We need a reliability standard.. Lake said many of the changes, including better weatherization, have already improved the grids performance and that without the new regulations directed by the Legislature in 2021, the state grid would have experienced emergency condition or blackout eight times in the last 18 months. Other: 1,160 MWh. Submit yours now at austinchronicle.com/opinion. [15] A megawatt of electricity can power about 200 Texas homes during periods of peak demand. Supply and Demand. On Wednesday, Jan. 26, the League of Women Voters and state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, hosted the Electric Reliability Council of Texas ' interim CEO Brad Jones on a " listening tour. [20] The 1999 deregulation also dropped limits on rate increases. Petroleum Coke: 742 MWh; Heres how you can help reduce electricity use, according to ERCOT: According to officials, at this time, ERCOT has additional resources that are only available during tight conditions, so rotating outages are not likely.. Answers to 5 questions about the group that operates Texas' power grid", "Texas has set power-demand records 11 times so far this summer", "ERCOT Expects Record Electricity Demand for Summer Heat But Projects Sufficient Generation for Power Grid", "Texas power grid CEO fired after deadly February power outages", Texas' deregulated electricity market, explained, Electric Deregulation Is Working in Texas, Says Lawmaker Who Led the Effort, Since Deregulation, Texas Utility Rates Have Soared, Texas leaders failed to heed warnings that left the state's power grid vulnerable to winter extremes, experts say. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) command center in Taylor. There are many things that are on us, Creighton said. Seems to me we asked you to do something, and youre doing it, he said. Brad Jones, Interim CEO, Electric Reliability Council of Texas WHAT: Summer 2022 Texas grid readiness and CDR/SARA overview WHERE: . [52], The ERCOT organization is governed by a board of directors made up of independent members, consumers and representatives from each of ERCOT's electric market segments. He oversees Market Operations, Settlement and Retail Operations, Market Design and Development, Credit and Client Relations. This represents 85 percent of the state's electric load and 75 percent of the Texas land area. A long-time leader among ERCOT stakeholders, Brad chaired ERCOT's Technical Advisory Committee, a Jobs "Henry Hub Natural Gas Spot Price (Dollars per Million Btu)", "The Price Spike Report issued July 23, 2003", "Extreme winter weather is disrupting energy supply and demand, particularly in Texas", "What went wrong with the Texas power grid? managed and monitored. The fastest-growing sources of power in fast-growing Texas are wind turbines and solar panels, which typically dont provide as much power during the winter months as during the summer. ERCOT's interim president appeared before a Senate committee on Tuesday to discuss efforts to improve the state's electrical grid. That didnt stop a Senate committee from calling the states top electricity and utility regulators to the Capitol Tuesday morning to discuss the state of the power grid following unexpected power plant outages in June, lingering issues with the states energy infrastructure from Februarys deadly winter storm and plans to implement legislation that lawmakers approved in the spring during the regular legislative session. ERCOT and its regulator, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, failed to adopt a mandatory standard for preparing electricity infrastructure for such occurrences (winterization), despite recommendations from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). During a press conference last week, Vegas and Lake both emphasized that the proposed changes would be technologically agnostic and would not prioritize one source of power generation over another. Lake declined to respond directly to the letter from senators during the House hearing Monday but said that the agency is grateful for feedback., I agree we need more dispatchable power, Lake said. Coal: 78,700 MWh; The Texas Energy Reliability Council was established to ensure that the energy and electric industries in this state meet high priority human needs and address critical infrastructure concerns, and enhance coordination and communication in the energy and electric industries in this state. Brad Jones, interim CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, expressed confidence in the states grid heading into summer at a Tuesday press conference. [11] ERCOT also performs financial settlements for the competitive wholesale bulk-power market and administers retail switching for 7 million premises in competitive choice areas. 31,546 people follow this. Instead, the PUC plan would prioritize technology that can quickly switch power on and off throughout the grid to balance drops in renewable power generation when the sun doesnt shine or wind doesnt blow. Jones said after ERCOT released an energy conservation notice on Monday, the demand was 2,500 megawatts lower than officials projected. Get your TribFest tickets by May 31 and save big! Latest local news from South Texas from KSAT12. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. We can help. AUSTIN, Texas -- The board overseeing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the independent nonprofit entity that operates and manages the electricity grid that covers much of. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) Board of Directors (board) selects ERCOT's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), sets overall goals, and guides our direction. The legislation also changes how the Electric Reliability Council of Texas' governing board is appointed. Double your gift when you give by 6 p.m. Thursday. Leaders of the Texas power grid tried to assure the public Tuesday that the states grid is ready for summer, when they forecast record-breaking demand for electricity during the hottest stretches. Hunter and Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, repeatedly questioned Lake about whether the PUCs vote on the market redesign which is expected in January after the public has an opportunity to comment on the plan would be binding and whether the Legislature would have the opportunity to make changes to it. When lawmakers reconvene for another special session in the fall, some are hoping grid-related issues will be on the agenda. Jon Taylor of Austin is the Corporate Vice President of Fab Engineering and Public Affairs at Samsung Austin Semiconductor, where he is responsible for factory engineering for operations including safety, quality, cost, and productivity for all production equipment and supporting personnel. "The Board looks forward to working with Brad during this time as ERCOT prepares for summer operations," said ERCOT Board Director and HR&G Committee Chair Mark Carpenter. 