2023 Texas Statutes › Utilities Code › Title 2 - Public Utility Regulatory Act › Subtitle B - Electric Utilities › Chapter 39 - Restructuring of Electric Utility Industry › Subchapter M. Winter Storm Uri Default Balance Financing › Section 39.604. Commission-Authorized Financing

Sec. 39.604.  COMMISSION-AUTHORIZED FINANCING.  (a) The commission may contract with another state agency with expertise in public financing to establish a debt financing mechanism for the payment of the default balance as defined in this subchapter, under an order that meets the requirements of Section 39.603. This section does not apply to a default balance securitized under Subchapter D, Chapter 41.
(b)  The contracted state agency and any issuer, along with the independent organization, must be a party to the commission's proceedings that address the issuance of an order.
(c)  In addition to the other applicable requirements of this subtitle, an order issued under this section must:
(1)  require the sale, assignment, or other transfer to the contracted state agency of default charges created by the order and, following that sale, assignment, or transfer, require that default charges paid under any order be created, assessed, and collected as the property of the contracted state agency, subject to subsequent sale, assignment, or transfer by the contracted state agency as authorized under this subchapter;
(2)  authorize:
(A)  the issuance of debt obligations by the contracted state agency secured by a pledge of default charge revenue, and the application of the proceeds of those debt obligations, net of issuance costs, to the independent organization; or
(B)  the acquisition of default charge revenue from the independent organization by the contracted state agency, financed:
(i)  by a loan by an issuer to the contracted state agency of the proceeds of debt obligations, net of issuance costs; or
(ii)  by the acquisition by an issuer from the contracted state agency of the default charge revenue and in each case the pledge of the revenue to the repayment of the loan or other debt obligation, as applicable; and
(3)  authorize the independent organization to serve as collection agent to collect the default charges and transfer the collected default charges to the contracted state agency or the issuer, as appropriate.
(d)  After issuance of the order, the contracted state agency shall arrange for the issuance of debt obligations, as specified by the order, by the contracted state agency or another issuer selected by the contracted state agency and approved by the commission.
(e)  Debt obligations issued pursuant to an order issued under this section are secured only by the default charge revenue and any other funds pledged under the bond documents.  No assets of the state or the independent organization are subject to claims by the holders of the debt obligations.  Following assignment of the default charge revenue, the independent organization does not have any beneficial interest or claim of right in the revenue.
(f)  Effective on the date the first debt obligations are issued under this subchapter, if any provision of this title or portion of this title is held to be invalid or is invalidated, superseded, replaced, or repealed, or expires for any reason, that occurrence does not affect the validity or continuation of this subchapter or any other provision of this title that is relevant to the issuance, administration, payment, retirement, or refunding of debt obligations authorized under this subchapter or to any actions of the independent organization, its successors, an assignee, a collection agent, the contracted state agency, or an issuer and those provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
Added by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 908 (H.B. 4492), Sec. 5, eff. June 16, 2021.