By: Fraser S.B. No. 1945
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  Relating to establishing competitive retail electricity options
  for customers served by certain municipally owned utilities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 33.122, Utilities Code is amended by
  adding new subsection (1) as follows:
         (1)  This section applies only to a municipally owned utility
  that has at least 400,000 customers, is governed by a municipality
  with a population of less than 1,300,000 and is located within the
  ERCOT power region. Notwithstanding any other provision, a
  customer or group of customers with a total usage of more than
  25,000,000 kwh per year may file a petition to have the commission
  review current or proposed rates applicable to the petitioning
  customers.
               (a)  Within 90 days of a petition being filed under this
  subsection, the municipally owned utility shall file a rate
  application with the commission that complies in all material
  respects with the rules and forms prescribed by the commission. The
  90 period may be extended by the commission for good cause.
         (2)  The commission shall conduct a full review of the rates
  applicable to the petitioning customers consistent with the
  standards prescribed in Chapter 36 to determine whether those rates
  are just and reasonable. The commission shall also consider
  whether the rates are consistent with the rates available to
  similarly situated customers in areas of the state that have access
  to customer choice.
         (3)  If the commission finds that the rates are not just and
  reasonable, or not consistent with the rates available to similarly
  situated customer areas of the state that have access to customer
  choice, the commission shall either:
               (a)  set rates for the petitioning customer or
  customers that are just, reasonable, and consistent with the rates
  available to similarly situated customers in areas of the state
  that have access to customer choice, or
               (b)  set cost-based transmission and distribution
  rates for the municipally owned utility and allow a petitioning
  customer or customers to purchase electricity through a competitive
  retail electric provider.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the member 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, 2015.