The Texas Reliability Entity’s chief engineer, Mark Henry, told the organization’s Board of Directors last week that ERCOT generators’ winterization efforts are in “pretty good shape” in preparing for a NERC cold-weather standard. 

“We found that people who did have issues in our region during [the December 2022] winter storm generally are following through with the actions that are expected here and of course with the things that are part of the state rules now,” Henry said during the board’s Dec. 13 meeting, promising Texas RE will follow up with some of the entities to ensure “we’re not missing something.” 

NERC gathered the data last year from balancing authorities, transmission operators, and 1,160 generation owners and operators. They were asked to identify specific actions determined to be essential to the bulk power system’s reliability and the status of those actions. 

Henry said 245 ERCOT generators were surveyed, with 82% saying they didn’t experience a cold-weather reliability event during last winter and 86% saying they have completed or partially completed essential actions identified by NERC. 

ERCOT generation owners have calculated the extreme cold weather temperature (ECWT) for their facilities, with 96% saying they can operate at that temperature, Henry said. The ECWT is higher than 10 degrees Fahrenheit, which is higher than the February 2021 winter storm’s extreme conditions. 

Texas RE staff has shared some of the information gathered with ERCOT that could boost the ISO’s weatherization-inspection program. 

“We’re going to stay plugged into what they’re doing and let the folks in the other NERC regions know how we’re prepared down here in Texas,” Henry said. 

The cold-weather standard (EOP-012-2, extreme cold weather preparedness and operations) is hung up in NERC’s approval process, having failed two rounds of voting. NERC’s Board of Trustees have said they may have to take matters into its own hands if the standard fails another vote. (See NERC Board May Force Action on Cold Weather Standard.) 

Corbett to Chair Board

The board approved the nominations of Jeff Corbett and Suzanne Spaulding as its chair and vice chair. They will replace Milton Lee and Crystal Ashby in 2024. 

Corbett was a senior executive with Duke Energy after 30 years at Dominion Virginia Power and Progress Energy. Spaulding, who recently was elected by Texas RE’s membership to another three-year term as an independent director, has cybersecurity experience at the federal level and also spent six years at the CIA. She currently is senior adviser for homeland security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). 

The Member Representative Committee selected its 2024-25 representation in November. It will vote on its leadership in January. 

The MRC members are: 

• • • Chad Thompson, ERCOT; 
    • Daniela Hammons, CenterPoint Energy; 
    • Lance Spross, Oncor; 
    • Frank Owens, Rayburn Country Electric Cooperative; 
    • Shari Heino, Brazos Electric Power Cooperative; 
  • • Curt Brockmann, CPS Energy; 
    • Brock Carter, Austin Energy; 
    • David Hodges, RWE Renewables; 
    • Kristina Marriott, Miller Bros. Solar; 
    • Jeremy Carpenter, Tenaska Power Services; and  
    • Venona Greaff, Occidental Power Services.

  Brockmann, Greaff, Hammons and Heino are incumbents. 

  Texas RE Wins Workplace Award

  Texas RE CEO Jim Albright celebrated the organization’s inclusion among the top workplaces in the greater Austin area, as nominated by employees and recognized by the Austin American-Statesman. The reliability entity placed 14th among organizations with between 50 and 149 employees. 

  “This is a great achievement. Over the past three years, we’ve worked together to enhance our workplace culture,” Albright said during the annual membership meeting. “We believe this award … provides us some evidence that we’re going in the right direction. We were just 14 out of 66, so we still have room for improvement.” 

  Staff also reported Texas RE had a net gain of 17 members during the year to push its membership to 125. Generation accounts for most of the total with 89 members, followed by municipal utilities (11) and transmission and distribution providers (10). 

  As of Nov. 1, Texas RE had 335 registered entities, a gain of 32 from a year ago.