The operator of the state's main electricity grid has hired a new CEO, ending a 16-month period in the aftermath of . Petroleum Liquids: 909 MWh; Instead of waiting until the grid is already experiencing emergency conditions, ERCOT now releases conservation notices in advance of emergency conditions in an effort to avoid the scenario altogether. Greg Abbott did not include improving Texas main power grid in his 11-item agenda for the special legislative session that began earlier this month, so lawmakers cannot pass new grid-related laws. ", "Texas largely relies on natural gas for power. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. AUSTIN, Texas -- During February's deadly winter storm, Gov. 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. Rep. Richard Pea Raymond, D-Laredo, said he doesnt understand why lawmakers in the Senate asked the PUC to hit the brakes on its proposal. 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. Its a shame the public doesnt have confidence in the system, state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told Jones. Lake and Jones said asking Texans to conserve electricity is a tool they use to ensure reliability of the power supply and should not be viewed as a sign that the grid is unstable. Its our 10th year participating in Amplify, and to celebrate, weve got $15,000 in matching funds from four generous Tribune supporters. Regional transmission organization in Texas, The Wall Street Journal, "Texas Power Grid Operator Fires CEO," March 4, 2021, North American Electric Reliability Corporation, deregulation of the Texas electricity market, February 2011, a major winter storm impacted Texas, February 1317, 2021 North American winter storm, Deregulation of the Texas electricity market, "Electric Reliability Council Of Texas Inc 10 10 90 - Nonprofit Explorer", "Pablo Vegas, a utility executive in Ohio, named ERCOT's new CEO", "The Texas Freeze: Why the Power Grid Failed", "Electric Power Monthly - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". Breaking down the state's power sources from gas to wind. The winter storm that has moved across our region has caused temperatures to drop well below average for this time of year. State Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, said some of the fault lies with state lawmakers, who have failed over the last decade to implement meaningful grid-related improvements following a severe winter storm in 2011 that highlighted that power companies and natural gas producers hadnt properly prepared their facilities for cold weather. The document is filed in PUC Project No. Houston city council tables vote on Hobby Airport restaurant contract, Georgia star Jalen Carter charged with racing in fatal wreck, Contractor dies after electric shock at Texas City Marathon refinery. Jones expressed some caution about times that are dark and still, meaning when the sun isnt shining to produce solar power and when wind isnt blowing enough to produce wind energy. [4] Relatively few electric customers lost power in those regions. Magness will soon depart ERCOT following a 60-day termination notice handed to him by ERCOT's board of directors in March. The key though, is to make sure we have other resources to balance them." Greg Abbott's now-infamous guarantee that last year's Winter Storm Uri catastrophe won't be repeated, Jones said, "We've done everything possible to make sure that the lights do stay on." The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) board has selected a new CEO and president. ", One of the main questions from attendees was on equitable load-shedding during a blackout; many emailed asking why Downtown's lights stayed on. Energy experts have raised concerns about the states aging energy infrastructure following the February storm, and state Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, questioned the grid officials about those concerns. Lawmakers cannot pass laws to improve Texas power grid during the special legislative session. Jakob Rodriguez is a digital journalist at KSAT 12. P.O. The scene in North Austin on Feb. 16, 2021, following the devastating winter storm. [5] Support the free press, so we can support Austin. Were losing megawatts, but we have more people, more businesses.. [21] Since deregulation, retail providers and power generators were unregulated, although regulations on transmitters continued to control the placement of electrical lines. Mr. Jones was elected by the Board to serve as interim President and CEO until the permanent position has been filled, up to a term of one year (pursuant to ERCOT Bylaws). [27] At first, rotating outages lasting from 10 to 40 minutes were imposed on millions of customers, but those outages lasted many hours for some and over 48 hours for others, while millions more were spared from any hardship. [9], ERCOT is a membership-based 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation,[12][13] and its members include consumers, electric cooperatives, generators, power marketers, retail electric providers, investor-owned electric utilities (transmission and distribution providers), and municipally owned electric utilities. The most recent conservation appeal from ERCOT to Texans and Texas businesses was sent Wednesday. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is a nonprofit organization that ensures reliable electric service for 90 percent of the state of Texas. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. 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. Any light through the door indicates a penetration of cold air coming into the home. Energy experts say lawmakers could have passed legislation to pay consumers to reduce electricity usage or help Texans better insulate their homes and reduce their electricity usage. Jones said the June power crunch was caused by issues stemming from the February freeze. In 1970, ERCOT was formed to comply with NERC requirements. We can help. Copyright 2021 by KSAT - All rights reserved. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Independent System Operator from October 2015 - October 2018. [53], The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) makes policy recommendations to the ERCOT Board of Directors. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Create new account. The board oversees major functions of ERCOT: open access to the transmission grid on nondiscriminatory terms, system reliability and adequacy, and . If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands. According to an ERCOT report, the major sources of generating capacity in Texas are natural gas (51%), wind (24.8%), coal (13.4%), nuclear (4.9%), solar (3.8%), and hydroelectric or biomass-fired units (1.9%). May 17, 20225 PM Central. Many are no longer cost competitive. 