Texas Bill Would Ban Minimum Usage Fees, Usage-Based Credits
March 04,2015
Texas State Rep. Sylvester Turner has filed HB 2254, which would ban retail electric providers from offering products with minimum usage fees or usage-based credits.
The bill provides, "A retail electric provider may not bill a customer for a charge or fee or award a customer a bill credit based on whether the customer has used at least a certain amount of electricity in a particular period."
Turner has also filed HB 2253, which would require the PUCT to annually report and collect information related to minimum usage fees and usage credits, including:
(1) the number of customers on whom a minimum usage fee is imposed;
(2) the number of customers who are credited with a usage credit;
(3) the number of retail electric providers who impose a minimum usage fee on certain customers;
(4) the number of retail electric providers who credit certain customers with a usage credit;
(5) the number of retail electric provider plans offered to the public that provide for the imposition of a minimum usage fee on certain customers;
(6) the number of retail electric provider plans offered to the public that provide for the award of a usage credit to certain customers;
(7) the kilowatt hour usage threshold at which the minimum usage fee is imposed and the amount of the fee or charge for each plan that provides for the imposition of a minimum usage fee;
(8) the kilowatt hour usage threshold at which the usage credit is awarded and the amount of the credit for each plan that provides for the award of a usage credit;
(9) the total revenue attributable to the imposition of the minimum usage fee for each retail electric provider that offers a plan that includes a minimum usage fee;
(10) the total revenue attributable to the imposition of the minimum usage fee on low-income retail electric customers for each retail electric provider that offers a plan that includes a minimum usage fee; and
(11) the total number of electric bills issued during the preceding year that included either a minimum usage fee or a usage credit.