| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to energy and efficiency conservation programs |
|
|
administered by the Texas Public Utility Commission. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 36.204, Utilities Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 36.204. COST RECOVERY AND INCENTIVES. In establishing |
|
|
rates for an electric utility, the commission may: |
|
|
(1) allow timely recovery of the reasonable costs of |
|
|
conservation, load management, and purchased power, |
|
|
notwithstanding Section 36.201; and |
|
|
(2) authorize additional incentives for: |
|
|
(A) conservation, load management, purchased |
|
|
power, and renewable resources; or |
|
|
(B) programs with measurable and verifiable |
|
|
results that inform commercial or residential consumers about: |
|
|
(i) energy efficient materials; or |
|
|
(ii) methods to reduce energy consumption |
|
|
through behavioral changes that lead to efficient use patterns and |
|
|
practices. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 39.905(d), Utilities Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(d) The commission shall establish a procedure for |
|
|
reviewing and evaluating market-transformation program options |
|
|
described by this subsection and other options. In evaluating |
|
|
program options, the commission may consider the ability of a |
|
|
program option to reduce costs to customers through reduced demand, |
|
|
energy savings, and relief of congestion. Utilities may choose to |
|
|
implement any program option approved by the commission after its |
|
|
evaluation in order to satisfy the goal in Subsection (a), |
|
|
including: |
|
|
(1) energy-smart schools; |
|
|
(2) appliance retirement and recycling; |
|
|
(3) air conditioning system tune-ups; |
|
|
(4) the use of trees or other landscaping for energy |
|
|
efficiency; |
|
|
(5) customer energy management and demand response |
|
|
programs; |
|
|
(6) high performance residential and commercial |
|
|
buildings that will achieve the levels of energy efficiency |
|
|
sufficient to qualify those buildings for federal tax incentives; |
|
|
(7) programs for customers who rent or lease their |
|
|
residence or commercial space; |
|
|
(8) programs providing energy monitoring equipment to |
|
|
customers that enable a customer to better understand the amount, |
|
|
price, and time of the customer's energy use; |
|
|
(9) energy audit programs for owners and other |
|
|
residents of single-family or multifamily residences and for small |
|
|
commercial customers; |
|
|
(10) net-zero energy new home programs; |
|
|
(11) solar thermal or solar electric programs; [and] |
|
|
(12) programs for using windows and other glazing |
|
|
systems, glass doors, and skylights in residential and commercial |
|
|
buildings that reduce solar gain by at least 30 percent from the |
|
|
level established for the federal Energy Star windows program; and |
|
|
(13) energy use programs with measurable and |
|
|
verifiable results that inform commercial or residential consumers |
|
|
about: |
|
|
(A) energy efficient materials; or |
|
|
(B) methods to reduce energy consumption through |
|
|
behavioral changes that lead to efficient use patterns and |
|
|
practices. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |