(a) Applicability.
(1) This section contains the certification and reporting requirements applicable to a retail electric provider (REP).
(2) This section also applies, where specifically stated, to an independent system operator or transmission and distribution utility (TDU).
(3) A person certified as an Option 1 REP via an application submitted prior to the effective date of this section must come into compliance with the requirements of this section by March 5, 2024. Prior to March 5, 2024, a person certified as an Option 1 REP via an application submitted prior to the effective date of this section must meet the requirements of this section as it was in effect on April 1, 2023.
(b) Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this section have the following meanings unless the context indicates otherwise.
(1) Affiliate--As defined in §25.5 of this title (relating to Definitions).
(2) Assumed name--Has the meaning assigned in Chapter 71 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code.
(3) Continuous and reliable electric service--Retail electric service provided by a REP that is consistent with the customer's terms and conditions of service and uninterrupted by the unlawful or unjustified action or inaction of the REP.
(4) Control--The term control (including the terms controlling, controlled by and under common control with) means the direct or indirect possession of binding authority to direct or cause the direction of the management, policies, operations, or decision-making of a person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract, formation documents, or otherwise. A principal is a controlling person. A third-party provider may be a controlling person.
(5) Default--As defined in a TDU tariff for retail delivery service, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) qualified scheduling entity (QSE) agreement, or ERCOT load serving entity (LSE) agreement, ERCOT standard form market participant agreement (SFA), or any similar agreement with an applicable independent organization other than ERCOT.
(6) Executive officer--An entity's president, any vice president in charge of a principal business unit, division or function (such as sales, administration or finance), any other officer who performs a policy making function, or any other person who performs similar policy making functions. Executive officers of subsidiaries may be deemed executive officers of the entity if they perform such policy making functions for the entity.
(7) Guarantor--A person that provides an irrevocable guaranty agreement using the standard form approved by the commission under this section.
(8) Investment-grade credit rating--A long-term unsecured credit rating issued by the bond credit rating companies Moody's Investors' Service (Moody's), Standard & Poor (S&P), or Fitch of at least "Baa3" from Moody's or "BBB-" from S&P or Fitch.
(9) Option 1 REP--A REP that provides its service offerings to any customer class based on geographic service area.
(10) Option 2 REP--A REP that limits its service offerings to specifically identified customers, each of whom contracts for one megawatt or more of capacity.
(11) Option 3 REP--A REP that sells electricity exclusively to a retail customer, other than a small commercial or residential customer, from a distributed generation facility owned by a power generation company (PGC) that has registered in accordance with §25.109 of this title (relating to Registration of Power Generation Companies and Self-Generators) located on the same geographic site as the customer.
(12) Person--An individual or any business entity, including and without limitation, a limited liability company, a partnership of two or more persons having a joint or common interest, a mutual or cooperative association, or a corporation. Person does not include an electric cooperative or a municipal corporation.
(13) Principal--Includes:
(14) Shareholder--The legal or beneficial owner of any of the equity of any business entity as the context and applicable business entity requires, including, stockholders of corporations, members of limited liability companies and equity partners of partnerships.
(15) Tangible net worth--Total shareholders' equity, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, less intangible assets other than goodwill.
(16) Third-party provider--An entity to which a REP outsources or plans to outsource any retail or wholesale electric functions. A contractor, consultant, agent, or any other person not directly employed by the REP can be a third-party provider. A third-party provider is a principal if it has apparent or actual authority to exercise control over the REP or principals of the REP, and exercises such control.
(c) Application processing.
(1) A person can apply to certify as a REP or amend a REP certification by submitting a complete application on a form approved by the commission. Commission staff will review each application for sufficiency and submit a recommendation to the presiding officer within 20 days after the application is filed. The presiding officer will make a determination of sufficiency of the application within ten days of receipt of commission staff's recommendation. If the presiding officer finds that the application is deficient, the presiding officer must notify the applicant. The applicant will have ten days from the issuance of the notice to cure the deficiencies. If the deficiencies are not cured within ten days, the presiding officer may notify the applicant that the certification request is rejected without prejudice.
(2) While an application for certification or amendment is pending, an applicant must notify the commission of any material change to the information provided in the application within ten days of any such change in accordance with subsection (h)(2) of this section.
(3) Except where good cause exists to extend the time for review, the presiding officer will issue an order approving, rejecting, or approving with modifications, an application within 90 days of finding an application sufficient.
(4) For applications to certify as an Option 1 REP, the presiding officer will deny an application if the configuration of the proposed geographic area would unduly discriminate in the provision of electric service to any customer because of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, lawful source of income, disability, or familial status; because the customer is located in an economically distressed geographic area or qualifies for low income affordability or energy efficiency services; or because of any other reason prohibited by law.
(5) An Option 2 REP application for certification that meets all other requirements of this section except for the provision of customer affidavits under subparagraph (d)(2)(I) may be conditionally granted by the presiding officer. If such an application is conditionally granted, the applicant must, within 30 days from the date the application is granted, file in the docket the affidavit or affidavits required by subsection (d)(2)(I). The application will be withdrawn and the application denied with respect to each customer for whom the applicant fails to timely file the required affidavit. Within 45 days after the application is conditionally granted, commission staff must file a status report indicating whether each of the required affidavits were timely filed. The presiding officer will then issue a follow-up order confirming the approval of the application as to each customer for whom the required affidavit was filed and denying the application as to each customer for whom the required affidavit was not filed.
(6) Document format. If a provision of this subsection specifies a certain format for a document that must be filed with or submitted to the commission, an applicant must file or submit that document in the native format specified. A document filed in its native format must permit basic data manipulation functions, such as copying and pasting of data.
(d) Basic requirements.
(1) A REP must maintain its certification by complying with the following subparagraphs on an ongoing basis.