Now, officials are working to determine how the Texas power market will create and meet the reliability standard also mandated by Senate Bill 3. During the war, the grid was interconnected to other states and excess power generation was sent to industries on the Gulf Coast, providing a more reliable supply of electricity for production of metal and other material needed for the war.[19]. In 1970, ERCOT was formed to comply with NERC requirements. [63][64][65], It has a headquarters in Austin and an additional complex in Taylor.[66]. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. When lawmakers reconvene for another special session in the fall, some are hoping grid-related issues will be on the agenda. Trevino received a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration from the Texas Tech University. miles of transmission lines. 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. 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. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. San Antonio area in for two rounds of winter weather this weekend, These San Antonio-area schools have announced changes for Monday due to expected wintry weather, These San Antonio-area businesses have announced closures, delays on Monday due to inclement weather, Mondays vaccination appointments at Alamodome, WellMed clinics rescheduled due to expected wintry weather in San Antonio, Now is the time to prepare your vehicle, gather emergency supplies before wintry weather hits. 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. 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. [57][58] The board was also criticized for its meeting days before the storm: though the meeting lasted more than two hours, the members spent less than a minute discussing storm preparations and readiness. Breaking down the state's power sources from gas to wind. Lawmakers cannot pass laws to improve Texas power grid during the special legislative session. The agency has already implemented the winterization regulation the Legislature passed in 2021. | It should be included in the next special session, said Tom Smith, longtime former director of Public Citizens Texas office. "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? 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. The legislation also changes how the Electric Reliability Council of Texas' governing board is appointed. Ensure doors and windows are sealed properly. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Appointment. An immediate concern Jones must confront at ERCOT is the prospect of an atypical summer that pushes demand for electricity beyond normal summer peaks. Confidential proposals were due April 9, and ERCOT received eight proposals that it is evaluating for Board consideration. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) command center in Taylor. Texas is likely to see a hotter and drier summer than normal this year, according to an April climate outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and 2021 is likely to rank among the 10 warmest years on record globally. [23], During a major cold-weather event in mid-February 2021, ERCOT declared a statewide emergency, due to a 34,000 MW shortfall in generation that caused widespread blackouts. Set thermostats to 68 degrees while at home, or as low as comfortably tolerable. Avoid using large appliances (i.e., ovens, washing machines, and dishwashers). The scene in North Austin on Feb. 16, 2021, following the devastating winter storm. [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. There, he oversaw Commercial Operations and Grid Planning and Operations. Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Brad Jones, Nate Murphy, George Presses, Edward Stones, Jon Taylor, and Melissa Trevino to the Texas Energy Reliability Council for terms at the pleasure of the Governor. Its our 10th year participating in Amplify, and to celebrate, weve got $15,000 in matching funds from four generous Tribune supporters. Your donation keeps our trusted reporting free and accessible for all Texans and during a legislative session when lawmakers are set to tackle issues from school choice for K-12 students to school safety improvements to changes in property taxes, its critical that Texans know what lawmakers decisions mean for their futures. 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)". While Magness was fired, Walker resigned after also coming under harsh criticism from lawmakers. He is a 2017 graduate of the Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas in Denton. She is a mentor for American Corporate Partners. 2005-2022 Community Impact Newspaper Co. All rights reserved. The legislation abolished the former system, in which power was both generated and consumed locally. power. [43][44] On March 8, 2021, ERCOT began releasing a weekly market notice that includes entities that have paid previously identified short-pay amounts and provides an updated estimate of the aggregate outstanding short-pay amount. 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. Mr. Jones has more than 25 years of electric industry . Mr. Jones has 30+ years of industry experience, including serving as former ERCOT Vice President of Commercial Operations from April 2013 - December 2014 and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from January 2015 - October 2015. Brad Johnson January 20, 2023. . ", "Texas largely relies on natural gas for power. We need a reliability standard.. Jakob Rodriguez is a digital journalist at KSAT 12. 