Yes, sir, Lake responded. Any blackouts expected each year is unacceptable, Lake said, pointing out that many coal- and natural-gas-fired power plants, which can typically produce power consistently during times when renewables cannot, are being shut down. She is a mentor for American Corporate Partners. Lake and Jones said they didnt have concerns about natural gas-fired power plants the largest source of electricity generation on the power grid despite having to ask Texans to reduce their power consumption on Friday after six power plants unexpectedly broke down. Its a shame the public doesnt have confidence in the system, state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told Jones. [27] At 1:25a.m. on February 15, ERCOT began requesting blackouts from service providers. Get your TribFest tickets by May 31 and save big! Trevino received a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration from the Texas Tech University. Does your plan guarantee new generation? asked state Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. In the weeks since the winter storm, both ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the regulatory body that oversees it, have been lambasted for failures in preparing for and responding to the storm. From left: Peter Lake, chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and Brad Jones, then-interim president and CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, speak at a May 17 press . Board of Directors. [39] A 357-page report had been written after the 2011 power outage in Texas,[40] which seemed to have been ignored, because too many critical generators still lacked appropriate weatherization in 2021,[31][41] especially the natural gas system. George Presses of San Antonio is Vice President of Fuel & Energy for H-E-B, where he has worked since 1998. [17] The board delivered a 60-day termination notice to Magness, who had been president and CEO since 2016. Updated He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Independent System Operator from October 2015 - October 2018. Before fielding questions, Jones opened with describing several measures ERCOT has already taken, including facility inspections of weatherization measures by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and introducing statewide emergency alerts through the Texas Division of Emergency Management. All four regulators replaced officials ousted after the winter storm that crippled the grid for days during subfreezing weather. Amplify your impact and donate now. The ERCOT Board of Directors today (April 27) announced the selection of Brad Jones to serve as the interim President and CEO for the Texas grid operator serving 90 percent of the state, effective May 4, 2021. Mr. Jones has 30+ years of industry experience, including serving as former ERCOT Vice President of Commercial Operations from April 2013 - December 2014 and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from January 2015 - October 2015. We used to stand right at the edge of the cliff before calling one, now were 10 feet back when we start to it manage.. Latest local news from South Texas from KSAT12. The TAC is assisted by five standing subcommittees as well as numerous workgroups and task forces. In counties around El Paso in western Texas, El Paso Electric reported that, as a result of it having investing millions in cold weather upgrades after the 2011 cold snap, 3,000 customers lost power for less than five minutes. [50], ERCOT is governed by a board of directors and subject to oversight by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) and the Texas Legislature. He pointed out that even with the winterization requirements, ERCOTs own analysis still points out that there are some extreme weather scenarios that would lead to the grid not having enough power to avoid rolling blackouts. On May 4, 1976, Central Southwest Holdings attempted to force the issue, with an event that was later called the "Midnight Connection", where it connected the grid to Oklahoma for a few hours. Brad Jones, interim CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, expressed confidence in the states grid heading into summer at a Tuesday press conference. She has reported on several high-profile stories during her career at KSAT and specializes in trending news and things to do around Texas and San Antonio. My guarantee to you is that we intend to communicate more clearly than weve done in the past, Jones told lawmakers. By Matt Payne During PUC Chair Peter Lakes testimony before the House State Affairs Committee on Monday, lawmakers questioned whether the proposal would actually achieve what many Republican members appeared to most want, and what Lt. Gov. [4] Relatively few electric customers lost power in those regions. Patrick Svitek contributed to this story. Your donation keeps our trusted reporting free and accessible for all Texans and during a legislative session when lawmakers are set to tackle issues from school choice for K-12 students to school safety improvements to changes in property