Certain electric utilities and cooperatives must file safety and inspection reports with the commission, and the commission must post the reports online.
Sec. 38.102. REPORTS ON SAFETY PROCESSES AND INSPECTIONS. (a) Each electric utility, municipally owned utility, and electric cooperative that owns or operates overhead transmission or distribution assets shall submit to the commission a report that includes: (1) a summary description of hazard recognition training documents provided by the utility or electric cooperative to its employees related to overhead transmission and distribution facilities; and (2) a summary description of training programs provided to employees by the utility or electric cooperative related to the National Electrical Safety Code for the construction of electric transmission and distribution lines. (b) An electric utility, municipally owned utility, or electric cooperative shall submit an updated report not later than the 30th day after the date the utility or electric cooperative finalizes a material change to a document or program included in a report submitted under Subsection (a). (c) Not later than May 1 every five years, each electric utility, municipally owned utility, and electric cooperative that owns or operates overhead transmission facilities greater than 60 kilovolts shall submit to the commission a report for the preceding five-year period ending on December 31 of the preceding calendar year that includes: (1) the percentage of overhead transmission facilities greater than 60 kilovolts inspected for compliance with the National Electrical Safety Code relating to vertical clearance in the reporting period; and (2) the percentage of the overhead transmission facilities greater than 60 kilovolts anticipated to be inspected for compliance with the National Electrical Safety Code relating to vertical clearance during the five-year period beginning on January 1 of the year in which the report is submitted. (d) Subject to Subsection (f), not later than May 1 of each year, each electric utility, municipally owned utility, or electric cooperative that owns or operates overhead transmission facilities greater than 60 kilovolts shall submit to the commission a report on the overhead transmission facilities for the preceding calendar year that includes information regarding: (1) the number of identified occurrences of noncompliance with Section 38.004 regarding the vertical clearance requirements of the National Electrical Safety Code for overhead transmission facilities; (2) whether the utility or electric cooperative has actual knowledge that any portion of the utility's or electric cooperative's transmission system is not in compliance with Section 38.004 regarding the vertical clearance requirements of the National Electrical Safety Code; and (3) whether the utility or electric cooperative has actual knowledge of any violations of easement agreements with the United States Army Corps of Engineers relating to Section 38.004 regarding the vertical clearance requirements of the National Electrical Safety Code for overhead transmission facilities. (e) Subject to Subsection (f), not later than May 1 of each year, each electric utility, municipally owned utility, or electric cooperative that owns or operates overhead transmission facilities greater than 60 kilovolts or distribution facilities greater than 1 kilovolt shall submit to the commission a report for the preceding calendar year that includes: (1) the number of fatalities or injuries of individuals other than employees, contractors, or other persons qualified to work in proximity to overhead high voltage lines involving transmission or distribution assets related to noncompliance with the requirements of Section 38.004; and (2) a description of corrective actions taken or planned to prevent the reoccurrence of fatalities or injuries described by Subdivision (1). (f) Violations resulting from, and incidents, fatalities, or injuries attributable to a violation resulting from, a natural disaster, weather event, or man-made act or force outside of a utility's or electric cooperative's control are not required to be included in the portions of the reports required under Subsections (d) and (e). (g) Not later than September 1, each year the commission shall make the reports publicly available on the commission's Internet website. (h) A report, and any required information contained in a report, made on an incident or violation under this section is not admissible in a civil or criminal proceeding against the electric utility, municipally owned utility, or electric cooperative, or the utility's or electric cooperative's employees, directors, or officers. The commission may otherwise take enforcement actions under the commission's authority. Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1320 (H.B. 4150), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2019.