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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of the Railroad Commission of Texas and |
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the Public Utility Commission of Texas to address a failure by an |
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operator to maintain an electrical power line serving a well site or |
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certain surface facilities in accordance with the National |
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Electrical Code. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 91.019, Natural Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 91.019. STANDARDS FOR CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION, AND |
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MAINTENANCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER LINES. (a) An operator shall |
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construct, operate, and maintain an electrical power line serving a |
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well site or other surface facility employed in operations incident |
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to oil and gas development and production in accordance with: |
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(1) the National Electrical Code published by the |
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National Fire Protection Association and adopted by the Texas |
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Commission of Licensing and Regulation under Chapter 1305, |
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Occupations Code; or |
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(2) 16 T.A.C. Sections 25.94, 25.95, and 25.96, as |
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those provisions existed on September 1, 2025, if the operator is a |
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utility as defined by Section 11.004, Utilities Code, engaged in |
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the maintenance of an electronic transmission and distribution |
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system. |
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(b) If, during an inspection by the commission of a well |
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site or surface facility employed in operations incident to oil and |
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gas development and production or on the receipt of a written notice |
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submitted by a landowner or lessee, the commission discovers a |
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condition involving an electrical power line, pole, or any other |
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related electrical equipment that does not meet the standards |
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described by Subsection (a) and poses a risk of causing a fire or |
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injury to a person, the commission shall, not later than three days |
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after the discovery of the condition, notify the Public Utility |
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Commission of Texas and the operator. The notification provided by |
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the commission must include a description of the condition and |
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whether the well is abandoned. To resolve the condition, the |
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commission and the Public Utility Commission of Texas, in |
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collaboration, shall, not later than 10 days after the Public |
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Utility Commission of Texas receives notice from the commission, |
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notify the landowner of the condition and inform the landowner of |
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the actions the commission and the Public Utility Commission of |
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Texas will take to resolve the condition, and: |
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(1) request that the state fire marshal or a local |
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government authority inspect the condition at the well site or |
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surface facility and require the operator to mitigate any dangerous |
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conditions identified by the state fire marshal or local government |
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authority; |
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(2) request that the electric utility that provides |
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electric service to the well site or surface facility investigate |
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the condition and disconnect electric service to the well site or |
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surface facility, if necessary; or |
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(3) take any other action the commission and the |
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Public Utility Commission of Texas consider necessary and |
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appropriate to resolve the condition. |
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(c) If electric service was disconnected by an electric |
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utility pursuant to a request made under Subsection (b)(2), the |
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utility must restore electric service to the well site or surface |
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facility on receipt of notice by the commission that the condition |
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has been resolved. |
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SECTION 2. Section 91.019, Natural Resources Code, as |
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amended by this Act, applies to an inspection that occurs on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |