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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of an electric customer to choose not to |
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have a utility's advanced meter. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.107, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (k), (l), and (m) to read as follows: |
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(k) An electric utility or transmission and distribution |
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utility that receives from the commission approval of the utility's |
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plan for deploying advanced meters shall send by mail to each |
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customer scheduled to receive an advanced meter under the plan a |
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notice to inform the customer that the customer may decline to have |
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the advanced meter installed and of the manner in which and date by |
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which the customer must decline installation. If a customer timely |
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declines to have the advanced meter installed, the utility: |
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(1) may charge the customer a reasonable fee for costs |
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associated with the refusal of installation and with providing |
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traditional metering services; and |
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(2) may not: |
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(A) install the meter; or |
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(B) charge the customer the nonbypassable |
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surcharge otherwise authorized by Subsection (h). |
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(l) An electric utility or transmission and distribution |
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utility that has deployed advanced meters under a plan approved by |
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the commission shall send by mail to each customer that is using an |
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installed advanced meter a notice to inform the customer that the |
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customer may choose to have the meter removed and of the manner in |
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which the customer must choose removal. If the customer chooses to |
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remove the advanced meter, the utility: |
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(1) shall remove the advanced meter; and |
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(2) may charge the customer a reasonable fee for costs |
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associated with: |
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(A) removing the advanced meter; |
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(B) installing a conventional meter; and |
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(C) providing traditional metering services. |
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(m) The commission by rule shall establish a mechanism for |
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charging the fees authorized by Subsections (k) and (l). The amount |
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of the fee for a customer who declines to have an advanced meter |
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installed must be the same as that for a customer who chooses to |
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remove an advanced meter. The commission by rule shall provide for |
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a minimum period between the time a notice under Subsection (k) is |
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mailed and the date by which a customer must decline installation. |
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SECTION 2. The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall |
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adopt rules under Section 39.107(m), Utilities Code, as added by |
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this Act, as soon as practicable following the effective date of |
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this Act, but not later than January 1, 2014. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |