Public Information Act Requests

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The Public Utility Commission of Texas regulates the state's electric, telecommunication, and water and sewer utilities, implements respective legislation, and provides customer assistance in resolving consumer complaints.

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Public Information Act Requests Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code, also known as the Public Information Act or PIA, gives the public the right to access certain government records. The PIA also establishes procedures that governmental bodies must follow when responding to requests for public information. What's Available on the Website? Complaint Statistics Retail Electric Provider (REP) Complaint Scorecards and REP Complaint Histories are available on the PUCT's Power To Choose website. REP Information REP business organization and financial qualification information, contact information, and information regarding a REP's rates, plans, terms of service, renewable energy content, sources of power generation, and emissions and waste are also available at www.powertochoose.org. Utility Directories Searchable databases of the water, electric, and telecommunications utilities that serve Texas are located on the PUCT's website under the Water, Telecommunications, and Electric headings. These databases include mailing addresses and other contact information, certificate numbers, docket numbers for various filings, and associated company names. View the PUCT Market Directories and Utilities: Electric Companies Serving Texas or Utility Directories: Water and Sewer Companies Serving Texas and Communications Companies Serving Texas. Official Filings/Rulemakings Documents that are filed in Central Records, such as docketed cases and ongoing agency projects, are available for downloading through the PUCT Interchange. A daily list of new filings is also available by looking under the List of New Filings. For a list and description of current PUCT rulemaking activities, go to our Industry Projects and Rulemakings pages. Reports Various Water and Sewer Reports, Electric Reports and Communications Reports on the PUCT's website. For other information related to the electric grid and the deregulated market in Texas, please visit the Electric Reliability Council of Texas's website at www.ercot.com. Don't See What You're Looking For? If you still can't find what you are looking for, submit a PIA request. To assist us in handling your request as accurately and efficiently as possible, keep in mind the following tips: Your request must be in writing. The PIA does not apply to oral requests for information. Include your full name and contact information, including an email address if you have one. There are no special words required for a PIA request. We ask that your request be as specific as possible in describing the information you are seeking so we can better respond to your request. Include date ranges if applicable. We will work with you to narrow or clarify your request to locate the records you are seeking. Your request must be for records or information that already exists - the PIA does not require a governmental body to answer questions, perform legal research, or continue to provide records as they are created in the future. You may submit your request in person, via mail, or email to the addresses below. We recommend all requests be addressed to the PUCT's Public Information Coordinator, regardless of how they are submitted to the PUCT. If you submit your request by email, you will receive an auto-reply message that provides additional information about the PIA. A request is considered to be received during regular business hours (between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.) on a regular business day (not a Saturday or Sunday or state or federal holiday). For any request received after business hours, the date received will advance to the next business day. To expedite the PUCT's response to your request, you may ask that the PUCT provide only non-confidential information or redact confidential information. What's Not Available? Here are a few examples of the types of information you will not be able to get with a PIA request, either because we do not have it or the PIA does not apply to it: Information that does not already exist - the PIA does not require a governmental body to create new information in response to a request. Answers to general questions - the PIA does not require a governmental body to answer questions or do research to respond to a PIA request. Opinions - the PUCT is not in the position to endorse any one company over another or give an opinion as to a company's reliability or reputation. Information related to natural gas. Electricity usage and billing history for residences or commercial operations. Franchise agreements between cable companies and municipalities. Cellular communications infrastructure. How to Submit Your Request By email to: open.records@puc.texas.gov MAILING ADDRESS: 1701 Congress Avenue PO Box 13326 Austin, TX 78711-3326 IN PERSON: William B. Travis Building 1701 Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78711-3326 7^th Floor Main Reception William B. Travis Building Location As of December 6, 2022, the PUCT is no longer accepting PIA requests via fax. If you would like to submit a PIA request, please do so through one of the listed options above. What Happens After you Submit a Request? The PIA requires governmental bodies to respond to requests promptly. However, records rarely exist in just one place. Depending on the scope of your request, we may need to contact various parts of the agency asking several different employees to locate and compile responsive records. Sometimes PUCT employees have questions about a request that must be resolved before they begin locating and compiling records. In any case, we will respond to your request no later than the tenth business day after its receipt. If records can be located and compiled more quickly, we will reply as soon as possible. However, please keep in mind that it sometimes takes the full ten business-day period to locate all records, especially when a request is large in scope, or when the PUCT has many pending requests. What is Public Information? "Public Information" is information that is collected, assembled, or maintained under a law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by the governmental body, or for the governmental body if the governmental body owns or has a right of access to the information, or by an individual officer or employee of a governmental body if the information pertains to official business of the governmental body. Although information in the possession of a governmental body is presumed public, some of this information may be subject to one or more exceptions to disclosure. Some examples of information in the PUC's possession that are confidential include, but are not limited to, the following: Account numbers (e.g., utility accounts); Email addresses of members of the public; Private, personal information such as certain financial or medical information; Home addresses, phone numbers, and family member information of government employees; Certain business information submitted by an entity such as a utility or contractor; and Certain security-sensitive information relating to critical infrastructure. Other information in the PUC's possession that may not be subject to release includes, but is not limited to, the following: Privileged attorney-client communications; Information relating to pending or anticipated litigation; and Interagency communications consisting of advice, opinion, or recommendations on policymaking matters of the agency. What Happens If the Information You Have Requested Is Privileged or Confidential? If a governmental body believes that the requested information is confidential or falls within one of the PIA's exceptions, it must request a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) within 10 business days of receiving the request. The OAG will determine in a letter ruling whether the requested information is excepted from public disclosure or whether it must be released. If we believe that requested information might be privileged, confidential, or excepted from public disclosure, we will submit the records to the OAG and request a ruling on the records' status. We will send you a copy of the ruling request without the records. When we receive the OAG's ruling, we will notify you of the ruling and either withhold or release the records as directed by the OAG. This notice from the OAG contains information on the rights of requestors, responsibilities of governmental bodies, and procedural information regarding the PIA: Public Information Act Notice. Are There Charges for Requesting Public Information? The PUCT uses the cost rules established by the OAG when calculating charges for PIA requests. The PUCT will work to minimize costs. For example, in many cases we can scan and attach records to an email to save duplication charges. Further, most documents officially filed with the PUCT may be downloaded at no cost by using the PUCT Interchange. Additionally, our Central Records Office is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding state and federal holidays. Documents that are filed in Central Records may be inspected or copied during those hours. A public copy machine is located in Central Records for $0.10 per printed page.