Texas QSE to Pay $12,500 to Resolve Failure to Deploy EILS

Enerwise Global Technologies, Inc. would pay $12,500 under a settlement with Staff of the Public Utility Commission of Texas to resolve Staff's investigation of Enerwise for alleged violation of P.U.C. SUBST. R. 25.503(f)(2), and ERCOT Protocol § 8.1.3.1(6)(a) due to failure to deploy its Emergency Interruptible Load Service (EILS) load resources within ten minutes of the time ERCOT records show that ERCOT issued a Verbal Dispatch Instruction (VDI) on February 2, 2011.

At 5:44 am on February 2, 2011, ERCOT declared an Energy Emergency Alert Level 3 (EEA3) and ordered the dispatch of EILS. At that time, Enerwise was obligated to reduce its EILS loads by approximately 35 MW. According to the settlement, data provided by ERCOT shows that Enerwise did not meet its load reduction obligation until the interval ending at 7:00 AM, more than one hour after the Verbal Dispatch Instruction.

According to the settlement, ERCOT's February 2, 2011 Forum Conference Duration Report, the automated call log relied upon by ERCOT to record which QSE's were contacted during the VDI, documented that Enerwise received and answered the VDI at 5:44 AM.

Enerwise contends (after internal investigation) that the VDI call at 5:44 AM from ERCOT was not received. Enerwise has no record of the call and was not able to verify receipt of the VDI at issue in this proceeding

At some time after the 5:44 AM VDI call and before a second VDI call from ERCOT, Enerwise contacted ERCOT to query why no deployment had been received as Enerwise was cognizant that conditions were deteriorating in the market. Enerwise has implemented measures to prevent the occurrence of future similar violations, including the installation of physical communication system redundancies.

Docket 41986