BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 3092
89R9042 SCR-D	By: Gerdes et al. (Schwertner)
	Business & Commerce
	5/21/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Under Texas law, most utilities must file an application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to obtain or amend a certificate of convenience and necessity (CCN) before constructing a new transmission line. The PUC evaluates various factors to determine whether a proposed transmission project should be approved. While the CCN review process can be time-consuming, current law provides an exception: an electric utility is not required to amend its CCN to build a transmission line connecting existing transmission facilities to a substation or metering point if the line is no longer than three miles and serves a load-serving substation or metering point.

H.B. 3092 further streamlines this process by increasing the exception threshold from three to five miles, allowing more short-distance transmission projects to proceed without the need for a CCN amendment.

H.B. 3092 amends current law relating to a certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct an electric transmission line.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 37.052(c), Utilities Code, to provide that an electric utility is not required to amend the utility's certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct a transmission line that connects the utility's existing transmission facilities to a substation or metering point if it meets certain criteria, including the transmission line does not exceed five, rather than three, miles in length, if the line connects to a load-serving substation or metering point.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2025.