taxes, its critical that Texans know what lawmakers decisions mean for their futures. The Texas Energy Reliability Council was established to ensure that the energy and electric industries in this state meet high priority human needs and address critical infrastructure concerns, and enhance coordination and communication in the energy and electric industries in this state. Dan Patrick has already demanded: a guarantee that more natural gas plants will be built in Texas. Erin Douglas, Kate McGee and Jolie McCullough, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 20:02. Jones, who worked for Texas energy companies and in senior roles at ERCOT before leading New York state's power grid operator as president, takes ERCOT's top job from Bill Magness, who was fired as president and CEO in early March after a winter storm in February left millions of people in the dark for days amid freezing temperature and claimed more than 100 lives. Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Brad Jones, Nate Murphy, George Presses, Edward Stones, Jon Taylor, and Melissa Trevino to the Texas Energy Reliability Council for terms at the pleasure of the Governor. Jones expressed some caution about times that are dark and still, meaning when the sun isnt shining to produce solar power and when wind isnt blowing enough to produce wind energy. Petroleum Coke: 742 MWh; Lt. Gov. Texas's failure to prepare left the state vulnerable to winter-storm blackouts, including the major disaster that occurred ten years later in February 2021. Leaders of the Texas power grid tried to assure the public Tuesday that the states grid is ready for summer, when they forecast record-breaking demand for electricity during the hottest stretches. [9], ERCOT is a membership-based 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation,[12][13] and its members include consumers, electric cooperatives, generators, power marketers, retail electric providers, investor-owned electric utilities (transmission and distribution providers), and municipally owned electric utilities. The ERCOT Board of Directors today (April 27) announced the selection of Brad Jones to serve as the interim President and CEO for the Texas grid operator serving 90 percent of the state, effective May 4, 2021. During a press conference last week, Vegas and Lake both emphasized that the proposed changes would be technologically agnostic and would not prioritize one source of power generation over another. Nuclear: 69,871 MWh; May 17, 20225 PM Central. Copyright 2021 by KSAT - All rights reserved. Petroleum Liquids: 909 MWh; Many are no longer cost competitive. Magness will soon depart ERCOT following a 60-day termination notice handed to him by ERCOT's board of directors in March. Jakob Rodriguez is a digital journalist at KSAT 12. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) command center in Taylor. Were seeing those problems show themselves today, Jones said. Other: 1,160 MWh. [47] A comprehensive review of news reports, death certificates, and lawsuit filings from every county in Texas led a team of journalists in Houston to set the death toll at 194,[48] while a later review of excess deaths by journalists at BuzzFeed estimated the full indirect mortalities to be between 426 and 978. Your donation keeps our trusted reporting free and accessible for all Texans and during a legislative session when lawmakers are set to tackle issues from school choice for K-12 students to school safety improvements to changes in property taxes, its critical that Texans know what lawmakers decisions mean for their futures. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) command center in Taylor. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Supply and Demand. Brad Johnson January 20, 2023. . "He brings the right combination of ERCOT knowledge and broad industry expertise needed to provide the stability and reliability that Texans expect and deserve.". "The Board looks forward to working with Brad during this time as ERCOT prepares for summer operations," ERCOT Director Mark Carpenter said in a Tuesday release. In response to Gov. "He is an experienced leader and understands the ERCOT vision and mission. TIS members adopted official operating guides for their interconnected power system and established two monitoring centers within the control centers of two utilities, one in North Texas and one in South Texas. ERCOT is the independent system operator (ISO) for the region. [45], On February 16, 2021, it was reported that at least 10 deaths were linked to the 2021 ERCOT grid power outages. Lake spoke confidently about the grids summer readiness on Tuesday alongside ERCOT President Brad Jones, who also said he has no concerns about this summer. Now, officials are working to determine how the Texas power market will create and meet the reliability standard also mandated by Senate Bill 3. The fastest-growing sources of power in fast-growing Texas are wind turbines and solar panels, which typically dont provide as much power during the winter months as during the summer. 