HBA-MPA S.B. 168 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 168
By: Armbrister
State Affairs
5/13/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law prohibits the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) from
building, owning, or operating transmission lines outside the area served
by LCRA transmission lines.  S.B. 168 authorizes a river authority engaged
in the distribution and sale of electric energy to the public, such as
LCRA, to provide electric transmission services, and to acquire and operate
electric transmission facilities, within or without the river authority's
boundaries.  This bill does not authorize a river authority to build
transmission facilities to enable an ultimate consumer of electricity to
bypass the transmission or distribution facilities of that consumer's
existing provider. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Article 717p, V.T.C.S., by adding Section 4C, as follows:

Sec.  4C. (a) Provides that this section applies only to a river authority
that is engaged in the distribution and sale of electric energy to the
public.   

(b) Authorizes a river authority, notwithstanding any other law, and at any
location within or outside its boundaries, to provide transmission
services, as defined by Section 31.002 (Definitions), Utilities Code, on a
regional basis to any eligible transmission customer; to acquire, finance,
lease, construct, rebuild, operate, or sell electric transmission
facilities;  to share specified personnel and resources with any related
corporation created by the river authority; and  to provide goods,
equipment, facilities, and services to any related corporation created by
the authority without the need for a competitive bid.   

(c) Provides that this section does not authorize a river authority to
construct electric transmission facilities for an ultimate consumer of
electricity to enable that consumer to bypass the transmission or
distribution facilities of its existing provider. 

(d) Prohibits the provisions of this section from relieving a river
authority from an obligation to comply with the provisions of the Utilities
Code concerning a certificate of convenience and necessity for a
transmission facility.  

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.