Public Utility Commission of Texas Chairman Peter Lake and Electric Reliability Council of Texas CEO Brad Jones will hold a press conference to discuss the readiness of the Texas power grid for the 2022 summer 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. Brad Jones, interim CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, expressed confidence in the state's grid heading into summer. 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.. 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. Brad Jones, interim CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas . Set ceiling fans to the winter setting by running them clockwise, to pull the warm air down. 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. 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. 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. 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. Lake said that the agency was simply moving forward with what the Legislature asked it to do last year with Senate Bill 3 but later said, We dont plan on operationalizing any market designs until we receive guidance from the Legislature.. ", "I commend the ERCOT Board for confirming a leader of Brad's caliber as interim CEO," said PUC Chairman Peter Lake. Amplify your impact and donate now. 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. Hydroelectric Conventional: 23,086 MWh; [5] "He is an experienced leader and. According to ERCOT officials, the cold weather in the area has resulted in a record-breaking demand on the power grid. However, there are a few ways you can reduce your electric usage at home. 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. When we call for it, I want Texans understand: Thats not because were going into rolling outages. [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. [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. There are many things that are on us, Creighton said. "He is an experienced leader and understands the ERCOT vision and mission. [34][35], Approximately 4 million customers in Texas were without electricity for various times during the multi-day storm. An immediate concern Jones must confront at ERCOT is the prospect of an atypical summer that pushes demand for electricity beyond normal summer peaks. 28,461 people like this. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. [22], In early February 2011, a major winter storm impacted Texas; freezing and extreme cold at natural gas pipelines and wells, as well as generating units (such as coal-fired power plants and wind turbines) caused power outages across Texas affecting 3.2 million customers. It should be included in the next special session, said Tom Smith, longtime former director of Public Citizens Texas office. Its a scenario that ERCOT forecasters originally only gave a 5% chance of happening, Jones told the Houston Chronicle. READ ALSO: ERCOT hearings continue in Austin. Dan Patrick had called for Magness and DeAnn Walker, then the head of the PUC, to resign. [27] At 1:25a.m. on February 15, ERCOT began requesting blackouts from service providers. 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. 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). Create new account. Coal: 78,700 MWh; "Is ERCOT a government agency? To remove industry jargon, to speak to you in ways that all of us can understand.. Jakob Rodriguez is a digital journalist at KSAT 12. A long-time leader among ERCOT stakeholders, Brad chaired ERCOT's Technical Advisory Committee, a Jobs 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. 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. "The Board looks forward to working with Brad during this time as ERCOT prepares for summer operations," ERCOT Director Mark Carpenter said in a Tuesday release. 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. Brad Jones will fill the role in an interim capacity in early May. Did Texas energy regulators fail to mandate winter protections? Double your gift when you give by 6 p.m. Thursday. His experience includes serving as online content editor at Fort Worth Magazine and city editor at the Killeen Daily Herald. Prior to deregulation, residential electricity rates were significantly below the national average; after deregulation, residential electricity rates increased, rising 64% between 1999 and 2007. This spring, ERCOT forecasters predicted just a 5% chance that this summer's peak load demand would reach the levels it has. The terms of Mr. Jones' engagement with ERCOT will be established with the ERCOT Human Resources and Governance Committee, subject to Board approval. [20] The 1999 deregulation was aimed at counteracting a shortage of generation capacity in the state. [49] An 11-year-old boy, Cristian Pavon, who died of suspected hypothermia was among the deaths caused by ERCOT's grid system. May 17, 20225 PM Central. Brad Jones, interim CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, expressed confidence in the state's grid heading into summer at a Tuesday press conference. Were seeing those problems show themselves today, Jones said. This caused lawsuits about whether federal regulation then applied, however the judgement was that this was not sufficient. 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. "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? (Jordan Vonderhaar For The Texas Tribune, Jordan Vonderhaar For The Texas Tribune). The threat is real, and its happening, he said. Home Tag Electric Reliability Council of Texas . [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. [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. [45], On February 16, 2021, it was reported that at least 10 deaths were linked to the 2021 ERCOT grid power outages. 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." My guarantee to you is that we intend to communicate more clearly than weve done in the past, Jones told lawmakers. Stones received a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Stanford University and a Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University. Latest local news from South Texas from KSAT12. He's a graduate of Texas State University, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the student-run newspaper, The University Star. At least one of the plants that delayed its repairs broke down Friday, and industry officials say others did, too. 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. Breaking down the state's power sources from gas to wind. With the states rapid population growth, this situation is getting more difficult and more challenging every year, he said. 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. 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. That also means avoiding rolling blackouts. over the last decade to implement meaningful grid-related improvements. Jones acknowledged the problem, adding that the state hasnt invested enough in part of our generation fleet.. Winter storm blackouts plagued Texas in 2011, too. There, he oversaw Commercial Operations and Grid Planning and Operations. Looking to avert crises like Uri in the future, Jones says, "We want to bring in as much solar and wind as we possibly can. He called renewable sources of energy a luxury.. Recognizing the reliability advantages of remaining interconnected, TIS members continued to operate and develop the interconnected grid. 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 . Matt Payne reports on Frisco City Hall and its committees, Collin County Commissioners and McKinney business. ", 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." Disclosure: Texas Competitive Power Advocates has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Nate Murphy of San Antonio is Senior Counsel for Valero. The board oversees major functions of ERCOT: open access to the transmission grid on nondiscriminatory terms, system reliability and adequacy, and . [4] Relatively few electric customers lost power in those regions. 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