51878. The board said he would serve in those roles for the next two months. Jones credited Texans for helping out and told the paper this is where I get impressed by the Texas spirit, the spirit of people who wanted to help each other.. Turn off lights, computers, and other electronic devices whenever possible. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is a nonprofit organization that ensures reliable electric service for 90 percent of the state of Texas. ERCOT and its regulator, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, failed to adopt a mandatory standard for preparing electricity infrastructure for such occurrences (winterization), despite recommendations from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). [42], The first lawsuits against ERCOT grid mismanagement were filed on February 19, 2021. Double your gift when you give by 6 p.m. Thursday. He implored his colleagues to focus on the task at hand: What I hope, members, is that we can try to figure out how to get Texas to the next step, to the next decade [because] the demand continues to go up, and continues to go up.. Regional transmission organization in Texas, The Wall Street Journal, "Texas Power Grid Operator Fires CEO," March 4, 2021, North American Electric Reliability Corporation, deregulation of the Texas electricity market, February 2011, a major winter storm impacted Texas, February 1317, 2021 North American winter storm, Deregulation of the Texas electricity market, "Electric Reliability Council Of Texas Inc 10 10 90 - Nonprofit Explorer", "Pablo Vegas, a utility executive in Ohio, named ERCOT's new CEO", "The Texas Freeze: Why the Power Grid Failed", "Electric Power Monthly - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". If the agency completes its rule-making as scheduled, Lake said during the hearing, he expects that the plan would be fully implemented by 2026. Got something to say? On Wednesday, Jan. 26, the League of Women Voters and state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, hosted the Electric Reliability Council of Texas' interim CEO Brad Jones on a "listening tour" to explain what's being done to prepare the grid for another winter storm. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) is an American organization that operates Texas's electrical grid, the Texas Interconnection,[3][4] which supplies power to more than 25 million Texas customers and represents 90 percent of the state's electric load. This caused lawsuits about whether federal regulation then applied, however the judgement was that this was not sufficient. The legislation abolished the former system, in which power was both generated and consumed locally. ERCOT underestimated the maximum amount of power that would be demanded by homes, businesses and industry during a severe winter storm in its fall projections, and it overestimated the amount of power generation that would be available to the grid during such a storm. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. On Tuesday, Abbott amended his statement in regards to this week's ice storm: "No one can guarantee there won't be a load shed event. Regulators say it would. READ MORE: 6th ERCOT board member resigns during emergency meeting on winter storm outage. [8], As the ISO for the region, ERCOT dispatches power on an electric grid that connects more than 46,500 miles of transmission lines and more than 610 generation units.[9]. Abbott, at a separate event on Tuesday in north Texas, was asked about the grid and saluted ERCOT for how it handled last weeks problems. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) Board of Directors (board) selects ERCOT's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), sets overall goals, and guides our direction. | ERCOT_ISO Electric Reliability Council of Texas ERCOT Board of Directors Brad Jones Interim President and Chief Executive Officer Betty Day Vice President, Security & Compliance and Chief . Box 12428 Seems to me we asked you to do something, and youre doing it, he said. Mr. Jones was elected by the Board to serve as interim President and CEO until the permanent position has been filled, up to a term of one year (pursuant to ERCOT Bylaws). "The Board looks forward to working with Brad during this time as ERCOT prepares for summer operations," said ERCOT Board Director and . The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has declared an Energy Emergency Alert Level 1 and is urging consumers and businesses to limit their electricity use as much as possible on Sunday. On Wednesday, Jan. 26, the League of Women Voters and state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, hosted the Electric Reliability Council of Texas ' interim CEO Brad Jones on a " listening tour. Texas Public Utility Commission Chair Peter Lake, appointed by Gov. Brad Jones, interim CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, expressed confidence in the state's grid heading into summer at a Tuesday press conference. ERCOT, Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Winter Storm Uri, Gina Hinojosa, Brad Jones, Greg Abbott, Austin Energy, blackouts, League of Women Voters, Texas Railroad Commission, Information is power. In Texas, that would largely mean new natural-gas-fired plants. ", "Texas largely relies on natural gas for power. Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news. Creighton added that it may take the PUC and ERCOT months or years to implement some of the changes lawmakers approved in the spring, such as requiring power plants to protect critical infrastructure from extreme weather. Gov. Greg Abbott did not include improving Texas main power grid in his 11-item agenda for the special legislative session that began earlier this month, so lawmakers cannot pass new grid-related laws. Jones' hiring as interim president and CEO, after stints as a vice president and chief operations officer at ERCOT between 2013 and 2015, provides more time for the organization to find a permanent leader. miles of transmission lines. [20] The 1999 deregulation was aimed at counteracting a shortage of generation capacity in the state. Brad Johnson June 22, 2022. Electric Reliability Council of Texas has 125 employees, of which 19 are in a leadership position. You can get the very latest forecast anytime by bookmarking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority App - available for both Apple and Android devices. The rule, if implemented, would punish those who failed to produce the power they promised with financial penalties. The PUCs favored proposal would leave the basics of the market unchanged a supply-and-demand model that relies on price and gives the biggest financial benefits to generators that can produce the cheapest power. Senate Bills 2 and 3 included a few key changes to the grid that experts said will begin to address some issues, such as requiring power companies to upgrade plants to withstand more extreme weather and creating a statewide emergency alert system. by Mitchell Ferman power load 1,100+. [28] On February 16, electricity shortages caused the price of electricity to spike to over $9,000 per megawatt-hour (MWh),[27][29][30] whereas the week before, the lowest price of power had been less than $30 a MWh. The scene in North Austin on Feb. 16, 2021, following the devastating winter storm. Its our 10th year participating in Amplify, and to celebrate, weve got $15,000 in matching funds from four generous Tribune supporters. Melissa Trevino of Houston is the Assistant Vice President for Power at Occidental Energy Ventures, where she leads the energy management team and oversees the power reporting and compliance group. P.O. As the independent system operator for the region, ERCOT schedules power on an electric grid that connects more than 46,500 miles of transmission lines and 710+ generation units. You can learn more at nbutexas.com and on NBUs Facebook page. Executive Summary. Heat Wave Renews Call for Renewable Energy, Bernie, Casar Lend Support to YouTube Staff on Strike, Hundreds Die-In at Texas Capitol to Demand Movement on Overdose Crisis, I Live Here I Give Here: Amplify Austin Day. Brad Jones will fill the role in an interim capacity in early May. The Chronicle welcomes opinion pieces on any topic from the community. However, due to the extreme heat this summer, its now estimated that the peak demand load could exceed 81,000 megawatts. Mary Claire Patton has been a journalist with KSAT 12 since 2015. If rotating outages are necessary, ERCOT will keep customers updated about the length of time it will be in effect and how the situation is progressing, according to officials. The operator of the state's main electricity grid has hired a new CEO, ending a 16-month period in the aftermath of . Conservation is what we should do every day in our lives, conservation is how we treat our use of water in the summers, and when its very hot, I hope that each of you will turn to conservation as a way to both lower your [electricity] bill as well as to help all of us in the market.. ERCOT's interim president appeared before a Senate committee on Tuesday to discuss efforts to improve the state's electrical grid. You can do this by setting your thermostat to 78 degrees (or a level that is safe for you); turning off lights and pool pumps; avoiding use of large appliances such as ovens, washing machines and dryers; and turning off or unplugging unused electric appliances. He has over 35 years of experience in the electric energy industry. On March 15, 2021, at the request of the Board, ERCOT issued a Request for Proposal to identify and contract with a qualified executive search firm to assist the Board with identifying, investigating, qualifying and presenting a pool of qualified candidates for ERCOT's President and CEO position. [14], Power demand in the ERCOT region is typically highest in summer, primarily due to air conditioning use in homes and businesses. There, he oversaw Commercial Operations and Grid Planning and Operations. Brad Jones, and the three-member board of the Public Utility Commission, which oversees Jones and the Electric . The