Texas Resource Entity To Pay $40,000 Under Settlement With PUC Staff

El Campo Wind LLC would pay $40,000 under a settlement with Texas PUC Staff to resolve alleged violations of 16 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) § 25.503(f)(10) related to compliance with Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) requests for information.

ERCOT uses the Power System Simulator for Engineering (PSS/E) modeling software tool for transmission planning, simulation, and analysis. Pursuant to Planning Guide Revision Request (PGRR) 085, ERCOT began transitioning its electric grid model from PSS/E v33 to PSS/E v35 modeling software for improved accuracy and to ensure greater reliability. The transition required all Resource Entities with user defined dynamic models (DMs) to upload updated DMs compatible with the new software and accompanying information such as model quality tests (DM package). The deadline for Resource Entities to upload their updated DM package to ERCOT was July 1, 2022.

According to a proposed order included with the settlement, El Campo is a Resource Entity that used user defined DMs. ERCOT required El Campo to provide updated dynamic models, and associated information such as model quality tests, compatible with ERCOT’s upgraded modeling software.

According to the settlement, El Campo submitted four DM packages to ERCOT before the July 1, 2022 deadline, but ERCOT rejected each submission for failure to satisfy all requirements. The settlement states that El Campo therefore did not timely submit all requested data by the deadline.

According to the settlement, El Campo in response to various requests from ERCOT provided multiple additional DM packages, but these subsequent submissions were also rejected as not acceptable

According to a proposed order included with the settlement, El Campo provided an updated DM package as required under PGRR 085 to ERCOT on August 7, 2025. ERCOT accepted this model submission on May 5, 2026.

The August 7, 2025 date is 966 days after an extended compliance deadline of December 16, 2022, and 1,134 days after the initial deadline established in Market Notice W-B031521-01.

The settlement states, "El Campo attempted in good faith to meet every DM modeling deadline established by ERCOT; however, El Campo has been constrained from compliance with such deadlines by the need to obtain information from the Original Equipment Manufacturer ('OEM') for its wind turbines and the production of the requisite models and Model Quality Tests ('MQTs') by its engineering consultants. El Campo has no control over its OEM's or consultants' response rate or workflow and is not able to produce the DM modeling packages that ERCOT requires without reliance on these third parties".

Per a proposed order, El Campo indicated that corrective actions have been taken to timely provide necessary data to ERCOT and to prevent further violations of Commission rules, including hiring additional regulatory staff and engineering consultants

The settlement states, "El Campo incurred significant out-of-pocket costs in retaining and hiring new engineering consultants to engage with its OEM to provide several iterations of updated dynamic models[.]"

Docket 60088