AUSTIN, Texas — The independent authority for Texas’ power grid operator ERCOT has a novel idea for how state officials should tackle restructuring Texas’ electricity market in the wake of 2021′s deadly winter storm: do nothing.
Numerous proposals are before the Public Utility Commission to overhaul how electricity is bought and sold on Texas’ power grid. The commission, which regulates the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and is made up of board members appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott, has proposed a unique market structure that would pay a premium for electricity produced by natural gas.
That proposal has faced pushback for relying on an untested structure. But Republican state lawmakers appear united in providing some sort of incentives toward instantly available dispatchable energy, which in Texas is code for natural gas.
