Jordan Vonderhaar for. [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. Does your plan guarantee new generation? asked state Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi. State leaders continue to probe what went wrong with the power grid during the Feb. winter storm and what can be done to keep it from happening again. [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. Other: 1,160 MWh. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) is an American organization that operates Texas's electrical grid, the Texas Interconnection,[3][4] which supplies power to more than 25 million Texas customers and represents 90 percent of the state's electric load. [14], Power demand in the ERCOT region is typically highest in summer, primarily due to air conditioning use in homes and businesses. Companies are unlikely to begin investing in building new plants until the law is clear, she said. 51878. Texas Public Utility Commission Chair Peter Lake and ERCOT President Brad Jones said the power grid is prepared for record-breaking summer electricity demand. [34][35], Approximately 4 million customers in Texas were without electricity for various times during the multi-day storm. ", To attempt to corral gas providers, Jones recommended a gas desk at ERCOT to "advise all operators of any gas limitations, maintenance, forced outages, or supply inadequacy." 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. 9:50 AM Dec 2, 2021 CST Jones credited Texans for helping out and told the paper this is where I get impressed by the Texas spirit, the spirit of people who wanted to help each other.. (Matt Payne/Community Impact Newspaper). [51][12], The PUC has primary jurisdiction over activities conducted by ERCOT. Greg Abbott called for reforming the governance of ERCOT, and legislation to do so is advancing through the Legislature. Mary Claire Patton has been a journalist with KSAT 12 since 2015. We used to stand right at the edge of the cliff before calling one, now were 10 feet back when we start to it manage.. . The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) command center in Taylor. 9:50 AM Dec 2, 2021 CST, Brad Jones, interim president and CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, shared new accountability plans and fielded several questions in a town hall coordinated by state Reps Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, and Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, on Dec. 1 at the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center. Greg Abbott and many state lawmakers quickly criticized the Electric Reliability Council of Texas because several members of its large . ERCOT underestimated the maximum amount of power that would be demanded by homes, businesses and industry during a severe winter storm in its fall projections, and it overestimated the amount of power generation that would be available to the grid during such a storm. [63][64][65], It has a headquarters in Austin and an additional complex in Taylor.[66]. [56] This revelation drew considerable anger from the public as well as elected representatives, and the board members' names and photographs were temporarily removed from the ERCOT website due to death threats. 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.. [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. 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 . ", One of the main questions from attendees was on equitable load-shedding during a blackout; many emailed asking why Downtown's lights stayed on. 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.. The most recent conservation appeal from ERCOT to Texans and Texas businesses was sent Wednesday. Latest local news from South Texas from KSAT12. The PUCs favored proposal would leave the basics of the market unchanged a supply-and-demand model that relies on price and gives the biggest financial benefits to generators that can produce the cheapest power. "He brings the right combination of ERCOT knowledge and broad industry expertise needed to provide the stability and reliability that Texans expect and deserve.". He has over 30 years of experience as a process engineer. May 17, 20225 PM Central. Based on our data team's research, Brad Jones is the Electric Reliability Council of Texas's CEO. My guarantee to you is that we intend to communicate more clearly than weve done in the past, Jones told lawmakers. [5] By Matt Payne Amplify your impact and donate now. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Board of Directors. He did not elaborate. Thanks to an updated method for conservation notices, ERCOT has also been able to cut demand beyond what officials expected. 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. [54], The ERCOT board appoints ERCOT's officers to direct and manage ERCOT's day-to-day operations, accompanied by a team of executives and managers responsible for critical components of ERCOT's operation. 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. He has more than 25 years of experience in energy, plastics, and hydrocarbon markets. managed and monitored. of Texas. The rule, if implemented, would punish those who failed to produce the power they promised with financial penalties. [21] Since deregulation, retail providers and power generators were unregulated, although regulations on transmitters continued to control the placement of electrical lines. 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. 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. Demand is growing at a pace that is outpacing [quickly available power] generation in the state, Pablo Vegas, CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates the state power grid, told lawmakers on Monday. 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. Now, officials are working to determine how the Texas power market will create and meet the reliability standard also mandated by Senate Bill 3. The Public Utility Commission of Texas approved Vegas' selection Tuesday and he will begin his new position Oct. 1. Melissa Trevino of Houston is the Assistant Vice President for Power at Occidental Energy Ventures, where she leads the energy management team and oversees the power reporting and compliance group. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is a nonprofit organization that ensures reliable electric service for 90 percent of the state of Texas. [27] At 1:25a.m. on February 15, ERCOT began requesting blackouts from service providers. READ ALSO: ERCOT hearings continue in Austin. Nate Murphy of San Antonio is Senior Counsel for Valero. 