SB 715: Sparks Reliability Bill Lets Plants Skip Penalties By Contract

Caption

relating to reliability requirements for certain electric generation facilities.

Summary

Need 24 straight hours of output? A battery contract counts. Dual-connection plants: exempt at all hours.

The bill drops the rule that ERCOT's generator reliability standard reaches only plants signing interconnection agreements on or after January 1, 2027, so it now covers any non-self-generating plant that has run for at least a year. At the same time it adds new exemptions from the penalties: plants that can show 24 straight hours of output, including through a contract with another resource such as a battery, and plants with dual grid connections, which are now exempt at all hours. The Public Utility Commission must consider how penalties are set and possibly rebated to consumers, and may phase penalties and incentives in over several years.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on May 8, 2025. Died in the House: never got out of the State Affairs committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB715 · 2025-01-06

SOLD BY

Sen. Kevin SparksRSenate 31

+ 6 coauthors

ITEM

relating to reliability requirements for certain electric generation facilities.

WHAT IT DOES

Need 24 straight hours of output? A battery contract counts. Dual-connection plants: exempt at all hours.

The bill drops the rule that ERCOT's generator reliability standard reaches only plants signing interconnection agreements on or after January 1, 2027, so it now covers any non-self-generating plant that has run for at least a year. At the same time it adds new exemptions from the penalties: plants that can show 24 straight hours of output, including through a contract with another resource such as a battery, and plants with dual grid connections, which are now exempt at all hours. The Public Utility Commission must consider how penalties are set and possibly rebated to consumers, and may phase penalties and incentives in over several years.

CHARGES

[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 55%

THE TEXT

…“resource's own generation capability or through a contract with an”…

Bill text, Senate committee report version (S)

The pitch says the standard will be followed by everyone, but this new exemption lets a plant skip penalties by contracting with another resource, including a battery, instead of meeting the standard itself. The bill also removes the hours limit on the dual-interconnection exemption, which widens the escape further.

[x] CARVE-OUTanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“on resources with dual but separate grid”…

Bill text, Senate committee report version (S)

The bill names one narrow class of resource, plants with dual but separate grid connections. It strikes the old hours limit so these plants are exempt from penalties at all times.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 15, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Jan 6, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Jan 6, 2025Filed
Feb 7, 2025Read first time
Feb 7, 2025Referred to Business & Commerce
Feb 13, 2025Co-author authorized
Feb 20, 2025Co-author authorized
Apr 1, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 1, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 1, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Apr 1, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 15, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 15, 2025Vote taken in committee
Apr 22, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Apr 22, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
Apr 23, 2025Placed on intent calendar
May 8, 2025Co-author authorized
May 8, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
May 8, 2025Record vote
May 8, 2025Read 2nd time
May 8, 2025Amendment(s) offered FA1 Sparks
May 8, 2025Amended
May 8, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
May 8, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
May 8, 2025Record vote
May 8, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
May 8, 2025Record vote
May 8, 2025Read 3rd time
May 8, 2025Passed
May 8, 2025Record vote
May 8, 2025Reported engrossed
May 9, 2025Received from the Senate
May 12, 2025Read first time
May 12, 2025Referred to State Affairs

FILED UNDER

DATA CENTERS, WATER AND THE GRID

THE TEXT

…“39.151 for the ERCOT power region may not impose penalties under”…

Bill text, Senate committee report version (S)

The bill widens which grid generators face reliability penalties and also adds new exemptions that decide who escapes those penalties.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 17 yea · 14 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · May 8, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Kevin Sparks

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$60KKyle & Jamie Stallings$25,000Tim Dunn$25,000

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 · Jul 25, 2024 to Oct 23, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$60,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash: $60,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $60,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 15, 2024 to Oct 23, 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: 101012623, 101029380, 101072732.

Kyle & Jamie Stallings$25,000.00

Tim Dunn$25,000.00

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash: $60,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $60,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 15, 2024 to Oct 23, 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: 101012623, 101029380, 101072732.

