Texas PUC Staff Updates Estimate Of ERCOT Capacity Used For Small Fish Swim Free Rule

Staff of the Public Utility Commission of Texas have filed an updated estimate of installed generation capacity in ERCOT.

The amount of installed generation capacity is a factor in determining (1) the 20 percent limit on installed generation capacity established in PURA § 39.154 and (2) the 5 percent wholesale market power exemption established in P.U.C. Subst. R. 25.504(c).

For purposes of the 20% limit, the estimated total installed generation capacity is 93,200 MW.

For purposes of the 5% exemption, the estimated total installed generation capacity is 79,665 MW.

In calculating the total, Staff noted that various NPRRs adopted by ERCOT, along with new operational data from the 2019 summer peak, impacted the capacity credit for wind and solar facilities

As a result, the capacity credit for wind facilities in the Coastal wind region is now 63% of the nameplate capacity of the facility (increased from 58% last year). The capacity credit for wind facilities Panhandle wind region is 29% of the nameplate capacity of the facility. The capacity credit for wind facilities in the Other wind region is 16% of nameplate capacity of the facility. These changes were made to be consistent with the Wind Peak Average Capacity Percentages used by ERCOT in the December 2019 Capacity, Demand, and Reserves (CDR) Report.

The capacity credit for solar facilities is now 76% of the nameplate capacity of the facility (increased from 74% last year). This is consistent with the Solar Peak Average Capacity Percentage that ERCOT reported in the December 2019 CDR Report.

Project 39870