TX SB1789

Requires the Public Utility Commission to adopt structural integrity standards for transmission and distribution poles, including inspection, maintenance, remediation, and replacement timelines that account for Texas geographic and weather characteristics

Applies to electric utilities, municipally owned utilities, and electric cooperatives operating transmission or distribution assets, with municipally owned utilities and cooperatives required to adopt commission standards within 120 days of their adoption

Lowers the threshold for enforcement action from 300% to 200% when a utility's feeder with 10+ customers has SAIDI or SAIFI averages exceeding the system average during any two-year period, and adds consideration of interruption duration

Allows the commission to reduce a utility's return on equity for infrastructure repair or replacement costs if the utility failed to comply with pole structural integrity standards and its system was damaged by weather or natural disaster

Mandates annual reports by May 1 on pole maintenance schedules, inspection results including number of poles inspected and remediation actions taken, with municipally owned utilities and cooperatives required to include attestations of compliance; effective September 1, 2025