By: Reynolds H.B. No. 58
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to demand response programs.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 17.003(d-1), Utilities Code, as added by
  S.B. No. 3, Acts of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (d-1)  An electric utility providing electric delivery
  service for a retail electric provider, as defined by Section
  31.002, shall provide to the retail electric provider, and the
  retail electric provider shall periodically provide to the retail
  electric provider's retail customers together with bills sent to
  the customers, information about:
               (1)  the electric utility's procedures for implementing
  involuntary load shedding initiated by the independent
  organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power
  region;
               (2)  the types of customers who may be considered
  critical care residential customers, critical load industrial
  customers, or critical load according to commission rules adopted
  under Section 38.076;
               (3)  the procedure for a customer to apply to be
  considered a critical care residential customer, a critical load
  industrial customer, or critical load according to commission rules
  adopted under Section 38.076; [and]
               (4)  reducing electricity use at times when involuntary
  load shedding events may be implemented; and
               (5)  the procedure for a residential or commercial
  customer to participate in a voluntary demand response program
  through the electric utility or a demand response provider to
  reduce electricity use during times of peak demand, including
  during an involuntary load shedding event.
         SECTION 2.  Section 17.005(f), Utilities Code, as added by
  S.B. No. 3, Acts of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (f)  A municipally owned utility shall periodically provide
  with bills sent to retail customers of the utility information
  about:
               (1)  the utility's procedure for implementing
  involuntary load shedding;
               (2)  the types of customers who may be considered
  critical care residential customers, critical load industrial
  customers, or critical load according to commission rules adopted
  under Section 38.076;
               (3)  the procedure for a customer to apply to be
  considered a critical care residential customer, a critical load
  industrial customer, or critical load according to commission rules
  adopted under Section 38.076; [and]
               (4)  reducing electricity use at times when involuntary
  load shedding events may be implemented; and
               (5)  the procedure for a residential or commercial
  customer to participate in a voluntary demand response program
  through the utility or a demand response provider to reduce
  electricity use during times of peak demand, including during an
  involuntary load shedding event.
         SECTION 3.  Section 17.006(f), Utilities Code, as added by
  S.B. No. 3, Acts of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (f)  An electric cooperative shall periodically provide with
  bills sent to retail customers of the cooperative information
  about:
               (1)  the cooperative's procedure for implementing
  involuntary load shedding;
               (2)  the types of customers who may be considered
  critical care residential customers, critical load industrial
  customers, or critical load according to commission rules adopted
  under Section 38.076;
               (3)  the procedure for a customer to apply to be
  considered a critical care residential customer, a critical load
  industrial customer, or critical load according to commission rules
  adopted under Section 38.076; [and]
               (4)  reducing electricity use at times when involuntary
  load shedding events may be implemented; and
               (5)  the procedure for a residential or commercial
  customer to participate in a voluntary demand response program
  through the cooperative or a demand response provider to reduce
  electricity use during times of peak demand, including during an
  involuntary load shedding event.
         SECTION 4.  Section 39.101(b), Utilities Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  A customer is entitled:
               (1)  to be informed about rights and opportunities in
  the transition to a competitive electric industry;
               (2)  to choose the customer's retail electric provider
  consistent with this chapter, to have that choice honored, and to
  assume that the customer's chosen provider will not be changed
  without the customer's informed consent;
               (3)  to have access to providers of energy efficiency
  services, to on-site distributed generation, and to providers of
  energy generated by renewable energy resources;
               (4)  to be served by a provider of last resort that
  offers a commission-approved standard service package;
               (5)  to receive sufficient information to make an
  informed choice of service provider;
               (6)  to be protected from unfair, misleading, or
  deceptive practices, including protection from being billed for
  services that were not authorized or provided; [and]
               (7)  to have an impartial and prompt resolution of
  disputes with its chosen retail electric provider and transmission
  and distribution utility; and
               (8)  to participate in demand response programs
  through:
                     (A)  retail electric providers; and
                     (B)  demand response providers.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
  last day of the legislative session.