Relating to the authority of the Public Utility Commission of Texas to retain assistance for regional proceedings affecting certain electric utilities and consumers.

SB 1876 allows the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) to hire experts like consultants, accountants, or attorneys to represent the commission in regional electricity proceedings involving specific utilities. The bill requires the electric utility involved in such proceedings to pay the PUC's reasonable costs (capped at $1.5 million annually), with these costs recoverable by the utility through a special rider on customer bills. This applies to matters like utility relationships with regional transmission organizations, operational coordination agreements, or rate-impacting issues. The bill creates a formal process for cost recovery while setting limits on utility expenses and requiring attorney general consultation for certain hires.