The board may build, buy, improve, and operate certain power, steam, water, sewer, and utility systems, and may set and allocate charges for those services.
Sec. 85.24. UTILITIES. (a) The board may improve and equip existing power plants and may construct, acquire, improve, and equip steam plants and additions to steam plants. For the purposes of this subsection, the board may acquire property for the institutions under its control when the total cost, type of construction, capacity, and plans and specifications have been approved by the board. As used in this section, "steam plants" does not include electrical generating facilities, but " power plants" does include electrical generating facilities. (b) The board may construct, extend, and improve the water systems and sewer systems for all institutions under its control when the total cost, type of construction, capacity, and plans and specifications have been approved by the board. (c) The board may provide water, sewer, steam, power, electricity, or any combination of those services from the plants and other facilities located at each institution to all buildings or facilities that have been or may be constructed at each institution, and may determine the amount to be charged as a part of the maintenance and operation expense of those buildings or facilities for the service or services. The board may allocate the cost of providing the services to revenue-producing buildings and facilities and to other buildings and facilities at the institutions. The board may pledge the net revenues from the amounts thus received for the services to pay the principal of and interest on, and to create and maintain the reserve for, the negotiable revenue bonds issued for the purpose of constructing, acquiring, improving, extending, or equipping the power and steam plants, or additions thereto, or other facilities, and may secure the bonds additionally by pledging rentals, rates, charges, and fees for the use or availability of all or any property, buildings, structures, activities, operations, or facilities, of any nature, which may be fixed and collected from all or any designated part of the students enrolled in the institution or institutions or from others in the amounts and in the manner determined and provided by the board in the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds. (d) In addition to the authority granted to the board under Subsections (a) and (b), the board may construct and acquire power plants, and additions to power plants, located on university system property in Brazos County and may acquire water systems and sewer systems located on university system property in Brazos County. Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 3193, ch. 1024, art. 1, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1971. Amended by: Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 32 (S.B. 1468), Sec. 1, eff. May 15, 2025.