Public Utility Commission of Texas adopts strengthened weather preparation rules for utilities, generators

In an effort to improve grid reliability following the catastrophic grid failures of winter 2021, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) voted last week in favor of expanding weather preparation rules governing electricity generators and transmission utilities.

This will roll out heightened seasonal standards, first deployed by PUCT in November 2021 for winter weather. Summer weather preparation requirements are set to begin in June 2023. Beyond this extension, the rule also removed special exemptions for utilities granted last year, which had allowed some to opt out due to supply chain issues or other reasons, and set specific minimum and maximum temperature standards for 10 areas of the state that were laid out when generation and transmission entities must prepare to maintain operations.

“Reliability drives every decision we make when it comes to grid operations,” PUCT Chairman Peter Lake said. “The grid has to be ready for any weather condition, from extreme heat to extreme cold. These rules take that into account by setting the baseline preparation requirements for an operator at some of the most extreme weather conditions this state has experienced and requiring the operator to prepare their generation resources and transmission facilities to be able to operate in those conditions.”

Additionally, the new rule demanded a weather study from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to examine weather parameters that could negatively impact the reliable operation of the electric grid. ERCOT, which oversees the grid for approximately 90 percent of the state, lost control of much of the grid during the blizzard, leading to compounding issues and decisions that left millions in the dark. Owing to the possibility of future troubles, the new weather study requirement will need to be updated at least every five years to account for changes in weather patterns over time.