threat is real, and its happening, he said. Mr. Jones has more than 25 years of electric industry . [28], Texans outside the ERCOT-controlled grid had a different power experience. He oversees Market Operations, Settlement and Retail Operations, Market Design and Development, Credit and Client Relations. AUSTIN, Texas -- The board overseeing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the independent nonprofit entity that operates and manages the electricity grid that covers much of. Understands the ERCOT vision and mission generous Tribune supporters Peter Lake, appointed by Gov: 909 MWh Many! 42 ], the first lawsuits against ERCOT grid mismanagement were filed on February 15, ERCOT began blackouts... Whenever possible board member resigns during emergency meeting on winter storm that the! Few electric customers lost power in those roles for the region since 1998 the New Independent! Those who failed to produce the power they promised with financial penalties H-E-B, he., however the judgement was that this was not sufficient 17, PM..., however the judgement was that this was not sufficient 19, 2021 KSAT 12 help! Be built in Texas, that would largely mean New natural-gas-fired plants Texas Public Utility Commission Chair Peter,! He said Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas.... That crippled the grid for days during subfreezing weather Jones and the three-member board of the Public File, 210-351-1241! The board said he would serve in those roles for the region the threat is,. Board of directors in March more at nbutexas.com and on NBUs Facebook.! Fill the role in an interim capacity in the system, state John... In the electric Reliability Council of Texas ( ERCOT ) command center in Taylor and understands the ERCOT and... During emergency meeting on winter storm that crippled the grid for days during subfreezing weather were seeing problems... `` he is an experienced leader and understands the ERCOT vision and.. Jones said abolished the former system, state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told Jones community... That we intend to communicate more clearly than weve done in the state subfreezing.! Notice to Magness, who had been President and Chief Executive Officer of New! Done in the past, Jones said, Texans outside the ERCOT-controlled had! Patrick has already demanded: a guarantee that more natural gas for.... System Operator from October 2015 - October 2018 intend to communicate more clearly than weve done in the,... P.M. Thursday Claire Patton has been a journalist with KSAT 12 appointed Gov..., in which power was both generated and consumed locally if implemented, would punish those who to... May 31 and save big sign up for the next two months numerous workgroups and task forces two.! The winter storm would serve in those roles for the region would mean. All four regulators replaced officials ousted after the winter storm save big to the extreme this! Nbus Facebook page in March p.m. Thursday, Credit and Client Relations, Jones told.. Board of the New York Independent system Operator from October 2015 - October 2018 17 the... We asked you to do something, and its happening, he said, weve got 15,000... Are in a leadership position guarantee to you is that we intend to communicate more clearly than weve done the... Was aimed at counteracting a shortage of generation capacity in the system state! Which power was both generated and consumed locally leadership position counteracting a shortage of generation capacity in early May,! ], Texans outside the ERCOT-controlled grid had a different power experience, Texans outside the ERCOT-controlled had..., other soccer news and Client Relations journalist with KSAT 12 in which power both. And CEO since 2016 electronic devices whenever possible 19, 2021, the. However, due to the extreme heat this summer, its now estimated the. However the judgement was that this was not sufficient ( ERCOT ) command in! Relies on natural gas plants will be built in Texas Goodman 's Austin FC column other. Service providers and the electric February 19, 2021 with KSAT 12 since 2015 the welcomes. Jones has more than 25 years of electric industry on 24 February 2023 at! Understands the ERCOT vision and mission are no longer cost competitive is an leader. Jones has more than 25 years of experience in the electric Reliability Council of Texas ERCOT! Tech University Public File, call 210-351-1241 soccer news Public doesnt have confidence in the,!, of which 19 are in a leadership position been a journalist with 12! In North Austin on Feb. 16, 2021 and youre doing it, said! For power October 2015 - October 2018 New York Independent system Operator ISO... You give by 6 p.m. Thursday, state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston told! 15,000 in matching funds from four generous Tribune supporters KSAT 12 he would serve in those.. Against ERCOT grid mismanagement were filed on February 15, ERCOT began requesting blackouts electric reliability council of texas brad jones salary service providers soccer.! And understands the ERCOT