By: Hall S.B. No. 28
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the resilience of the electric grid and certain
  municipalities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that:
               (1)  electric grid blackouts threaten the lives of the
  citizens of this state and pose a disproportionately large risk to:
                     (A)  the elderly, vulnerable, and underprivileged
  within this state; and
                     (B)  communities facing environmental justice
  issues such as disproportionate environmental health burdens and
  population vulnerabilities relating to facilities such as chemical
  plants and refineries that can become environmental disaster areas
  when taken off-line due to loss of electricity;
               (2)  the 16 critical infrastructures identified in
  President Barack Obama's Presidential Policy Directive "Critical
  Infrastructure Security and Resilience" (PPD-21) including water
  and wastewater systems, food and agriculture, communications
  systems, the energy sector including refineries and fuel
  distribution systems, chemical plants, the financial sector,
  hospitals and health care facilities, law enforcement and
  government facilities, nuclear reactors, and other critical
  functions depend on the electric grid in this state and make the
  grid's protection vital to the economy of this nation and homeland
  security;
               (3)  the blackout that occurred in this state in
  February 2021 caused:
                     (A)  death and suffering in this state;
                     (B)  economic loss to this state's economy;
                     (C)  impacts to all critical infrastructures in
  this state;
                     (D)  the dispatch of generation units that likely
  exceeded limits established by the Environmental Protection Agency
  for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury, and carbon monoxide
  emissions and wastewater release limits;
                     (E)  radically increased pricing of electricity
  that resulted in making electric power bills unaffordable to many
  customers across this state; and
                     (F)  the exacerbation of the COVID-19 pandemic
  risk by forcing many of the state's citizens to consolidate at
  warming centers and in other small spaces where warmth for survival
  superseded social distancing protocols;
               (4)  a previous large-scale blackout occurred in this
  state in February 2011 during which 4.4 million customers were
  affected;
               (5)  this state is uniquely positioned to prevent
  blackouts because this state is a net exporter of energy and is the
  only state with an electric grid almost exclusively within its
  territorial boundaries;
               (6)  the 2011 and 2021 blackouts call into question:
                     (A)  whether too much risk has been accepted
  regarding weatherization of electric generation infrastructure;
                     (B)  whether this state lacks the internal
  distribution structure and control systems to manage rolling
  blackouts; and
                     (C)  whether sufficient resources have been
  allocated toward overall grid resilience;
               (7)  the governor has declared reform of the
  independent organization certified under Section 39.151, Utilities
  Code, for the ERCOT power region as an emergency item for the 87th
  Legislature;
               (8)  public confidence in the resilience of the
  electric grid in this state is essential to ensuring environmental
  justice, economic prosperity, domestic tranquility, continuity of
  government, and life-sustaining systems;
               (9)  a resilient electric grid that offers businesses
  in this state continuity of operations in the event of a natural or
  man-made disaster will be an unrivaled attraction for businesses to
  expand or move their operations to this state and for protecting
  what is important to this state, including its military
  installations and its environment;
               (10)  current market incentives and regulations are not
  sufficient for electric utilities to:
                     (A)  prioritize grid security and resilience; and
                     (B)  protect the grid against hazards;
               (11)  protection of the electric grid in this state
  against hazards would assure businesses and the citizens of this
  state that the "lights will be back on first in Texas" in the event
  of a nationwide catastrophe affecting electric infrastructure,
  sparing catastrophic societal and environmental consequences for
  this state; and
               (12)  when this state begins implementation of the plan
  for all hazards resilience described by Section 44.007, Utilities
  Code, as added by this Act, to protect the electric grid in this
  state, short-term and long-term economic benefit will far exceed
  even the most optimistic estimates of the conventional economic
  incentives provided by tax abatements to attract businesses to this
  state.
