Sec. 39.1515.  WHOLESALE ELECTRIC MARKET MONITOR.  (a)  An independent organization certified under Section 39.151 shall contract with an entity selected by the commission to act as the commission's wholesale electric market monitor to detect and prevent market manipulation strategies, recommend measures to enhance the efficiency of the wholesale market, and provide independent analysis of any material changes proposed to the wholesale market.  The commission may not restrict the market monitor from appearing or speaking before or providing analysis to the legislature. The independent organization may not substantially modify the market monitor's contract unless the modification is approved by a majority of the commissioners.
(b)  The independent organization shall provide to the personnel of the market monitor:
(1)  full access to the organization's main operations center and the organization's records that concern operations, settlement, and reliability; and
(2)  other support and cooperation the commission determines is necessary for the market monitor to perform the market monitor's functions.
(c)  The independent organization shall use money from the fee authorized by Section 39.151(e) to pay for the market monitor's activities.
(d)  The commission is responsible for ensuring that the market monitor has the resources, expertise, and authority necessary to monitor the wholesale electric market effectively and shall adopt rules and perform oversight of the market monitor as necessary.  The market monitor shall operate under the supervision and oversight of the commission.  The commission shall retain all enforcement authority conferred under this title, and this section may not be construed to confer enforcement authority on the market monitor or to authorize the commission to delegate the commission's enforcement authority to the market monitor.  The commission by rule shall define:
(1)  the market monitor's monitoring responsibilities, including reporting obligations and limitations;
(2)  the standards for funding the market monitor, including staffing requirements;
(3)  qualifications for personnel of the market monitor; and
(4)  ethical standards for the market monitor and the personnel of the market monitor.
(e)  In adopting rules governing the standards for funding the market monitor, the commission shall consult with a subcommittee of the independent organization's governing body to receive information on how money is or should be spent for monitoring functions.  Rules governing ethical standards must include provisions designed to ensure that the personnel of the market monitor are professionally and financially independent from market participants.  The commission shall develop and implement policies that clearly separate the policymaking responsibilities of the commission and the monitoring, analysis, and reporting responsibilities of the market monitor.
(f)  The market monitor immediately shall report in writing directly to the commission and commission staff all potential market manipulations and all discovered or potential violations of commission rules or rules of the independent organization.
(g)  The personnel of the market monitor may communicate with commission staff on any matter without restriction.
(h)  The market monitor annually shall submit to the commission and the independent organization a report that identifies market design flaws and recommends methods to correct the flaws.  The commission and the independent organization shall review the report and evaluate whether changes to rules of the commission or the independent organization should be made.
(i)  Not later than December 1 of each year, the commission shall submit a report to the legislature that describes for the 12-month period preceding the report's submission:
(1)  the number of instances in which the market monitor reported potential market manipulation to the commission or commission staff;
(2)  the statutes, commission rules, and rules of the independent organization alleged to have been violated by the reported entities; and
(3)  the number of instances reported under Subdivision (1) for which the commission instituted a formal investigation on its own motion or commission staff initiated an enforcement action.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 797 (S.B. 408), Sec. 10, eff. September 1, 2005.
Amended by: 
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 170 (H.B. 1600), Sec. 1.09, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 410 (H.B. 1500), Sec. 18, eff. September 1, 2023.