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The Public Utility Commission (PUC) met on July 18, 2019 to take up a number of items. This report covers only agenda items 25 and 29. Find the agenda here.

This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics the committee took up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the hearing but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.

 

Agenda Item 25 – Discussion and possible action on electric reliability; electric market development; power-to-choose website; ERCOT oversight; transmission planning, construction, and cost recovery in areas outside of ERCOT; and electric reliability standards and organizations arising under federal law.

  • Chair DeAnn Walker – Rule 25.502 currently contains a section that requires certain amendments to protocols come before the PUC before going into effect.
    • The rule is no longer necessary, it was put into place before knowing how the process would work.
    • There is an amendment in the pipeline at ERCOT that will likely be approved in October. That amendment needs to be implemented quickly.
    • Will delete the unnecessary rules so the ERCOT amendment can come back before the PUC before October and can be implemented.

 

Agenda Item 29 – Docket No. 49710 – Implementation Activities, 86th Legislature (R.S.). (Discussion and possible action). Connie Corona

  • Walker – Want to have all rulemakings to do with legislation to be done before the next legislative session begins.
  • Walker – Water Alternative Ratemaking was included in SB 700 because it could solve some of the problems with processing rate cases.
    • The rulemaking for this has been pushed out to July 2020, which is “concerning”.
    • People working on water alternative ratemaking are the same people working on generator bills, there could be some concern about that.
  • Commissioner Shelly Botkin – If we move it up what happens?
    • Connie Corona, PUC staff – It is possible move it up by a couple months from what is currently on the schedule and still complete it by the next legislative session. Might have to move around some staff schedules and other rulemakings to accommodate that shift. The schedule can be seen as a “living document”, will be brought periodically to the Commission for discussion.
  • Commissioner Arthur D’Andrea – It’s hard to know which ones to push.
    • Walker –Some of these might not take as long as they are scheduled for, for example the broker registration.