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ERCOT touts strong power grid performance while managing summer demand (fox4news.com)
DALLAS – Texas has survived the summer so far without a Conservation Alert from the state’s power grid manager.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas held a meeting Tuesday to talk about what’s been keeping the grid healthy and what’s needed moving forward.
Explosive growth in the state of Texas will continue to put pressure on the power grid with ERCOT forecasting peak demand on the grid could double within six years.
At the board of directors meeting in Austin Tuesday, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas said a mix of resources continues to evolve which should make the grid more reliable long-term.
“We’ve seen significant additions of energy storage resources, solar resources and wind resources with few additions on the thermal gas side,” he said.
All of that, Vegas says, has contributed to more consistency and less scarcity during the peak periods of the summer.
ERCOT expects adequate supply to meet Tuesday’s demand.
However, with an increase of large loads from residents and businesses projected to move to Texas, board members discussed the need for a significant amount of new infrastructure in order to serve the forecasted growth.
“I think it’d be helpful for ERCOT and stakeholders to get a lot of discussion on a timeline because I think that’s really important to the customers,” one board member said.
“I think that question is best discussed if we can bring together the transmission developers who are going to have really good insights to the supply chain and services providers who are going to be able to help construct whatever the voltage system is going to be for the state,” Vegas said.
ERCOT is considering extra high voltage transmission lines. Construction could take some time.
“When you think about the long-term buildout that we’re talking about, this is a 10-14-year stage buildout being able to do right-of-way acquisitions, dealing and purchases right of ways,” Vegas said.
“I think we need to make sure that we’re doing an in-depth study of the supply chain on this issue,” a board member said. “Not just the actual procurement of equipment and buildout, but also the regulatory process that needs to be involved.”
A draft report is due out in September.
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