ERCOT

The market redesign is ongoing, and the grid operator has already made some changes to improve reliability. Nonetheless, officials warn Texans to expect more energy conservation requests in the coming weeks as temperatures rise.

Lawmakers cannot pass laws to improve Texas’ power grid during the special legislative session. They’re discussing it anyway.

The 60-point “Roadmap to Improving Grid Reliability” includes more energy conservation alerts and plans to increase transmission capacity in South and West Texas.

In a letter to the Public Utility Commission of Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said he wants commissioners to encourage the construction and maintenance of coal, gas and nuclear plants. He also asked that regulators impose reliability costs on renewable power like wind and solar.

Texans were asked to cut back on their electricity use for a week because of “tight” power grid conditions, according to ERCOT officials. They still haven’t said what caused the plant outages.

The operator had urged electricity conservation earlier this week as several power generators unexpectedly went offline as temperatures rose this week.

ERCOT said several power generators in the state are on forced outages for repairs, putting about 11,000 megawatts — about the amount of energy it takes to power 2.2 million homes on a summer day — out of commission.

The group that controls the state's electrical grid released its seasonal assessment Thursday, saying it should have enough of a reserve to protect against an unexpected jump in demand.

ERCOT doesn’t have the power to mandate major changes. That’s the job of the Public Utility Commission (PUC), which oversees ERCOT and regulates the grid, as well as the Railroad Commission, which regulates the natural gas sector. The Texas legislature oversees all of the organizations, and its efforts to mandate weatherization have stalled.

The state's grid operator included extreme weather scenarios in its early summer assessment and found that a combination of a severe drought, heat wave and low winds could lead to more power outages. Experts warn this summer could be hot and dry, enhanced by climate change.

The state's grid operator included extreme weather scenarios in its early summer assessment and found that a combination of a severe drought, heat wave and low winds could lead to more power outages. Experts warn this summer could be hot and dry, enhanced by climate change.

The state’s grid operator warned of a possible energy emergency on the grid Tuesday. It said slightly warmer-than-expected weather was part of the problem, but it was really the fact that coal, gas and nuclear power were offline all at once.