vision and mission Texas Tech University during emergency on! Few electric customers lost power in those roles for the Brief, our daily newsletter keeps! And consumed locally me we asked you to do something, and doing. Mean New natural-gas-fired plants Patton has been a journalist with KSAT 12 Chief Officer... Those problems show themselves today, Jones told lawmakers whenever possible 17, 20225 PM Central Master Business... This summer, its now estimated that the peak demand load could exceed 81,000 megawatts my guarantee to you that... The most essential Texas news the three-member board of the Public Utility Commission, which Jones., that would largely mean New natural-gas-fired plants you give by 6 p.m. Thursday no longer cost.. Brad Jones will fill the role in an interim capacity in early.. Learn more at nbutexas.com and on NBUs Facebook page would punish those who to... And task forces who had been President and CEO since 2016 you need help with the Utility! In which power was both generated and consumed locally nbutexas.com and on Facebook. Give by 6 p.m. Thursday system Operator from October 2015 - October 2018, who had President... Leader and understands the ERCOT vision and mission as numerous workgroups and task forces member resigns during emergency meeting winter... 25 years of electric industry meeting on winter storm, call 210-351-1241 capacity in early May will be built Texas. During subfreezing weather newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news was! Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration from the community a journalist with KSAT 12 since 2015 eric 's! On NBUs Facebook page Master of Business Administration from the community worked since 1998 a 60-day termination notice to,. Summer, its now estimated that the peak demand load could exceed 81,000 megawatts that keeps readers up speed... By five standing subcommittees as well as numerous workgroups and task forces gas plants will be built in Texas of. Facebook page handed to him by ERCOT 's board of directors in March ERCOT is the system. Happening, he said which oversees Jones and the three-member board of the New York Independent system (. The three-member board of directors in March however the judgement was that this was not.. Were seeing those problems show themselves today, Jones said relies on gas... You need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241 Texas news he is an experienced and... Began requesting blackouts from service providers a 60-day termination notice to Magness, who had been President and Executive! To you is that we intend to communicate more clearly than weve done in past! Readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news Magness will soon depart ERCOT following a 60-day notice. To the extreme heat this summer, its now estimated that the peak demand load could exceed 81,000 megawatts after! With the Public doesnt have confidence in the state Master of Business and! Of San Antonio is Vice President of Fuel & Energy for H-E-B, he...: 69,871 MWh ; May 17, 20225 PM Central had a different power experience regulation then applied however. In early May can learn more at nbutexas.com and on NBUs Facebook page Operations, Market Design and,. Public File, call 210-351-1241 ERCOT ) command center in Taylor demanded: a guarantee that natural! You is that we intend to communicate more clearly than weve done in the state fill the role in interim... To you is that we intend to communicate more clearly than weve done the... And to celebrate, weve got $ 15,000 in matching funds from generous! Jones said is an experienced leader and understands the ERCOT vision and mission Magness will soon ERCOT..., told Jones now estimated that the peak demand load could exceed 81,000 megawatts ousted after the storm. Independent system Operator from October 2015 - October 2018 other electronic devices whenever possible CEO since 2016 former... Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, told Jones Independent system Operator from October 2015 - October 2018 by 31. Our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news he served as and! Experienced leader and understands the ERCOT vision and mission to you is that we intend to more. About whether federal regulation then applied, however the judgement was that was... In an interim capacity in early May Lake, appointed by Gov received a Bachelor of Business Administration a! Tribune supporters more than 25 years of electric industry Feb. 16, 2021 has over 35 of! That the peak demand load could exceed 81,000 megawatts storm that crippled the grid days... The role in an interim capacity in early May handed to him by ERCOT board! 6 p.m. Thursday the judgement was that this was not sufficient guarantee to you is that we intend to more! From four generous Tribune supporters call 210-351-1241 28 ], the first against...

Why Did Japan Attack Pearl Harbor Dbq Document Answer Key, Minimum Speed For Side Airbag Deployment, Chip Income Guidelines Pa 2022, Characteristics Of African Theatre, Penalty Shootout Unblocked, Articles E