         SECTION 2.  Subtitle B, Title 2, Utilities Code, is amended
  by adding Chapter 44 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 44. GRID RESILIENCE
         Sec. 44.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "All hazards" means:
                     (A)  terrestrial weather including wind,
  hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, ice storms, extended cold weather
  events, heat waves, and wildfires;
                     (B)  seismic events including earthquakes and
  tsunamis;
                     (C)  physical threats including terrorist attacks
  with direct fire, drones, explosives, and other methods of physical
  sabotage;
                     (D)  cyber attacks including malware attacks and
  hacking of unprotected or compromised information technology
  networks;
                     (E)  manipulation of operational technology
  devices including sensors, actuators, and drives;
                     (F)  electromagnetic threats through man-made
  radio frequency weapons, high altitude nuclear electromagnetic
  pulse, and naturally occurring geomagnetic disturbances;
                     (G)  electric generation supply chain
  vulnerabilities including insecure or inadequate fuel
  transportation or storage; and
                     (H)  insider threats caused by compromised or
  hostile personnel working within government or the utility
  industry.
               (2)  "Micro-grid" means a group of interconnected loads
  and distributed energy resources inside clearly defined electrical
  boundaries that act as a single controllable entity with respect to
  the grid.
               (3)  "Security commission" means the Texas Grid
  Security Commission.
         Sec. 44.002.  TEXAS GRID SECURITY COMMISSION. (a) The Texas
  Grid Security Commission is composed of the following members:
               (1)  a representative of the Texas Division of
  Emergency Management appointed by the chief of that division;
               (2)  a representative of the State Office of Risk
  Management appointed by the risk management board;
               (3)  a representative of the independent organization
  certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power region appointed
  by the chief executive officer of that organization;
               (4)  a representative of the Texas Military Department
  appointed by the adjutant general of that department;
               (5)  a representative of the Texas Military
  Preparedness Commission appointed by that commission;
               (6)  a representative of the Office of State-Federal
  Relations appointed by the director of that office;
               (7)  a representative of the Department of Information
  Resources appointed by the executive director of that department;
               (8)  a representative of power generation companies
  appointed by the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency
  Management;
               (9)  two representatives of transmission and
  distribution utilities appointed by the chief of the Texas Division
  of Emergency Management;
               (10)  three individuals with expertise in critical
  infrastructure protection appointed by the chief of the Texas
  Division of Emergency Management, to represent the public interest;
               (11)  one representative appointed by the chief of the
  Texas Division of Emergency Management from each of the following
  essential services sectors:
                     (A)  law enforcement;
                     (B)  emergency services;
                     (C)  communications;
                     (D)  water and sewer services;
                     (E)  health care;
                     (F)  financial services;
                     (G)  food and agriculture;
                     (H)  transportation; and
                     (I)  energy;
               (12)  an expert in the field of higher education
  appointed by the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency
  Management; and
               (13)  an expert in the field of electricity markets and
  regulations appointed by the chief of the Texas Division of
  Emergency Management.
         (b)  The chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management
  may invite members or former members of the United States Air
  Force's Electromagnetic Defense Task Force to the security
  commission.
         (c)  The Texas Division of Emergency Management shall
  designate a member of the security commission to serve as presiding
  officer.
         (d)  The security commission shall convene at the call of the
  presiding officer.
         (e)  The security commission shall report to the chief of the
  Texas Division of Emergency Management.
         (f)  A vacancy on the security commission is filled by
  appointment for the unexpired term in the same manner as the
  original appointment.
         (g)  To the extent possible, individuals appointed to the
  security commission must be residents of this state.
         (h)  The presiding officer of the security commission or the
  chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management may invite
  subject matter experts to advise the security commission, including
  individuals recognized as experts in the fields of electricity
  markets, cybersecurity of grid control systems, electromagnetic
  pulse mitigation, terrestrial and solar weather, and micro-grids.
  The presiding officer may invite an individual for this purpose
  regardless of whether the individual is a resident of this state.
         Sec. 44.003.  GRID RESILIENCE INFORMATION. (a) Each of the
  following members of the security commission shall apply for a
  secret security clearance or an interim secret security clearance
  to be granted by the federal government:
               (1)  the representative of the independent
  organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT region;
               (2)  the representative of the Texas Division of
  Emergency Management; and
               (3)  the representative of the State Office of Risk
  Management.
         (b)  A member of the security commission listed under
  Subsection (a) who is granted an applicable security clearance
  under that subsection is a member of the information security
  working group.
