Texas PUC To Set Workshop Process on Reliability Standard

The Public Utility Commission of Texas directed Staff to hold a series of Staff-led workshops concerning the ERCOT reliability standard.

The Commission instructed Staff to develop a workshop process, taking into account Staff's other priorities, as Chairman Donna Nelson noted that the reserve margin process, given stability in the market, is, "not a really, really, high priority," but something on which the Commission does want closure on at some point

Commissioner Kenneth Anderson expressed support for an idea first proposed by Commissioner Brandy Marty Marquez under which the Commission would eliminate a target reserve margin, and instead simply publish various benchmarks, such as economically optimal reserve margin, equilibrium reserve margin, and a reserve margin based on expected unserved energy

Anderson also reiterated a desire to reduce the outlook of the ERCOT CDRs, which are currently by rule 10 years, given projections much beyond four years are a, "guesstimate," and beyond five are, "virtually useless."