State legislators propose additional changes to improve Texas power grid

AUSTIN, Texas – It has been slightly over two years since winter storm Uri spurred widespread energy outages that led to not less than 250 deaths throughout Texas. 

Now state legislators are introducing payments to attempt to enhance the Texas energy grid on the heels of weatherization associated reforms that had been made again in 2021. 

Doug Lewin, president of Austin based mostly Stoic Power, joins FOX 7 Austin’s John Krinjak to debate the proposed adjustments.

JOHN KRINJAK: So we all know all everyone knows one of many huge issues throughout URI was an absence of clear communication from ERCOT, from the PUC, about what was occurring. I perceive there is a invoice into account now HB 1500 that will truly make adjustments to how these businesses function and talk. What would these adjustments appear like?

DOUG LEWIN: HB 1500 is the Sundown Invoice and Sundown Fee did a high to backside overview of the company. It is a fairly expansive invoice. It is fairly lengthy. A whole lot of totally different sections. However one of many issues in there’s that the PUC can now not simply give a verbal order to ERCOT to alter issues in order that that pricing at kind of notorious $9,000 throughout ERA that that value clients many, many billions of {dollars}. These need to be written out and never simply verbal anymore, however there’s numerous different adjustments in there, too. It is a fairly complete invoice. 

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JOHN KRINJAK:  And we should always notice that instantly after the winter storm, there have been another reforms. We noticed a invoice referred to as SB three that created what’s often known as an electrical energy provide chain map. And now I perceive there is a new invoice that specifies who can truly see that map. So what’s the provide chain map and what does this new invoice do, basically?

DOUG LEWIN: Properly, it places the Texas Division of Transportation into that invoice in order that they will see the electrical energy provide chain map, which I believe is ok. However I’ve raised issues that I believe it is slightly weird. I believe it is greater than slightly I believe it’s extremely weird that there’s not what is often in different sections in statute the place there is a legislative exemption to the confidentiality of the electrical energy provide chain map. I simply suppose it is simply loopy that legislators would not be capable of see that map, as a result of the map what’s on the map is what’s required to be weatherized. So if it isn’t on the map, if it is gasoline provide, it isn’t going to be weatherized. And the one individuals who know what’s on that map are the PUC and the Railroad Fee, actually the coverage makers which might be finally chargeable for ensuring that we haven’t any occasions like Uri ever once more. They can not see the map even when they had been to signal a nondisclosure settlement. Legislators usually are not allowed to see what’s required to be winterized. That simply strikes me as absurd.

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JOHN KRINJAK: So you’re feeling this The sphere of individuals that may see this map must be expanded?

DOUG LEWIN: Properly, not less than to incorporate legislators. I do not perceive how one can make coverage round a dependable grid with out understanding what’s required to be dependable. That is simply it. Simply. Yeah. 

JOHN KRINJAK: So we noticed, , as these payments had been being launched this week, ERCOT additionally met. They, after all, handle the state’s energy grid. They held a gathering Wednesday to debate establishing a brand new reliability normal within the wake of URI. So what does that imply? What’s a reliability normal and what are they speaking about? Altering.

DOUG LEWIN: So reliability requirements was fairly easy as a result of for a very long time within the electrical utility trade, you had actually massive energy vegetation serving load. It was difficult, however it was pretty easy. Issues are much more complicated now for a wide range of causes, one in all which is the intense climate the place we’re experiencing increasingly more frequently. And one other is the proliferation of numerous distributed vitality assets. So the system simply appears to be like lots totally different than it did within the outdated requirements, what they referred to as a one in ten. For those who had one outage in ten years, then you definately met the reliability normal. We had an outage in 2011. We had an outage in 2021. By the outdated normal, we have now a dependable system, however that is not acceptable to anyone. So what they’re beginning to take a look at is as an alternative of a one occasion in ten years, they’re taking a look at a typical that that takes into consideration issues just like the frequency, the period of the outages and the magnitude. How deep are these outages? So it is going to be very totally different. And so they’re going to take a look at excessive climate. They are going to take a look at distributed vitality assets and the way these take part in direction of reliability. And one last item that is actually vital for Austin viewers is it isn’t nearly do you’ve got sufficient provide to satisfy demand, however what is going on on within the distribution system? As a result of as Austinites discovered simply final month, you possibly can have sufficient provide to satisfy demand. But when your distribution system is down for an prolonged time period, the outcomes and the result is similar to the shopper. So they have to take these sorts of issues into consideration as nicely.

JOHN KRINJAK: A whole lot of items to the puzzle. Doug Lewin, thanks for serving to us break it down and for being right here. We respect it. 

DOUG LEWIN: Anytime. Thanks.