ERCOT Board Approves Loads in SCED Protocol

Some electricity consumers could participate more actively in the Texas electric market in the future, following actions by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas Board of Directors at its Sept. 17 meeting, ERCOT said yesterday

ERCOT said that adoption of NPRR555, Load Resource Participation in Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch, will enable some eligible electric users to provide demand response services at five-minute intervals through their retail providers.

Participating controllable load resources will be able to offer this service through ERCOT's day-ahead market, in turn setting the price to provide that capacity on a real-time basis when reserve power is needed to help keep up with demand.

In a related action, the board also approved performance requirements for participation in the program, which is set to begin after necessary system updates are completed, ERCOT said.