Monitoring the Session

SB 2315

Parker’s ‘Advanced’ Nuclear Exemption Covers Reactors Up To 1,400 Megawatts

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Sen. Tan ParkerRSenate 12
Why it's charged
Carve-out

THE TEXT

…“resource that is an advanced nuclear reactor”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

One kind of generator, nuclear fission reactors, is excused from a cost rule that still binds every other power plant. The caption names nuclear, but the 'advanced' label is defined to cover large conventional-size reactors too.

Carve-out

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to a cost overage exemption for interconnection of advanced nuclear reactors to the ERCOT transmission system.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Interconnection costs over the allowance skip the reactor owner. Who pays instead? The bill doesn’t say.

Under current law, interconnection costs above the utility's allowance must be charged to the power plant that connects to the ERCOT grid. This bill exempts any fission nuclear reactor up to 1,400 megawatts, from microreactors to large plants, from paying those excess costs itself. The bill does not say who pays instead, so those overage costs are no longer charged directly to the nuclear plant owner, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 11, 2025 and referred to the Senate Business & Commerce committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2315 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Sen. Tan ParkerRSenate 12

ITEM

relating to a cost overage exemption for interconnection of advanced nuclear reactors to the ERCOT transmission system.

WHAT IT DOES

Interconnection costs over the allowance skip the reactor owner. Who pays instead? The bill doesn’t say.

Under current law, interconnection costs above the utility's allowance must be charged to the power plant that connects to the ERCOT grid. This bill exempts any fission nuclear reactor up to 1,400 megawatts, from microreactors to large plants, from paying those excess costs itself. The bill does not say who pays instead, so those overage costs are no longer charged directly to the nuclear plant owner, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[x] CARVE-OUTanalysis confidence 55%

THE TEXT

…“resource that is an advanced nuclear reactor”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

One kind of generator, nuclear fission reactors, is excused from a cost rule that still binds every other power plant. The caption names nuclear, but the 'advanced' label is defined to cover large conventional-size reactors too.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Business & Commerce
FILED UNDER

DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID

THE TEXT

…“generation resources with the ERCOT transmission system must be”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill changes who pays for connecting nuclear plants to the ERCOT grid and removes the requirement that the plant itself pay the overage.

CORPORATE WELFARE

THE TEXT

…“directly assigned to and collected from the generation resource”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

Nuclear plant developers are relieved of interconnection costs that every other type of generator must still pay.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Tan Parker

Donors

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC$40KTexas REALTORS Political Action Committee$25KThe Peck Family Trust$25K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 28, 2024 to Jun 29, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC$40,000.00

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC

$40,000.00

Cash
$40,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$40,000.00

Also funds 10 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 17, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 17, 2026 to Jun 25, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101060289.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$25,250.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$25,250.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$250.00
Total
$25,250.00
fundraiser $250.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 9, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986801, 101009904, 101031351.

The Peck Family Trust$25,000.00

The Peck Family Trust

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 14, 2024 to Sep 18, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986801.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC

$40,000.00

Cash
$40,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$40,000.00

Also funds 10 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 17, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 17, 2026 to Jun 25, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101060289.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$25,250.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$250.00
Total
$25,250.00
fundraiser $250.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 9, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986801, 101009904, 101031351.

×

The Peck Family Trust

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 14, 2024 to Sep 18, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100986801.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 11, 2025

03/25/2025 S Referred to Business & Commerce

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Senate committee · Business & Commerce · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 5590 by Harris (identical)

Subjects

Energy--Nuclear

ELECTRIC RELIABILITY COUNCIL OF TEXAS (ERCOT)

Text

The text as introduced · 187 words

89R9644 SCR-D

By: Parker
S.B. No. 2315

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a cost overage exemption for interconnection of

advanced nuclear reactors to the ERCOT transmission system.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 35.004(d-2), Utilities Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(d-2) Costs in excess of the transmission-owning utility

allowance provided by Subsection (d-1) incurred to interconnect

generation resources with the ERCOT transmission system must be

directly assigned to and collected from the generation resource

interconnecting through the facilities. This subsection does not

apply to excess costs incurred to interconnect a generation

resource that is an advanced nuclear reactor. For purposes of this

subsection, an advanced nuclear reactor is a fission-based reactor

belonging to one of the following categories:

(1) a large reactor, with a generation capacity

between 400 and 1400 megawatts of electricity;

(2) a small modular reactor, with a generation

capacity between 50 and 400 megawatts of electricity; or

(3) a microreactor, with a generation capacity of less

than 50 megawatts of electricity.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.