HJR 218 – Energy Fund Expansion

HJR 218 would change the Texas Constitution to let state energy funds be used not just for power reliability projects, but also for energy efficiency upgrades for retail electric customers. Rather than letting free-market competition drive energy efficiency innovation, this bill steers public funds toward programs that could favor specific technologies or vendors. It creates a new layer of government-managed incentives, potentially increasing administrative costs. Funds may also be diverted disproportionately to urban areas, sidelining rural Texans. Instead of growing a new spending pipeline, Texas should stick to the fund’s original purpose: reliability, and allow consumers to pursue energy efficiency as they choose.