AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
All water users should share in the goals of conserving water and reducing water demand and consumption. Requiring power plants to conduct an evaluation and analysis of the water used in their cooling processes could result in reduced water demand and consumption by the power sector and could also reduce the likelihood of negative impacts to electric supply and reliability due to drought.
C.S.S.B. 199 amends current law relating to the annual evaluation of water use by owners or operators of electric generating facilities.
[Note: While the statutory reference in this bill is to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC), the following amendments affect the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, as the successor agency to TNRCC.]
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter K, Chapter 16, Water Code, by adding Section 16.405, as follows:
Sec. 16.405. WATER USE EVALUATION BY ELECTRIC GENERATING FACILITIES. (a) Requires an owner or operator of an electric generating facility, on or before May 15 of each year, to submit a report to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission that evaluates the water needs of the facility including water source, consumptive water use, non-consumptive water use, and water reuse of the facility during the preceding year.
(b) Provides that this section expires September 1, 2018.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2013.