Trackers Must Provide Accurate, Up-To-Date Outage Information in Both English and Spanish
AUSTIN, Texas – Electric utilities that deliver power to retail electric customers in Texas are now required to maintain an online electric outage tracker that provides detailed information about power outages in both English and Spanish. This requirement was approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) yesterday through an update to 16 Texas Administrative Code §25.52.
“When severe weather or any other threat to electric service hits, providing timely, accurate information to consumers is essential,” PUCT Chairman Thomas Gleeson said. “Texans must be well-informed to stay safe, and information on these outage trackers can be critical for them. Requiring that these trackers are always available online means consumers can always access this potentially lifesaving information.”
The rule requires utilities that provide distribution service to retail electricity customers to maintain accurate and publicly available outage trackers or maps on their website. The tracker or map must contain the following information in English and Spanish:
- A map of the utility’s distribution service territory
- For each active outage impacting customers:
- Approximate location of the outage
- Date and time the outage was reported or identified
- Estimated restoration time
- General status of the restoration effort
- Date and time the outage and restoration status information was most recently updated
- Information on how a customer can report an outage or hazardous condition (One digital reporting method must be available to customers.)
- Information on how a customer can request to receive updates on the status of outages and restoration efforts
If an outage tracker or map is scheduled to be offline or unavailable for maintenance or upgrades, the utility must post the details of the scheduled activity on its website and provide notice to the PUCT. If the tracker or map unexpectedly becomes unavailable, the utility must notify the Commission in writing.
The rule does not apply to municipally owned utilities or electric cooperatives.
Utilities must comply with these requirements immediately upon the effective date of the rule. However, if a utility needs time to upgrade its tracker or map to comply with the rule, it may file an update with the PUCT. The filing must identify which requirements are not being met and provide a projected compliance date, which can be no later than June 1, 2025.
Utilities that violate this rule could face penalties up to $25,000 per day, per violation, in accordance with Chapter §25.8 of the PUCT’s rules.