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. Overall, Jones says, "We've been bringing on additional reserves to make sure we have an abundance of caution. Conservation is what we should do every day in our lives, conservation is how we treat our use of water in the summers, and when its very hot, I hope that each of you will turn to conservation as a way to both lower your [electricity] bill as well as to help all of us in the market.. Home Tag Electric Reliability Council of Texas . The rule, if implemented, would punish those who failed to produce the power they promised with financial penalties. Last week, senators from the Business and Commerce Committee, after hearing similar testimony from Lake, wrote a letter to PUCs commissioners expressing their concern that the PUCs proposal may fail to meet the requirements of Senate Bill 3 and would not guarantee that new generation will be built in a timely and cost effective manner., Also last week, Patrick held a press conference in which he called for legislation that would cause additional natural-gas-fired power plants to be built in addition to the PUCs proposed market changes. Some key points in the plan include requiring CEOs of energy companies to sign a letter that their equipment is prepared to withstand inclement weather, incentivizing power plant operators to store reserve fuel onsite in case of emergencies and re-writing ERCOTs external communications materials to better inform the public about the state of Texas power supply. Brad Jones, interim CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas . He implored his colleagues to focus on the task at hand: What I hope, members, is that we can try to figure out how to get Texas to the next step, to the next decade [because] the demand continues to go up, and continues to go up.. In a Monday committee hearing, lawmakers questioned whether a Public Utility Commission proposal to redesign Texas electricity market would lead to the building of more natural-gas-fired power plants. Jones' hiring as interim president and CEO, after stints as a vice president and chief operations officer at ERCOT between 2013 and 2015, provides more time for the organization to find a permanent leader. [55], During the February 2021 storm, it emerged that a third of ERCOT's board of directors live outside of Texas; this includes the chair Sally A. Talberg, who lives in Michigan, and the vice chair Peter Cramton. 90%. She is a mentor for American Corporate Partners. Power-generating companies across the state must comply with weatherization standards or face steep fines, according to the new head of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) command center in Taylor. Presses received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Science in Environmental Science from The University of Texas at San Antonio. Brad Jones will fill the role in an interim capacity in early May. "The Board looks forward to working with Brad during this time as ERCOT prepares for summer operations," said ERCOT Board Director and . [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. 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.. 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. He has over 35 years of experience in the electric energy industry. But it would add financial rewards for power plants that can quickly produce electricity when the grid is at its most stressed, such as during very hot or very cold days. Jones, who worked for Texas energy companies and in senior roles at ERCOT before leading New York state's power grid operator as president, takes ERCOT's top job from Bill Magness, who was fired as president and CEO in early March after a winter storm in February left millions of people in the dark for days amid freezing temperature and claimed more than 100 lives. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, ERCOT Interim president and CEO Brad Jones said forecasters for the organization did not anticipate the extreme heat and projected that on the hottest day of summer, the grid demand could reach a max of 77,300 megawatts. [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. Ensure doors and windows are sealed properly. The legislation abolished the former system, in which power was both generated and consumed locally. The Public Utility Commission of Texas approved Vegas' selection Tuesday and he will begin his new position Oct. 1. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. On Tuesday, Abbott amended his statement in regards to this week's ice storm: "No one can guarantee there won't be a load shed event. READ MORE: 6th ERCOT board member resigns during emergency meeting on winter storm outage. "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. ERCOT, Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Winter Storm Uri, Gina Hinojosa, Brad Jones, Greg Abbott, Austin Energy, blackouts, League of Women Voters, Texas Railroad Commission, Information is power. [15] A megawatt of electricity can power about 200 Texas homes during periods of peak demand. Lawmakers also didn't provide direct aid to people harmed by the February crisis. In a letter last week and in a committee meeting Monday, Texas lawmakers from both the House and Senate have asked the Public Utility Commission, which regulates the states electricity market, to hold off on its planned electricity market redesign until the Legislature can evaluate it. In the weeks since the winter storm, both ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the regulatory body that oversees it, have been lambasted for failures in preparing for and responding to the storm. Set ceiling fans to the winter setting by running them clockwise, to pull the warm air down. generation units 52,700+. Brad Jones, Interim CEO, Electric Reliability Council of Texas WHAT: Summer 2022 Texas grid readiness and CDR/SARA overview WHERE: . Box 12428 [20] The 1999 deregulation also dropped limits on rate increases. Lake said that right now, according to an analysts report commissioned by the PUC, the Texas grid can be expected to experience rolling blackouts at least one day per year on average. Community See All. Board of Directors. 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. [8], As the ISO for the region, ERCOT dispatches power on an electric grid that connects more than 46,500 miles of transmission lines and more than 610 generation units.[9]. Heat Wave Renews Call for Renewable Energy, Bernie, Casar Lend Support to YouTube Staff on Strike, Hundreds Die-In at Texas Capitol to Demand Movement on Overdose Crisis, I Live Here I Give Here: Amplify Austin Day. All four regulators replaced officials ousted after the winter storm that crippled the grid for days during subfreezing weather. VP - Commercial Operations | Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Its our 10th year participating in Amplify, and to celebrate, weve got $15,000 in matching funds from four generous Tribune supporters. Recommendations made afterward went unenforced. 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 . "He is an experienced leader and. What ERCOT did by making the announcement on Friday was a greater level of transparency that did not exist before [Winter Storm] Uri, Abbott said. 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. Conservation is a good thing, Jones said. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. She has worked for Occidental since 2003. ERCOT_ISO Electric Reliability Council of Texas ERCOT Board of Directors Brad Jones Interim President and Chief Executive Officer Betty Day Vice President, Security & Compliance and Chief . Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. 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