During a governor-declared emergency, the commission may require certain power suppliers to sell electricity and may order interconnection service; receiving entities must reimburse costs and pay related charges.
Sec. 38.073. AUTHORITY OF COMMISSION DURING AN EMERGENCY. (a) On a declaration of a natural disaster or other emergency by the governor, the commission may require an electric utility, municipally owned utility, electric cooperative, qualifying facility, power generation company, exempt wholesale generator, or power marketer to sell electricity to an electric utility, municipally owned utility, or electric cooperative that is unable to supply power to meet customer demand due to the natural disaster or other emergency. Any plant, property, equipment, or other items used to receive or deliver electricity under this subsection are used and useful in delivering service to the public, and the commission shall allow timely recovery for the costs of those items. The commission may order an electric utility, municipally owned utility, or electric cooperative to provide interconnection service to another electric utility, municipally owned utility, or electric cooperative to facilitate a sale of electricity under this section. If the commission does not order the sale of electricity during a declared emergency as described by this subsection, the commission shall promptly submit to the legislature a report describing the reasons why the commission did not make that order. (b) If an entity receives electricity under Subsection (a), the receiving entity shall reimburse the supplying entity for the actual cost of providing the electricity. The entity receiving the electricity is responsible for any transmission and distribution service charges specifically incurred in relation to providing the electricity. (c) An entity that pays for electricity received under Subsection (b) and that is regulated by the commission may fully recover the cost of the electricity in a timely manner by: (1) including the cost in the entity's fuel cost under Section 36.203; or (2) notwithstanding Section 36.201, imposing a different surcharge. Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1226 (S.B. 1492), Sec. 2, eff. June 19, 2009. Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1280 (H.B. 1831), Sec. 2.02, eff. September 1, 2009.