INSIDER
The Public Utility Commission found that the performance credit mechanism, a financial tool the Legislature capped at $1 billion, would only marginally improve reliability of the state power grid.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) lead meteorologist told board members the pattern this winter appears more likely to support an extreme cold event.
ERCOT says conditions this winter could spark extreme cold, but additional power supply and continued weatherization efforts will lower the risk of power outages.
The Public Utility Commission of Texas adopted the rule amid surging demand for power across the state and a growing crypto mining industry in Texas.
Naturally, with the growing power demand, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that ERCOT will reach another peak. According to ERCOT’s records, its grid has reached peak demand hours consecutively each year. In August 2023, the record peaked at 85,508 MW, surpassing its peak demand from July 2022, which was at 80,148 MW.
The prediction by ERCOT reflects a new way of counting future demand and a spike in requests to connect to the grid from large power users.
The announcement was made Tuesday in a brief social media post describing Foster's work as "integral to ERCOT and to the electric power industry in Texas."
As the solar eclipse approaches, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas is gearing up with strategic planning and tools to maintain Texas’ power grid balance.
Years in the making, the transition from a municipal electric company to an open market has left some residents unsure.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) are asking Texans to conserve electricity usage Monday morning.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas issued a weather watch from Jan. 14- 17 due to the hard freeze that will impact the state.
As we get closer to the freezing weather in Texas, ERCOT provides a 6-day forecast for its grid capacity. Here's what ERCOT is expecting for supply and demand during the cold snap.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the state’s main power grid, has a dashboard that allows residents to track current conditions and usage. The timestamp of each dashboard indicates when the information was last updated, according to ERCOT’s website.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has released a forecast for January 2024 and it explains when the power grid has the highest chances of requiring conservations, and even rolling blackouts.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has issued a Weather Watch from Jan. 15-17 due to forecasted extreme cold weather across Southeast Texas, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves.
There is increasing concern for a hard freeze across Southeast Texas that will possibly happen next Monday night into Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service announced. There is also the potential for another hard freeze Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
Bitcoin miner Riot Platforms made headlines over the summer for making millions by selling pre-purchased power back to the grid. The news highlighted how the grid can benefit businesses more than consumers.
Industry experts continue to argue over whether the electricity market in Texas needs to change to make the grid more reliable in winter and summer.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has canceled a request to increase operating reserves this winter as it expected to be prepared for extreme weather.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas announced Tuesday an update to the emergency operations reserve levels ahead of the winter months.
Only one Texan, Rep. Pete Sessions, remains in the race for House Speaker. Republicans will hear from the candidates Monday night as they try to fill the job following U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan’s failure to win a majority.
The city approved a plan in 2020 to shut the Fayette Power Project plant with the aim of eliminating carbon emissions. But political, economic and technological forces have gotten in the way.
As part of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ approach to grid operations, a request was issued to stakeholders Monday to increase operating reserves, a news release said.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) instituted an Energy Emergency Alert on Wednesday but avoided calling for controlled outages to keep the grid in balance.
The sweltering heat wave in Texas has the power grid manager again asking residents to cut electricity use.
The sweltering heat wave in Texas has the power grid manager again asking residents to cut electricity use.
Riot Platforms is losing so much money that it’s counting on energy credits from selling power back to the Texas grid to keep its costs under control, reports said.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is asking Texans to conserve electricity use, if safe to do so, Thursday from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has asked Houston residents and businesses to conserve electricity due to continued high temperatures, high demand, low wind and declining solar power generation Wednesday evening.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a Voluntary Conservation Notice to customers.
This is the second voluntary conservation notice issued this summer by ERCOT, which hopes to lower electricity use and avoid tight grid conditions amid an ongoing heat wave.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has issued a weather watch due to extreme temperatures Friday and forecasted record demand.
The all-Republican court narrowly found that the nonprofit corporation operating the state’s electrical grid qualifies for sovereign immunity, which protects government entities from lawsuits.
