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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 utility to impose a rate or |
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charge on an owner of solar or wind electric generation. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 36, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 36.066 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 36.066. LIMITATIONS ON RATES OR CHARGES IMPOSED ON |
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SOLAR OR WIND ELECTRIC GENERATION OWNERS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Distributed solar or wind renewable generation" |
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means electric generation that is installed on a retail electric |
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customer's side of the meter and uses an energy source derived |
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directly: |
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(A) from the sun; or |
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(B) from wind. |
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(2) "Distributed solar or wind renewable generation |
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owner" means: |
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(A) an owner of distributed solar or wind |
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renewable generation; |
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(B) a retail electric customer on whose side of |
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the meter distributed solar or wind renewable generation is |
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installed and operated, regardless of whether the customer takes |
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ownership of the distributed solar or wind renewable generation; or |
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(C) a person who by contract is assigned |
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ownership rights to energy produced from distributed solar or wind |
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renewable generation located at the premises of the customer on the |
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customer's side of the meter. |
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(b) An electric utility may not impose on residential |
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customers who are distributed solar or wind renewable generation |
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owners: |
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(1) a rate or charge that applies only to those |
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customers; or |
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(2) a rate or charge that is significantly higher than |
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a similar charge imposed on residential customers who are not |
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distributed solar or wind renewable generation owners. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a rate or charge finally approved on or after the effective date |
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of this Act. A rate or charge finally approved before that date is |
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governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date |
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of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect December 1, 2017. |