Thread by @douglewinenergy

In the midst of this historic May heat wave, the @PUCTX meets this morning. Should be some interesting discussions of ongoing market design changes, transmission, etc. Tweet thread with a few updates below.
Agenda and livestream here:
adminmonitor.com/tx/puct/open_m…
#txlege #txenergy

Staff filed a memo to implement #SB1281 on #transmission in #ERCOT. Commissioner Cobos says its important to alleviate congestion "Today's economic problem is tomorrow's reliability problem." We need to get these projects going.

Staff memo here: interchange.puc.texas.gov/Documents/5340…
#txlege

Commissioners and staff having a discussion about how resiliency fits into reliability metrics.

Cmsr Glotfelty said "transmission is hard to build, takes a long time." He knows of what he speaks.
#energytwitter

Cmsr Glotfelty says ERCOT will not approve economic projects until PUCT passes a rule on #sb1281. Talks about the $5000 prices in Houston "because of transmission congestion" to highlight the need for movement on this.
#txenergy

Glotfelty continues: We've never had a resiliency component before but says given hurricane and other extreme weather, incl. winter storm risks, we need to include that.
#txlege

Commisssioner McAdams says we need to "affirm a definition of resiliency." Asks "what are our metrics?" Says this will also play into discussion of distributed energy resources, too.

Yep. #energytwitter

There is also a discussion about increasing interconnections to other grid to increase reliability while not jeopardizing ERCOT and Texas' independence from FERC. Issues discussed in this docket
cc: @ACORE @TheMacroGrid
interchange.puc.texas.gov/search/filings…

Very helpful rulemaking calendar posted, too. There will be a proposal for adoption at the next meeting on power outage alerts, and a proposal for publication on Phase II weatherization which must take into account climate change #txlege

interchange.puc.texas.gov/Documents/5293…

@EntergyTX application for smart meters taken up. Cmsr Cobos thinks there will be Green Button Connect functionality. Green Button makes it easy for customers to access their data & share it when/if they want @The_GBA @mission_data
interchange.puc.texas.gov/search/filings…
greenbuttondata.org

Big discussion of interconnecting battery storage on the distribution system. Question is about whether to abate a tariff proposed by @AEPTexas (see docket below) & opposed by Hunt Energy Network while the @pucT figures out a framework for DERs. #txlege
interchange.puc.texas.gov/search/filings…

This is why we need a framework for utilities to act as distribution system operators & be incentivized to roll out the welcome mat for DERs on the *public* utility system. We often refer to it as *their* (the utilities') system. It's not. #energytwitter
renewableenergyworld.com/solar/texas-gr…

Note that @PNNLab found this model would save customers $3-$5 *billion* per year. #txenergy #ercot #energytwitter
pnnl.gov/projects/trans…

Now a discussion of "firm fuel" product which, as proposed by the IMM, would cost Texans up to $135m per year.

Note: if the gas supply system were weatherized this wouldn't be necessary. Texans will pay this so companies that made $11b last February won't have to. #txlege

The Independent Market Monitor memo on firm fuel supply service (FFSS) is here: interchange.puc.texas.gov/Documents/5237…

Proposal is to procure 3-4GW of firm fuel with a cap of $54m budget cap for 48 hour duration and $81m for 72 hours.
#energytwitter #txenergy

This is for 2023 winter procurement. Chair Lake mentions potential expansion of technologies for the '24 winter. Mentions off site gas w/ firm delivery but hopefully they'll take into account long duration energy storage like @FormEnergyInc @quidnetenergy etc., too #energytwitter