The bill amends Section 13.003 of the Utilities Code to enhance the authority of the Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC) regarding access to data. It specifies that the OPUC is entitled to the same access as a party, excluding commission staff, to records gathered by the commission and allows the office to request and receive electricity market data in an electronic format at no cost. This data includes information related to reliability, generation resource adequacy, long-term transmission planning, and transmission and distribution system resiliency from the commission, the independent organization certified for the ERCOT power region, and electric utilities.

Additionally, the bill introduces a new subsection (a-1) that establishes confidentiality for the information submitted to the OPUC under the new provisions, ensuring that such information is not subject to disclosure if it would be confidential under the Government Code if held by the commission. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Utilities Code 13.003 (Utilities Code 13)
House Committee Report: Utilities Code 13.003 (Utilities Code 13)