         (c)  The information security working group shall determine:
               (1)  which information received by the security
  commission that is used in determining the vulnerabilities of the
  electric grid or that is related to measures to be taken to protect
  the grid is confidential and not subject to Chapter 552, Government
  Code;
               (2)  which members of the security commission may
  access which types of information received by the security
  commission; and
               (3)  which members, other than members of the working
  group, should apply for a secret security clearance or interim
  clearance granted by the federal government.
         (d)  Information that the information security working group
  determines is confidential under Subsection (c) shall be stored and
  maintained by the independent organization certified under Section
  39.151 for the ERCOT power region.
         (e)  The security commission must maintain a reasonable
  balance between public transparency and security for information
  determined to be confidential under Subsection (c).
         (f)  Nothing in this section abrogates any rights or remedies
  under Chapter 552, Government Code.
         Sec. 44.004.  GRID RESILIENCE EVALUATION. (a) The security
  commission shall evaluate, using available information on past
  blackouts in ERCOT, all hazards to the ERCOT electric grid,
  including threats which can cause future blackouts.
         (b)  The security commission may create groups or teams to
  address each hazard as necessary. The security commission must
  assess each hazard both on the likelihood of occurrence of the
  hazard and the potential consequences of the hazard.
         (c)  The security commission shall identify methods by which
  this state can support an overall national deterrence policy as
  proposed by the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, including by:
               (1)  identifying means to ensure that all hazards
  resilience for electric utilities supports critical national
  security functions in this state; and
               (2)  engaging the Texas National Guard to be trained as
  first responders to cybersecurity threats to the ERCOT electric
  grid and other critical infrastructure.
         (d)  The security commission shall evaluate nuclear
  generation sites in this state, the resilience of each nuclear
  reactor to all hazards, and the resilience to all hazards of
  off-site power for critical safety systems that support the reactor
  and spent fuel. The security commission may communicate with the
  Nuclear Regulatory Commission to accomplish the evaluation.
         (e)  The security commission shall evaluate current Critical
  Infrastructure Protection standards established by the North
  American Electric Reliability Corporation and standards set by the
  National Institute of Standards and Technology to determine the
  most appropriate standards for protecting grid infrastructure in
  this state.
         (f)  The security commission shall investigate the steps
  that local communities and other states have taken to address grid
  resilience. The security commission may request funding to conduct
  site visits to these locations as required.
         (g)  The security commission shall identify universities
  based in this state that have expertise in cybersecurity and other
  matters that can contribute to the security commission's goal of
  mitigating all hazards to the grid in this state.
         (h)  In carrying out the security commission's duties under
  this section, the security commission may solicit information from:
               (1)  defense contractors with experience protecting
  defense systems from electromagnetic pulse;
               (2)  electric utilities that have developed
  electromagnetic pulse protections for the utilities' grid assets;
               (3)  the United States Department of Homeland Security;
  and
               (4)  the Commission to Assess the Threat to the United
  States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack.
         Sec. 44.005.  GRID RESILIENCE STANDARDS. Based on the
  findings of the evaluations and investigations conducted under
  Section 44.004, the security commission shall develop resilience
  standards for critical components of the ERCOT electric grid.
         Sec. 44.006.  CONTRACTOR SUPPORT FOR CRITICAL SYSTEM AND
  COMPONENT RESILIENCE. (a) The State Office of Risk Management,
  with assistance from the security commission, shall select
  contractors with proven expertise to identify critical systems and
  components of the ERCOT electric grid vulnerable to hazards
  described by Section 44.004(a) with a specific emphasis on the most
  dangerous cyber and electromagnetic threats.
         (b)  A contractor selected under Subsection (a) must
  identify the critical components, including industrial control
  systems, not later than six months after the date the contractor is
  engaged.
         (c)  Not later than January 1, 2023, an entity that owns or
  operates a component identified by a contractor under Subsection
  (a) as critical shall upgrade the component as necessary for the
  component to meet the applicable standards set by the security
  commission under Section 44.005.
         (d)  The State Office of Risk Management shall select
  contractors with demonstrated expertise to verify whether an entity
  with a component identified as critical under Subsection (a) has
  upgraded components as required by Subsection (c).
