Texas Administrative Code
Title 16 - ECONOMIC REGULATION
Part 2 - PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION OF TEXAS
Chapter 25 - SUBSTANTIVE RULES APPLICABLE TO ELECTRIC SERVICE PROVIDERS
Subchapter I - TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
Division 1 - OPEN-ACCESS COMPARABLE TRANSMISSION SERVICE FOR ELECTRIC UTILITIES IN THE ELECTRIC RELIABILITY COUNCIL OF TEXAS
Section 25.198 - Initiating Transmission Service
Current through Reg. 50, No. 13; March 28, 2025
(a) Initiating service. Where a transmission service customer uses the transmission facilities in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), whether its own facilities or those of another transmission service provider (TSP), to serve load or to make sales of energy to a third party, it shall apply for transmission service pursuant to this section, the ERCOT protocols, and commission-approved tariffs.
(b) Conditions precedent for receiving service. Subject to the terms and conditions of this section and in accordance with the ERCOT protocols and commission-approved tariffs, the TSP will provide transmission service to any transmission service customer as that term is defined in § 25.5 of this title (relating to Definitions), provided that:
(c) Procedures for initiating transmission service. A transmission service customer requesting transmission service under this section must comply with the ERCOT protocols and commission-approved tariffs.
(d) Facilities study. Based on the results of the system security screening study, the TSP shall perform, pursuant to an executed facilities study agreement with the transmission service customer, a facilities study addressing the detailed engineering, design and cost of transmission facilities required to provide the requested transmission service.
(e) Technical arrangements to be completed prior to commencement of service. Service under this section shall not commence until the installation has been completed of all equipment specified under the interconnection agreement, consistent with guidelines adopted by the national reliability organization and ERCOT, except that the TSP shall provide the requested transmission service, to the extent that such service does not impair the reliability of other transmission service. The TSP shall exercise reasonable efforts, in coordination with the transmission service customer, to complete such arrangements as soon as practical prior to the service commencement date.
(f) Transmission service customer facilities. The provision of transmission service shall be conditioned upon the transmission service customer's constructing, maintaining and operating the facilities on its side of each point of interconnection that are necessary to reliably interconnect and deliver power from a resource to the transmission system and from the transmission system to the transmission service customer's loads.
(g) Transmission arrangements for resources located outside of the ERCOT region. If a transmission service customer intends to import power from outside the ERCOT region, it shall make any transmission arrangements necessary for delivery of capacity and energy from the resource to an interconnection with ERCOT.
(h) Changes in service requests. A transmission service customer's decision to cancel or delay the addition of a new resource shall not relieve the transmission service customer of the obligation to pay for any study conducted in accordance with this section.
(i) Annual load and resource information updates. A transmission service customer shall provide ERCOT with annual updates of load and resource forecasts for the following five-year period. The transmission service customer also shall provide ERCOT with timely written notice of material changes in any other information provided in its application relating to the transmission service customer's load, resources, or other aspects of its facilities or operations affecting the TSP's ability to provide reliable service under Division 1 of this subchapter.
(j) Termination of transmission service. A transmission service customer may terminate transmission service after providing ERCOT and the appropriate TSP with written notice of its intention to terminate. A transmission service customer's provision of notice to terminate service under this section shall not relieve the transmission service customer of its obligation to pay TSPs any rates, charges, or fees, including contributions in aid of construction, for service previously provided under the applicable interconnection service agreement, and which are owed to TSPs as of the date of termination.