annual
  electric energy consumption, the commission may not consider the
  distributed generation owner to be a power generation company or
  require the distributed generation owner to register as a power
  generation company.
         (c)  The commission may not consider a person who contracts
  with a retail electric customer to finance, install, or maintain
  distributed generation on the customer's side of the meter, as
  described by Subsection(a)(2), to be an electric utility, a power
  generation company, or a retail electric provider.
         (d)  The commission by rule shall provide for the
  interconnection of distributed generation, including the sale of
  surplus electricity generated by distributed generation
  facilities.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  The Public Utility Commission of Texas
  shall conduct a study to determine the effect of net metering and to
  assess and compare the effect of alternative:
               (1)  methodologies of determining a fair market value
  or greater price for surplus electricity generated by distributed
  renewable generation; and
               (2)  methods of compensating an owner for surplus
  electricity generated by distributed renewable generation,
  including a method by which a credit is applied to the owner's
  account that may be redeemed on the owner's current or subsequent
  bill.
         (b)  The methodologies assessed and compared in the study
  conducted under Subsection (a)(1) must include methodologies by
  which fair market value is based on:
               (1)  the local market clearing price for energy at the
  time of day the surplus electricity is made available to the grid or
  a monthly or longer proxy for the market clearing price; or
               (2)  avoided capacity costs, avoided transmission and
  distribution costs, avoided system losses, avoided ancillary
  service costs, hedging value, market price impacts, effects on
  reliability, avoided air emissions, or any other factor effected by
  the use of surplus electricity generated by distributed renewable
  generation.
         (c)  The commission shall report its findings from the study
  conducted under this section to the legislature not later than
  September 1, 2012.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.