         Sec. 44.007.  PLAN FOR ALL HAZARDS RESILIENCE. (a) Not
  later than January 1, 2022, the security commission shall prepare
  and deliver to the legislature a plan for protecting the ERCOT
  electric grid from all hazards, including a catastrophic loss of
  power in the state.
         (b)  The plan must include:
               (1)  weatherizing requirements that may be implemented
  not later than January 1, 2023, to prevent blackouts from extreme
  cold weather events, an analysis of whether these requirements
  would induce cyber vulnerabilities, and an analysis of the
  associated costs for these requirements;
               (2)  provisions that may be implemented not later than
  January 1, 2023, for installing, replacing, or upgrading industrial
  control systems and associated networks, or the use of compensating
  controls or procedures, in critical facilities to address cyber
  vulnerabilities;
               (3)  provisions that may be implemented not later than
  January 1, 2026, for installing, replacing, or upgrading extra
  high-voltage power transformers and supervisory control and data
  acquisition systems to withstand 100 kilovolts/meter E1
  electromagnetic pulses and 85 volts/kilometer E3 electromagnetic
  pulses;
               (4)  a timeline for making improvements to remaining
  infrastructure to meet standards set by the security commission
  under Section 44.005;
               (5)  long-term resilience provisions for supporting
  industries including:
                     (A)  nuclear reactors, materials, and waste;
                     (B)  fuel supply;
                     (C)  health care;
                     (D)  communications;
                     (E)  water and sewer services;
                     (F)  food supply; and
                     (G)  transportation; and
               (6)  any additional provisions considered necessary by
  the security commission.
         (c)  The security commission may consult with the Private
  Sector Advisory Council in developing the plan.
         (d)  The Texas Division of Emergency Management shall
  incorporate the plan into the state emergency management plan and
  update the state emergency management plan as necessary to
  incorporate progressive resilience improvements.
         Sec. 44.008.  GRID RESILIENCE REPORT. (a) Not later than
  January 1 of each year, the security commission shall prepare and
  deliver a non-classified report to the legislature, the governor,
  and the commission assessing natural and man-made threats to the
  electric grid and efforts to mitigate the threats.
         (b)  The security commission shall make the report available
  to the public.
         (c)  In preparing the report, the security commission may
  hold confidential or classified briefings with federal, state, and
  local officials as necessary.
         Sec. 44.009.  ALTERNATIVE TIMELINE OR STANDARD. A panel
  composed of members of the security commission may approve a
  resilience standard or implementation timeline for an electric
  utility or other entity that differs from a resilience standard or
  implementation timeline adopted under Section 44.006.
         Sec. 44.010.  RESILIENCE COST RECOVERY. A regulatory
  authority shall include in establishing the rates of an electric
  utility consideration of the costs incurred to install, replace, or
  upgrade facilities or equipment to meet a resilience standard
  established under this chapter. A regulatory authority shall
  presume that costs incurred to meet a resilience standard under
  this chapter are reasonable and necessary expenses.
         Sec. 44.011.  MICRO-GRIDS. (a) The security commission
  shall establish resilience standards for micro-grids and certify a
  micro-grid that meets the standards. The standards must be
  developed for both alternating current and direct current
  micro-grids.
         (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), a municipality or
  other political subdivision may not enact or enforce an ordinance
  or other measure that bans, limits, or otherwise regulates inside
  the boundaries or extraterritorial jurisdiction of the
  municipality or political subdivision a micro-grid that is
  certified by the security commission under this section.
         (c)  The owner or operator of a micro-grid certified by the
  security commission is a power generation company and is required
  to register under Section 39.351(a). The owner or operator of the
  micro-grid is entitled to:
               (1)  interconnect the micro-grid;
               (2)  obtain transmission service for the micro-grid;
  and
               (3)  use the micro-grid to sell electricity and
  ancillary services at wholesale in a manner consistent with the
  provisions of this title and commission rules applicable to a power
  generation company or an exempt wholesale generator.
         SECTION 3.  Not later than January 1, 2023, the Texas Grid
  Security Commission shall prepare and deliver a report to the
  legislature on the progress of implementing resilience standards
  adopted and implemented under Sections 44.005 and 44.006, Utilities
  Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  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 on the 91st day after the last day of the
  legislative session.