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. [19], The deregulation of the Texas electricity market occurred in two phases: the wholesale generation market in 1995 and the rest of the sector in 1999. The operator of the state's main electricity grid has hired a new CEO, ending a 16-month period in the aftermath of . Brad Johnson January 20, 2023. . Brad Jones. ERCOT is the independent system operator (ISO) for the region. [20] Instead, under the deregulated regime, retailers could contract with providers across the state, creating a complex market. 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" to explain what's being done to prepare the grid for another winter storm. Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved. Brad Jones, interim CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, expressed confidence in the state's grid heading into summer. The key though, is to make sure we have other resources to balance them." 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. 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. [15] A megawatt of electricity can power about 200 Texas homes during periods of peak demand. Brad Jones, interim CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas . He's a graduate of Texas State University, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the student-run newspaper, The University Star. 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." 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. Were losing megawatts, but we have more people, more businesses.. He is a member of the Texas State University Engineering Advisory Board and the American Heart Association Executive Committee. Edward Stones of Houston is the Global Business Director for Energy & Climate Change for Dow, Inc. 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. Jones said after ERCOT released an energy conservation notice on Monday, the demand was 2,500 megawatts lower than officials projected. Jones says the ideal backup is "micro-grids": Companies like H-E-B and Walmart can use generators to "separate from the grid until ERCOT is safe enough for them to return." Texas's failure to prepare left the state vulnerable to winter-storm blackouts, including the major disaster that occurred ten years later in February 2021. She has reported on several high-profile stories during her career at KSAT and specializes in trending news and things to do around Texas and San Antonio. [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. Dan Patrick has already demanded: a guarantee that more natural gas plants will be built in Texas. 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. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has declared an Energy Emergency Alert Level 1 and is urging consumers and businesses to limit their electricity use as much as possible on Sunday. A long-time leader among ERCOT stakeholders, Brad chaired ERCOT's Technical Advisory Committee, a Jobs ERCOT's interim president appeared before a Senate committee on Tuesday to discuss efforts to improve the state's electrical grid. 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.. "He is an experienced leader and understands the ERCOT vision and mission. SAN ANTONIO Officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas were not expecting this summer to be quite so brutal. Wholesale electricity prices increased 65 percent in 2021, without taking into account the blackouts cost, due in large part . 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. The Chronicle welcomes opinion pieces on any topic from the community. [53], The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) makes policy recommendations to the ERCOT Board of Directors. 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. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) command center in Taylor. 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. or. READ MORE: 6th ERCOT board member resigns during emergency meeting on winter storm outage. They said their agencies are better prepared for times when there is likely to be a smaller share of energy generated by renewable sources. George Presses of San Antonio is Vice President of Fuel & Energy for H-E-B, where he has worked since 1998. Michele Richmond, the executive director for Texas Competitive Power Advocates, an industry group that represents large power companies, said her members were prepared to build new gas-fired power plants in Texas between 2024 and 2026 capable of producing 4,600 megawatts of power if the Legislature does not inhibit the implementation and the PUCs rule-making process continues as planned. 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. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington. The board oversees major functions of ERCOT: open access to the transmission grid on nondiscriminatory terms, system reliability and adequacy, and . Lake and Jones said they didnt have concerns about natural gas-fired power plants the largest source of electricity generation on the power grid despite having to ask Texans to reduce their power consumption on Friday after six power plants unexpectedly broke down. by Erin Douglas [31][32] Some retail electricity providers were possibly facing huge losses or bankruptcy,[33] and customers of Griddy reported receiving absurdly high electric bills. [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]. Hydroelectric Conventional: 23,086 MWh; Jones received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University and a Master of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Arlington. 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. His experience includes serving as online content editor at Fort Worth Magazine and city editor at the Killeen Daily Herald. Double your gift when you give by 6 p.m. Thursday. [47] A comprehensive review of news reports, death certificates, and lawsuit filings from every county in Texas led a team of journalists in Houston to set the death toll at 194,[48] while a later review of excess deaths by journalists at BuzzFeed estimated the full indirect mortalities to be between 426 and 978. We manage the flow of Texas' power supply. Conservation is a good thing, Jones said. State Sen. 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