Texas’ power grid operator is asking residents to voluntarily cut back on electricity due to anticipated record demand on the system as a heat wave keeps parts of the state and southern U.S. in triple-digit temperatures.
Texans were asked to conserve energy from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday as temperatures climb over 100 degrees for much of the state.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is holding a news conference on Wednesday to announce its new campaign to provide reliable information to Texans about the power grid.
On Wednesday, officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, shared a seasonal assessment that shows extreme temperatures over the summer may put the state in an energy crunch. These worries stem from what officials with the Public Utilities Commission of Texas and ERCOT said is Texas’ failure to keep up with population growth in terms of the grid.
Public Utility Commission Chair Peter Lake said renewable energy could be critical to preventing power outages this summer. Renewable energy supporters said the grid’s reliability doesn’t hinge on wind and solar.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the Public Utility Commission of Texas are holding a press conference on Wednesday in Austin to update Texans on the status of the grid ahead of the upcoming summer.
The plants would be activated during emergencies. Lawmakers haven’t decided whether to pay for them through state funds or higher charges to electricity customers.
The actions by the Public Utility Commission led to billions of dollars of overcharges, the Austin-based court found. It’s not yet clear if the ruling will affect consumers.
The idea, which still lacks some important details and could be changed by state lawmakers, would change how electricity is paid for in tight times. We explain it for everyday Texans.
Thousands are accusing power companies, distribution companies, electric grid operators and others of failing to prepare properly for the February 2021 storm, creating a catastrophe.
The Public Utility Commission has about 200 employees but needs more to handle shoring up the state power grid and tackling an expanded list of regulatory duties, according to the state Sunset Advisory Commission.
Many people and insurers sued the Electric Reliability Council of Texas after the 2021 freeze. The nonprofit says it shouldn’t be liable. The state Supreme Court has a chance to weigh in.
The U.S. Department of Energy granted permission for power plants to release more pollution than is normally allowed — if grid conditions worsen.
Gov. Greg Abbott and other leaders say Texans should protect their homes and vehicles as large portions of the state will experience dangerously cold temperatures.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the state’s main power grid, has a dashboard that allows residents to track current conditions and usage. The timestamp of each dashboard indicates when the information was last updated, according to ERCOT’s website.
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. Regulators say it would.
Changes to Texas’ power grid have improved ERCOT’s ability to keep power flowing during major winter storms, but in an extreme scenario, the grid could still face rolling blackouts, a seasonal assessment shows.
The governor shared the favorable forecast — which is normal for the fall months — ahead of a competitive race in which the grid’s performance during last year’s fatal winter storm may factor into Texans’ decisions at the polls.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas Board of Directors announced Tuesday the selection of Pablo Vegas to serve as the President and CEO for the Texas grid operator. Vegas will join ERCOT on October 1.
The state power grid operator has been run by an interim chief since the previous CEO was fired following the deadly 2021 winter storm that crashed much of the grid.
Locked in a potentially tight reelection race and facing criticism over the grid’s 2021 collapse, the governor is exerting unprecedented influence over what the state grid operator shares with the public — and who will be its next CEO.
While wind farms in the region could help power and lower energy costs for at least 9 million homes, significant infrastructure upgrades would be needed to supply electricity from the region to other parts of the state.
Cryptocurrency mining requires huge amounts of electricity, prompting concerns over the industry’s environmental impact — and whether the state’s grid can keep up.
As extreme weather becomes increasingly frequent, Texans said the power grid operator’s calls to conserve energy were a reminder the state still struggles to keep up with the growing power demand.
Texans have been asked to turn up their thermostats and avoid using large appliances from 2 to 9 p.m. Wednesday. The power grid operator said it does not expect rolling blackouts.
ERCOT is once again asking Texans to conserve electricity this week as hot weather continues driving record power demands across the state.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the state’s main power grid, has a dashboard that allows residents to track current conditions and usage.
A new unofficial all-time peak demand record for the Texas power grid was hit Monday after officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas issued a Conservation Appeal.
The cost of electricity in Texas is tightly tied to the price of natural gas, which has more than doubled since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.
Can the state's electricity grid handle all of the electricity usage during these hot summer months? Find out the scenarios that could bring rolling blackouts to your neighborhood - Plus, the role solar energy plays in all of this.
EROCT said the power demand surpassed 74. 9 GW on Sunday, breaking the previous record of 74. 8 GW in August 2019.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo discussed the county’s extreme heat preparedness following a meeting with officials from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the Public Utilities Commission of Texas and Harris County Emergency Management.
Texas Public Utility Commission Chair Peter Lake and ERCOT President Brad Jones said the power grid is prepared for record-breaking summer electricity demand.
Officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the Public Utility Commission will hold a press conference to discuss the readiness of the Texas power grid for the 2022 summer season, according to a release.
Climate change and other factors are shortening the window when aging Texas power plants can make repairs to run at full strength in hot summer months.
ERCOT has issued an Advanced Action Notice Tuesday for Texas power plants to prepare for higher than usual customer demand due to the high temperatures forecasted for Mother’s Day weekend.
After last winter’s near-statewide electric blackouts, Texas lawmakers went after regulators they deemed responsible but tiptoed around the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas. Now voters have a chance, if they want it, to send the state a message.
In the state’s power grid, electricity and natural gas are co-dependent. Here’s how the winter storm last year broke the system.
Experts say it’s unclear whether changes mandated by Texas lawmakers to prevent widespread power outages like those last February made a significant difference during a weaker winter storm.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the state’s main power grid, has a dashboard which allows residents to track current conditions and usage.
This week’s freezing weather isn’t expected to be as severe as last year’s storm. But Texans remain anxious about the electricity grid.
The weather is not expected to be as severe or last as long as last year’s freeze. Texas leaders do not expect systemwide blackouts, but they have warned that local power outages are possible throughout the state.
This week’s cold weather forecast triggers memories of the electricity blackouts that left millions in the dark during a polar vortex and killed hundreds of Texans last year. It’s triggering politicians’ memories, too, during the primary election.
Gov. Greg Abbott said he could not guarantee power would stay on throughout Texas this week, just two months after he promised the lights would stay on this winter.
A watch has been issued for the Texas area for an extreme cold weather event with possible icing conditions as an arctic cold front blasts through Wednesday night, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.
With the height of the winter season approaching, here are some tips to prepare an emergency kit, protect your home and stay informed.
Texans may not need to worry about another freeze as ERCOT, or the Electric Reliability Council of Texas said they have completed on-site inspections of mandatory winterization efforts.
He's been heavily involved in positive public messaging about the grid’s winter readiness, but the data aren't rosy — and experts fear the grid could fail if there's another winter storm.
Chances are, winter weather won’t be as bad as it was last February. Chances are, Texas won’t have the electric blackouts that caused so much misery then. And chances are, whatever happens will have some influence on the 2022 elections.
As state regulators and the companies that power the grid take steps to avoid another catastrophe like February’s winter storm, climate experts say this winter will likely be milder.
Republican leaders defend their record on the power grid, pointing to more than a dozen laws passed during this year’s legislative session to address the grid’s reliability. Gov. Greg Abbott has staked his reputation on a promise that the lights won't go out this winter.
Natural gas powers the majority of electricity in Texas, especially during winter. Some power companies say the state’s gas system is not ready for another deep freeze.
Next year’s primary elections start a year after a winter storm knocked out power across Texas — and the government response to that disaster could be on voters’ minds.
Most voters approve of using state money to add border barriers between Texas and Mexico. But 57% disapprove of a new abortion law’s provision allowing lawsuits against people who help someone get the procedure.
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The state Public Utility Commission adopted a rule — which experts first recommended a decade ago following a winter storm — requiring power companies to use “best efforts” to ensure plants can operate in the winter.
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Oil and gas industry groups provided a list of names to the Railroad Commission for appointment to a council formed in response to the February power crisis. All four of the industry's top choices were selected.
A report from the state climatologist finds that the state is experiencing hotter days with less relief from high temperatures at night.