51878. The ERCOT Board of Directors today (April 27) announced the selection of Brad Jones to serve as the interim President and CEO for the Texas grid operator serving 90 percent of the state, effective May 4, 2021. of Texas. During PUC Chair Peter Lakes testimony before the House State Affairs Committee on Monday, lawmakers questioned whether the proposal would actually achieve what many Republican members appeared to most want, and what Lt. Gov. He's a graduate of Texas State University, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the student-run newspaper, The University Star. A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austins independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the communitys political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. [39] A 357-page report had been written after the 2011 power outage in Texas,[40] which seemed to have been ignored, because too many critical generators still lacked appropriate weatherization in 2021,[31][41] especially the natural gas system. Austin Texas 78711 Senate Bills 2 and 3 included a few key changes to the grid that experts said will begin to address some issues, such as requiring power companies to upgrade plants to withstand more extreme weather and creating a statewide emergency alert system. An ISO schedules power on an electric grid and ensures the grid can . [27] At 1:25a.m. on February 15, ERCOT began requesting blackouts from service providers. Before fielding questions, Jones opened with describing several measures ERCOT has already taken, including facility inspections of weatherization measures by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and introducing statewide emergency alerts through the Texas Division of Emergency Management. Were losing megawatts, but we have more people, more businesses.. With BESS, he says, if Austin were to endure the opposite of Uri a heat dome such as Portland experienced last summer, leading to scores of deaths solar would get us through. That also means avoiding rolling blackouts. "He is an experienced leader and. [38], On February 16, Governor Greg Abbott declared that ERCOT reform would be an emergency priority for the state legislature, and there would be an investigation of the power outage to determine long-term solutions. Greg Abbott after last years deadly winter storm to regulate utilities and to oversee the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, said there will be more reserve power available to the grid this summer than in previous summers, a necessary cushion that Lake said reflects a different approach than before last Februarys disaster. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. "He brings the right combination of ERCOT knowledge and broad industry expertise needed to provide the stability and reliability that Texans expect and deserve.". If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Recognizing the reliability advantages of remaining interconnected, TIS members continued to operate and develop the interconnected grid. The best way to say it is that before, operators had gotten comfortable standing at the edge of the cliff and looking down, and now we stand 10 feet back. [21] Since deregulation, retail providers and power generators were unregulated, although regulations on transmitters continued to control the placement of electrical lines. Did Texas energy regulators fail to mandate winter protections? Copyright 2021 by KSAT - All rights reserved. He has more than 25 years of experience in energy, plastics, and hydrocarbon markets. As the independent system operator for the region, ERCOT schedules power on an electric grid that connects more than 46,500 miles of transmission lines and 710+ generation units. [5] ERCOT is the first independent system operator (ISO) in the United States. Were seeing those problems show themselves today, Jones said. broke down Friday, and industry officials say others did, too. That's the difference.". [53], The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) makes policy recommendations to the ERCOT Board of Directors. But after recent leadership shakeups at ERCOT and the PUC, it is state lawmakers who are now increasingly coming under pressure to pass substantial legislation that would protect the state from another power failure the next time inclement weather hits Texas. miles of transmission lines. ", "I commend the ERCOT Board for confirming a leader of Brad's caliber as interim CEO," said PUC Chairman Peter Lake. You can get the very latest forecast anytime by bookmarking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority App - available for both Apple and Android devices. Three PUC commissioners, including the chair, are appointed by the governor of Texas. Any light through the door indicates a penetration of cold air coming into the home. . From left: Peter Lake, chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and Brad Jones, then-interim president and CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, speak at a May 17 press conference about the state power grid. The threat is real, and its happening, he said. Lawmakers also didn't provide direct aid to people harmed by the February crisis. July 13, 20214 PM Central. July 13, 2021 / 8:50 AM / CBS Texas. [14], Power demand in the ERCOT region is typically highest in summer, primarily due to air conditioning use in homes and businesses. Jones responded that Downtown's grid is a sort of mesh structure, which makes it more reliable for those businesses but also precludes Austin Energy from turning off any one feeder. Thanks to an updated method for conservation notices, ERCOT has also been able to cut demand beyond what officials expected. After the power grid crisis during the February 2021 winter storm that left millions of Texans in the dark during dayslong power outages and caused hundreds of deaths, the Texas Legislature ordered the PUC to make several major changes, including requiring power plants to better prepare for very cold conditions and implementing a reliability standard for the states electricity market. The rule, if implemented, would punish those who failed to produce the power they promised with financial penalties. power. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) manages the flow of electric power to more than 26 million Texas customers -- representing about 90 percent of the state's electric load. Recommendations made afterward went unenforced. Jordan Vonderhaar for. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas ensures a reliable electric grid and efficient electricity markets. 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