(a) Applicability.
  (1) This section contains the certification and reporting requirements applicable to a retail electric provider (REP).
    (A) A person must obtain a REP certificate under this section before purchasing, taking title to, or reselling electricity to provide retail electric service. A person may certify as an Option 1 REP, Option 2 REP, or Option 3 REP under this section. Certification must be maintained on an ongoing basis by timely reporting and updating the certification information in accordance with subsections (i) and (h) of this section.
    (B) A person that does not purchase, take title to, or resell electricity to provide electric service to a retail customer is not a REP and must not act as a REP without obtaining a certificate under this section. A REP that outsources retail electric service functions is responsible for those functions in accordance with all applicable laws and commission rules for all activities conducted on its behalf by any third-party provider.
    (C) A person who owns or operates equipment used solely to provide electricity charging service for consumption by an alternatively fueled vehicle, as defined by Transportation Code, Section 502.004, is not, for that reason, required to be certified as a 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.
    (A) A REP must complete and file a commission approved compliance update form that demonstrates the REP is in compliance with this section on or before March 5, 2024.
    (B) A REP who does not demonstrate compliance with this section on or before March 5, 2024, may be subject to a suspension of acquiring new customers under subsection (l) of this section.
(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:
    (A) A sole proprietor;
    (B) A partner of a partnership;
    (C) An executive of a company (e.g., a president, chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer, general counsel, or equivalent position);
    (D) A manager, managing member, or a member vested with the management authority of a limited liability company or limited liability partnership;
    (E) A shareholder with more than 10% equity of the REP, if a public company; or
    (F) A person who exercises control and has apparent or actual authority to exercise such control over either the REP or a principal that is otherwise described by this subsection. A consultant, third-party provider, or fiduciary of a company such as the board of directors, 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.
  (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.
Cont'd...