| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the establishment of the Texas Energy Disaster |
|
|
Reliability Council. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 186, Utilities Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subchapter F to read as follows: |
|
|
SUBCHAPTER F. TEXAS ENERGY DISASTER RELIABILITY COUNCIL |
|
|
Sec. 186.101. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
|
|
(1) "Council" means the Texas Energy Disaster |
|
|
Reliability Council established under this subchapter. |
|
|
(2) "Disaster" means: |
|
|
(A) a disaster defined by Section 418.004, |
|
|
Government Code; or |
|
|
(B) an extended power outage. |
|
|
(3) "Division" means the Texas Division of Emergency |
|
|
Management. |
|
|
(4) "Extended power outage" means an interruption in |
|
|
electric service lasting more than 24 hours. |
|
|
(5) "Gas provider" means: |
|
|
(A) a natural gas pipeline facility operator; or |
|
|
(B) an operator of a natural gas well. |
|
|
(6) "Public utility" means an entity that generates, |
|
|
transmits, or distributes electric energy to the public, including |
|
|
an electric cooperative, an electric utility, a municipally owned |
|
|
utility, or a river authority. |
|
|
(7) "Railroad commission" means the Railroad |
|
|
Commission of Texas. |
|
|
(8) "Utility commission" means the Public Utility |
|
|
Commission of Texas. |
|
|
Sec. 186.102. COUNCIL. The Texas Energy Disaster |
|
|
Reliability Council is established to: |
|
|
(1) prevent extended power outages caused by |
|
|
disasters; |
|
|
(2) implement procedures to manage emergencies caused |
|
|
by disasters; |
|
|
(3) maintain records of critical infrastructure |
|
|
facilities to maintain service in a disaster; |
|
|
(4) coordinate the delivery of fuel to providers of |
|
|
electric generation service in a disaster; |
|
|
(5) monitor supply chains for the electric grid in |
|
|
this state to minimize service disruptions; and |
|
|
(6) study and make recommendations on methods to |
|
|
maintain the reliability of the electric grid in this state during a |
|
|
disaster, including methods for maintaining the reliability of |
|
|
natural gas supply networks. |
|
|
Sec. 186.103. MEMBERS. (a) The council consists of: |
|
|
(1) the presiding officer of the utility commission; |
|
|
(2) the executive director of the utility commission; |
|
|
(3) the chairman of the railroad commission; |
|
|
(4) the executive director of the railroad commission; |
|
|
(5) the chief executive officer of the independent |
|
|
organization certified under Section 39.151 for the ERCOT power |
|
|
region; and |
|
|
(6) the chief of the division. |
|
|
(b) The chief of the division shall serve as the presiding |
|
|
officer of the council. |
|
|
(c) The council shall hold meetings during the weeks of |
|
|
March 1 and September 1 of each year. |
|
|
(d) In addition to the meetings required by Subsection (c), |
|
|
the council shall convene as soon as reasonably possible during or |
|
|
in anticipation of a disaster to address an actual or potential |
|
|
extended power outage caused by a disaster in order to coordinate |
|
|
fuel supplies and minimize the duration of the outage. |
|
|
(e) In carrying out its functions, the council may consult |
|
|
and coordinate with: |
|
|
(1) the United States Department of Energy; |
|
|
(2) the United States Department of Homeland Security; |
|
|
(3) the North American Electric Reliability |
|
|
Corporation; |
|
|
(4) the Texas Reliability Entity; |
|
|
(5) federal and state agencies; |
|
|
(6) members of the electric industry; |
|
|
(7) members of the natural gas industry; and |
|
|
(8) grid security experts. |
|
|
(f) A public utility or gas provider shall provide to the |
|
|
council any information requested by the council. |
|
|
(g) The meetings of the council and information obtained or |
|
|
created by the council are not subject to the requirements of |
|
|
Chapter 551 or 552, Government Code. |
|
|
(h) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the |
|
|
council. |
|
|
Sec. 186.104. REPORT. (a) Not later than November 1 of |
|
|
each even-numbered year, the council shall submit to the |
|
|
legislature a report on the reliability and stability of the |
|
|
electric supply chain in this state. |
|
|
(b) The report must include recommendations on methods to |
|
|
strengthen the electric supply chain in this state and to decrease |
|
|
the frequency of extended power outages caused by a disaster in this |
|
|
state. |
|
|
SECTION 2. 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 September 1, 2021. |