Votes4

Senate May 8, 2025

Yea: 17
Nay: 14
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 17, Nays 14.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 17 (published)
Nay: 14 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 8, 2025

Yea: 19
Nay: 12
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Sparks moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 715 at this time on its third reading and final passage: CSSB 715, Relating to reliability requirements for certain electric generation facilities. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 19, Nays 12.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 19 (published)
Nay: 12 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 8, 2025

Yea: 17
Nay: 14
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

CSSB 715 as amended was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 17, Nays 14.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 17 (published)
Nay: 14 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 8, 2025

Yea: 18
Nay: 13
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Sparks moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 715 at this time on its second reading: CSSB 715, Relating to reliability requirements for certain electric generation facilities. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 18, Nays 13.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 18 (published)
Nay: 13 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses85

For: 10
Against: 72
On: 3

Names

For

Panhandle Producers and Royalty Owners Assoc1 registration
Self3 registrations
Self; American Energy Institute1 registration
Self; Protect the Texas Grid1 registration
Self; Texas Eagle Forum1 registration
Self; Texas Right To Know1 registration
South Texas Electric Cooperative1 registration
Texas Public Policy Foundation1 registration

Against

Advanced Power Alliance1 registration
Advanced Power Alliance; Texas Solar and Storage Association1 registration
Apex Clean Energy1 registration
BASF Corporation1 registration
Citizens Climate Lobby1 registration
City of Garland1 registration
Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation1 registration
Cypress Creek Renewables1 registration
EDF Renewables1 registration
Enel North America, Inc.1 registration
Engie NA1 registration
Environmental Defense Fund1 registration
Invenergy LLC1 registration
National Grid Renewables1 registration
Pattern Energy Group 2 LP1 registration
Powering Texans1 registration
Public Citizen1 registration
R Street Institute1 registration
RWE Clean Energy1 registration
Self19 registrations
Self; CCL3 registrations
Self; Citizens Climate Lobby13 registrations
Self; Citizens’ Climate Lobby4 registrations
Self; Crescentia Initiative1 registration
Self; Environment Texas1 registration
Self; Nous Energy (Consultancy)1 registration
Self; OCI Energy1 registration
Self; San Angelo Chamber of Commerce1 registration
Self; TSEA1 registration
Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter1 registration
Sol Systems LLC1 registration
Solar Energy Industries Association1 registration
Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance1 registration
Texas Chapter of US Green Building Council1 registration
Texas Energy Buyers Alliance1 registration
Texas Solar + Storage Association1 registration
The AES Corporation1 registration

On

City of Georgetown1 registration
Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)1 registration
Public Utility Commission of Texas1 registration

Sources

85 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 15, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version S by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Jan 6, 2025

05/12/2025 H Referred to State Affairs: May 12 2025 10:52PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 2:05 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

Adam HinojosaRSenate 27

Bryan HughesRSenate 1

Phil KingRSenate 10

Lois KolkhorstRSenate 18

Mayes MiddletonRSenate 11

Charles SchwertnerRSenate 5

House committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Senate committee · Business & Commerce · Committee vote 6 aye, 4 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Companion

HB 3356 by Patterson (identical)

Subjects

Utilities--Electric

Utilities--General

Text

The text as introduced · 176 words

89R4457 SCR-D

By: Sparks
S.B. No. 715

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the applicability of certain generation reliability

requirements.

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

SECTION 1. Section 39.1592(a), Utilities Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) This section applies only to an electric generation

facility in the ERCOT power region that is subject to [ for which ] a

standard generator interconnection agreement , [ is signed on or

after January 1, 2027, that ] has been in operation for at least one

year, and [ that ] is not a self-generator.

SECTION 2. (a) Sections 52(b) and (c), Chapter 410 (H.B.

1500), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, are

repealed.

(b) Notwithstanding the deadline provided by Section

39.1592(b), Utilities Code, an owner or operator of an electric

generation facility to which Section 39.1592(b), Utilities Code,

applies shall make the first demonstration required by Section

39.1592(b), Utilities Code, not later than January 1, 2027.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Verdict: Smells

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Senate May 8, 2025

Senate May 8, 2025

Senate May 8, 2025

Senate May 8, 2025

For

Against

On

Companion