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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to ensuring system reliability of electricity generation |
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through use of a compliance monitor and an enforcement division of |
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the Public Utility Commission of Texas. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "commission" means the |
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Public Utility Commission of Texas. |
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(b) For five days beginning on February 14, 2021, the state |
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experienced such extreme freezing temperatures that power |
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generation facilities became inoperable, which caused a |
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significant portion of the state to go without electricity for |
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days. |
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(c) In 2015, the commission hired the Texas Reliability |
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Entity to ensure compliance with the commission's own reliability |
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regulations, as well as those of the Electric Reliability Council |
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of Texas. |
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(d) The Texas Reliability Entity was authorized to: |
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(1) develop, monitor, assess, and enforce compliance |
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with standards consistent with federal and North American Electric |
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Reliability Corporation standards; |
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(2) develop regional standards; and |
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(3) assess and periodically report on the reliability |
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and adequacy of the bulk power system. |
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(e) In November 2020, the commission decided to terminate |
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its contract with the Texas Reliability Entity. On August 1, 2020, |
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the commission disbanded its enforcement division. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 39, Utilities Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 39.918 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 39.918. RELIABILITY MONITOR; ENFORCEMENT DIVISION. |
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(a) The commission shall retain an independent third-party monitor |
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to ensure that electric utilities comply with system reliability |
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standards. |
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(b) The commission shall establish an enforcement division |
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to make full use of the authority granted to the commission to |
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ensure that electric utilities comply with state and federal rules |
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and regulations. |
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SECTION 3. The Public Utility Commission of Texas shall |
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comply with Section 39.918, Utilities Code, as added by this Act, as |
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soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |