Minutes — Senate Committee on Business & Commerce (June 12, 2024)

Summary

Minutes of the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce public hearing on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at Austin, Texas. Senator Charles Schwertner, Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:01 AM, and Senator Campbell, Senator Creighton and Senator Menéndez arrived after the roll was called. The Chair laid out interim charges on Electricity Market Design, Transmitting Texas Power and the Impact of Bitcoin Mining on the Texas Electric Grid, and opened invited testimony. On Senator Schwertner's motion the committee stood recessed subject to the call of the Chair at 4:24 PM.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Full text

MINUTES

SENATE
COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS & COMMERCE

Wednesday,
June 12, 2024

9:00
AM

Capitol
Extension, Room E1.028

*****

Pursuant to a notice
posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.10 and 11.18, a public hearing of the
Senate Committee on Business & Commerce was held on Wednesday, June 12,
2024, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.028, at Austin, Texas.

*****

MEMBERS PRESENT: | MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Charles
 Schwertner, Chair | Senator Lois Kolkhorst
Senator Phil King, Vice
 Chair | Senator Mayes Middleton
Senator Brian Birdwell
Senator Donna Campbell
Senator Brandon
 Creighton
Senator Nathan Johnson
Senator José Menéndez
Senator Robert Nichols
Senator Judith
 Zaffirini

*****

The Chair called the
meeting to order at 9:01 AM. There being a quorum present, the following
business was transacted:

The following members
arrived after the roll was called: Senator Campbell, Senator Creighton, and
Senator Menéndez.

The Chair laid out the
following interim charges and opened invited testimony (see attached witness
list) for discussion:

Electricity Market
Design: Assess state efforts to provide incentives for new thermal generation.
Review and report on the state of the electricity market in Texas and issues
impacting the reliability and resiliency of the Texas electric grid. Consider
rulemaking related to wholesale market design, including the impact of these
changes on grid reliability, market revenues, costs to consumers, and the efficiency
of operations. Examine and report on the direct and indirect impacts that
variable resources, such as wind and solar, have on grid resiliency, consumer
prices, and market uncertainty. Monitor the implementation of House Bill 1500,
88th Legislature.

Senator King assumed the
chair.

Senator Schwertner
resumed the chair.

Transmitting Texas Power:
Identify the future electric transmission and distribution system needs of the
state and recommend ways to reduce barriers to constructing the necessary
electric infrastructure to support the growing demand and changes in technology.
Review and make any necessary recommendations to enhance legislation passed
during the 88th legislative session, including the status of projects to
improve the safety and resiliency of the transmission system, as well as the
effect of current and future projects on consumer costs.

Senator King assumed the
chair.

Senator Schwertner
resumed the chair.

Impact of Bitcoin Mining
on the Texas Electric Grid: Study the impact of energy-intensive cryptocurrency
mining facilities on the Texas electric grid. Report on whether any changes
should be made to ERCOT demand response programs and large flexible load
registration requirements to limit the impact of these facilities on system
reliability and consumer costs.

Witnesses testifying and
registering on the bill are shown on the attached list.

The Chair moved that the
public testimony be closed; without objection, it was so ordered.

There being no further
business, at 4:24 PM Senator Schwertner moved that the Committee stand recessed
subject to the call of the Chair. Without objection, it was so ordered.

__________________________________________

Senator Charles
Schwertner, Chair

__________________________________________

Annika Vandayar, Clerk

File and source

File

88R_minutes_C5102024061209001.htm

Size

21,092 bytes

SHA-256

3552af03ae4e250d99f80ad58623e9f1e2924a9707c9ab693f7a8807eb2c06d0

Our copy

88R_minutes_C5102024061209001.htm

Original

No public link identified.