Thread by @Jon_RosenthalTX

Watching testimony in Texas House joint committee hearing now....

#txlege #TexasFreeze

house.texas.gov/video-audio/

First up are CEO's for Vista Energy and NRG. CEO of Vistra says natural gas availability to generation plants was the single biggest issue for energy shortage and methanol injection could have mitigated this issue. (This is exactly what I've said too)

Both CEOs for Vistra and NRG agree that having some capacity market would help mitigate disasters like this. I agree and think we should adopt a hybrid model that pays for both energy on demand and some reserve capacity.

I must say I'm impressed with Mauricio Gutierrez (as I was when I met him in the past). He has been candid, thoughtful and level-headed in this hearing

Vistra CEO says Texas needs to recognize that energy markets are changing and we need to adapt and I of course agree. He also says renewables are intermittent (I disagree. Renewables with proper design work fine. Look at Norway, Costa Rica, UK, Germany, and Iceland!

Todd Hunter, emphatically: "I just want to know who is at fault! Mr. Gutierrez, who is at fault??"

The first words from Mauricio Gutierrez mouth in response was "natural gas supply"

#txlege

My dear friend Rafael Anchia @RafaelAnchia to the Electric CEOs: "You both indicated that the PUC bears significant responsibility, and I agree"

And I also agree, with thanks to my friend for highlighting that PUC has not received enough attention in this (yet).

#txlege

Charlie Geren: "Some of the blame belongs right here in this building, on every floor. We are in this too and we all share responsibility"

Amen Mr. Chairman, Amen.

#txlege

Next up Thad Hill, CEO of Calpine (World's largest generator of electricity from natural gas). He says that 60% of their loss were due to natutal gas outage.

NOTE: I'm not blaming gas, I'm pointing out that Texas FAILED to prepare when we had a decade to harden our systems.

Texas Advanced Power Alliance and Texas Solar Power Association say Windmills mostly worked but some facilities had transmission (power line) problems. Amazingly, solar power over performed during the storm! Spoiler alert: renewables were not the main issue.

Representative Phil King asks about subsidies on renewables and the affect on energy pricing.

It is important, and we must look at ALL energy subsidies and tax credits as we develop our energy portfolio moving forward.

A valid question, to be evaluated in context.

CEOs for ONCOR and Centerpoint testify and lay out a clear explanation about how the "rolling" blackouts became long term outages.

In short: with the grid going unstable they had to reduce load to prevent a total breakdown, where recovery would have taken months.

My neighbor Rep. Sam Harless to the Electric company CEOs:
"Seems like we have two common denominators here; gas flow issues and lack of communication"

100% agree with my colleague @SamHarless126 on this.

#txlege #TexasFreeze

One prime issue I'm focused on is accountability. It needs to be centralized and there needs to be real enforcement mechanisms.

ERCOT and PUC will be up next

Bill Magnus of ERCOT says the storm took out 48.6% of generation (at the worst part). Mindblowing!

He says power generation starting dropping out very fast causing them to respond in emergency mode...

Magnus presents this all in very matter-of-fact tones (this is also mind-blowing to me). I guess maybe he didn't freeze in his own house like we did.

By contrast, all the CEOs we've heard from today expressed deep concern for suffering Texans in opening statements.

DeAnn Walker, Chair of PUC, spells out her Commission remit. She says they have authority to suspend or revoke power generators permission to operate if they violate rules.

She says the PUC does not have authority to require weatherization for generators.

Walker says the PUC has complete authority over distribution entities like ONCOR and Centerpoint but not over local distributors like municipal entities

Looks to me like there's some low hanging fruit for accountability and enforcement right here.

DeAnn Walker, Chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas:

"I do recieve those reports, but I don't know what they said"

Y'all - I don't have appropriate words.

ERCOT and PUC failed the people of TX miserably and now we are seeing why.

It goes from bad to worse in this hearing with ERCOT and PUC heads.

Dude making over $880k/yr should have known to be proactive. His failure led to the last resort of *reacting* in the moment. He apparently lacks the self awareness to understand just how badly he failed.

Apologies for my mis-spelling. The President and CEO of ERCOT is named Bill Magness.

Y'all should know this name so you can let your elected officials know what you think of this very highly paid agency head.

ercot.com/about/governan…

Totally worth staying in this hearing, my friend @RafaelAnchia (an absolute gem of the #txlege) questions PUC Chair DeAnn Walker.

He knows the PUC mission statement (and she does not).

"We protect customers, foster competition, and promote high quality infrastructure"

Anchia goes on to highlight that PUC has complete and total authority over ERCOT, and the PUC chair is in the ERCOT board meetings, and PUC is directed to ENSURE that ERCOT adequately performs its functions and duties.

PUC is the PUBLIC Utility Commission. They are responsible

Anchia: Legislation in 2011 gave orders to PUC to ENSURE that Texas was hardened against severe weather events AND further legislation in 2017 clarified and strengthened that directive.

I say that PUC and ERCOT both failed us miserably and these two should resign.

After Rep. Lucio shreds both ERCOT and PUC on lack of public communication, Rep Drew Darby continues questioning on PUC rules and points out that the PUC Commissioner misrepresented (or didn't know) the rules concerning internal communications during emergencies.

SMH

@ShelbySlawson patiently waited her turn and then brought smart, sharp questions; pressing on specifics and then giving a heartfelt and powerful reminder of the real human cost of this man-made disaster.