Texas regulator to revise ERCOT scarcity pricing to avoid ‘absurd results’

Author Mark Watson

Houston — The Public Utility Commission of Texas on April 7 initiated a revision to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ scarcity pricing rule to ensure that a “circuit breaker” change in the systemwide offer cap, designed avoid harming consumers, does not create what the chairman called “absurd results.”

At issue is the switch from ERCOT’s $9,000/MWh “High Systemwide Offer Cap,” or HCAP, to the “Low Systemwide Offer Cap,” known as LCAP, which is the higher of either $2,000/MWh or 50 times a fuel index price chosen by the grid operator. ERCOT has set that …

ERCOT releases preliminary report on causes of generator outages, derates during February winter storms

AUSTIN, Texas — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has released the preliminary report it filed with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) on the causes of generator outages and derates during February’s winter storms. The report covers the period of Sunday, Feb. 14 through Friday, Feb. 19.

ERCOT said the report provides information on the causes of outages and derates throughout the storms based on its review of information submitted by Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs) in response to its first requests for information (RFIs). ERCOT has submitted additional RFIs to …