9:50 AM Dec 2, 2021 CST ERCOT's interim president appeared before a Senate committee on Tuesday to discuss efforts to improve the state's electrical grid. He is a member of the Texas State University Engineering Advisory Board and the American Heart Association Executive Committee. He is a corporate member representative for the Texas Oil & Gas Association, Texas Industrial Energy Consumers, Louisiana Energy Users Group, Oklahoma Industrial Energy Consumers, Texas Energy Coalition, and the Association of Oil Pipe Lines. Can't keep up with happenings around town? managed and monitored. Other senators questioned why in June, two weeks after the regular legislative session ended, some Texas power plants unexpectedly went offline, spurring ERCOT to ask Texans to set thermostats higher during a heat wave to conserve energy. You can do this by setting your thermostat to 78 degrees (or a level that is safe for you); turning off lights and pool pumps; avoiding use of large appliances such as ovens, washing machines and dryers; and turning off or unplugging unused electric appliances. (512) 463-2000, Office of the Texas Governor | Greg Abbott, Governor Abbott Appoints Six to Texas Energy Reliability Council. [6] ERCOT works with the Texas Reliability Entity (TRE),[7] one of eight regional entities within the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) that coordinate to improve reliability of the bulk power grid. Meanwhile, the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the natural gas industry, has required those providers to sign up as critical services whose own electricity won't be shut down during a blackout. 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 . 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. But the gas companies that fuel them, despite being the biggest contributors to the blackout (and to Abbott's reelection campaign), didn't have to. Log In. Brad Jones of Liberty Hill is the Interim CEO of ERCOT. Got something to say? "He brings the right combination of ERCOT knowledge and broad industry expertise needed to provide the stability and reliability that Texans expect and deserve.". ", "I commend the ERCOT Board for confirming a leader of Brad's caliber as interim CEO," said PUC Chairman Peter Lake. 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. Pablo Vegaswill take over the president and CEO role for the. [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]. Jordan Vonderhaar for. [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. [42], The first lawsuits against ERCOT grid mismanagement were filed on February 19, 2021. The threat is real, and its happening, he said. Support the free press, so we can support Austin. Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved. Texas Public Utility Commission Chair Peter Lake, appointed by Gov. Industry veteran Brad Jones is taking over as interim president and CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of . That's the difference.". He has over 30 years of experience as a process engineer. Set ceiling fans to the winter setting by running them clockwise, to pull the warm air down. Were seeing those problems show themselves today, Jones said. [4] Relatively few electric customers lost power in those regions. Submit yours now at austinchronicle.com/opinion. Community See All. Edward Stones of Houston is the Global Business Director for Energy & Climate Change for Dow, Inc. Brad Jones of Liberty Hill is the Interim CEO of ERCOT. He has over 35 years of experience in the electric energy industry. Gov. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) command center in Taylor. Murphy received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the United States Air Force Academy, a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law, and a Master of Public Administration from The University of Texas at San Antonio. [28], Texans outside the ERCOT-controlled grid had a different power experience. His experience includes serving as online content editor at Fort Worth Magazine and city editor at the Killeen Daily Herald. READ ALSO: ERCOT hearings continue in Austin. 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. NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is urging consumers and businesses to limit their electricity use as much as possible on Sunday. Greg Abbott called for reforming the governance of ERCOT, and legislation to do so is advancing through the Legislature. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Independent System Operator from October 2015 - October 2018. [18], At the beginning of World War II, several electric utilities in Texas agreed to operate together as the Texas Interconnected System (TIS) to support the war effort. Patrick Svitek contributed to this story. 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. ERCOT is the independent system operator (ISO) for the region. If rotating outages are necessary, ERCOT will keep customers updated about the length of time it will be in effect and how the situation is progressing, according to officials. Its our 10th year participating in Amplify, and to celebrate, weve got $15,000 in matching funds from four generous Tribune supporters. "He is an experienced leader and understands the ERCOT vision and mission. 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 hopes that once the state maps out all critical infrastructure in the grid by this September, "it will be much easier to track which facilities have to be weatherized to improve our overall reliability. Does your plan guarantee new generation? asked state Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi. Overall, Jones says, "We've been bringing on additional reserves to make sure we have an abundance of caution. On May 4, 1976, Central Southwest Holdings attempted to force the issue, with an event that was later called the "Midnight Connection", where it connected the grid to Oklahoma for a few hours. Electric Reliability Council of Texas has 125 employees, of which 19 are in a leadership position. 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