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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 Public Utility Commission of Texas |
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to approve certain transmission facilities constructed by a |
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municipally owned utility. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 37.051, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: |
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(g) A municipally owned utility may not directly or |
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indirectly construct, install, operate, or extend a transmission |
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facility outside of its certificated service area unless the |
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municipally owned utility first obtains from the commission, |
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through the application process provided by Section 37.053, a |
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certificate that states that the public convenience and necessity |
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requires or will require the transmission facility. Section 37.056 |
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applies to an application under this subsection. This subsection |
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does not apply to: |
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(1) a transmission facility that is used solely to |
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provide the municipally owned utility access to a generation |
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resource located outside its certificated service area; or |
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(2) upgrades to an existing transmission line that do |
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not require any additional land, right-of-way, easement, or other |
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property not owned by the municipally owned utility. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |