WEBVTT 00:00:06.738 --> 00:00:09.849 Good morning and happy holidays. This meeting of the 00:00:09.859 --> 00:00:12.159 Public Utility Commission of Texas will come to order 00:00:12.169 --> 00:00:14.630 to consider matters that have been duly posted with 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:18.489 the Secretary of State for December 14th, 2023 for 00:00:18.500 --> 00:00:20.920 the record. My name is Kathleen Jackson. I'm joined 00:00:20.929 --> 00:00:24.679 by Will McAdams, Lori Cobos and Jimmy Glotfelty. 00:00:26.388 --> 00:00:29.978 Today is a bittersweet day as this is Commissioner 00:00:29.989 --> 00:00:32.848 McAdams last open meeting with us as a commissioner 00:00:32.859 --> 00:00:36.899 of the PUC C will, on behalf of all Texans, I want 00:00:36.908 --> 00:00:39.590 to thank you for your tireless efforts. Since being 00:00:39.598 --> 00:00:42.618 appointed as the first new commissioner after Winter 00:00:42.630 --> 00:00:45.959 Storm Uri, you stepped up to the challenge with a desire 00:00:45.969 --> 00:00:48.840 to make a difference and to make the grid more reliable 00:00:48.848 --> 00:00:51.700 resilient and affordable. You've worked with your fellow 00:00:51.709 --> 00:00:55.228 commissioners, members of the legislature, staff RCO 00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:58.359 stakeholders and members of the public to achieve the 00:00:58.368 --> 00:01:01.848 goal we all share to keep the lights on. You've been 00:01:01.859 --> 00:01:05.519 an invaluable resource to me, the puc and to the state 00:01:05.528 --> 00:01:08.769 of Texas. We greatly appreciate your leadership and 00:01:08.778 --> 00:01:12.870 wish you the best of luck will thank you so much for 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:15.528 your service to Texas. I know some of the other things 00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:27.939 I will follow that with. 00:01:29.849 --> 00:01:36.278 I will follow that with um my uh gratitude for being 00:01:36.290 --> 00:01:43.579 your wingman over here. Um I know you're not uh air 00:01:43.588 --> 00:01:47.829 force so that might be offensive to you. But uh I still 00:01:47.838 --> 00:01:51.250 would uh as you say, uh get in a foxhole with you 00:01:51.260 --> 00:01:56.388 any time um to fight these battles to um do what's 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:01.250 right for the people, the companies, the uh for Texas 00:02:01.260 --> 00:02:06.239 for the long term. And we've had a great opportunity 00:02:06.250 --> 00:02:08.710 to work together on the ad er task force. 00:02:10.419 --> 00:02:13.800 That was your leadership and my nudging you all in 00:02:13.808 --> 00:02:16.550 one direction, but you all, you led that your, your 00:02:16.558 --> 00:02:19.699 team led that and, and Texas is going to be much better 00:02:19.710 --> 00:02:26.058 for it. And I will say that I was so happy having 00:02:26.069 --> 00:02:30.038 been in this business for 30 years to, to watch the 00:02:30.050 --> 00:02:34.288 first few months, you grow from your understanding 00:02:34.300 --> 00:02:37.229 of the market. Obviously, you knew a lot from the legislature 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:40.830 legislative side. But gosh, it was just great to see 00:02:40.860 --> 00:02:45.419 you stand up and be your own person and lead and lead 00:02:45.429 --> 00:02:47.729 and lead. And I know that's to your core, that's the 00:02:47.740 --> 00:02:50.210 way you are. And I'm just uh proud to have been here 00:02:50.219 --> 00:02:53.210 with you and uh I know our friendship will last forever 00:02:53.219 --> 00:02:55.439 So, thanks for you. Thank you. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:01.778 Well, um we're gonna miss you um as having been, you 00:03:01.788 --> 00:03:04.639 know, part of the first set of leadership that showed 00:03:04.649 --> 00:03:07.169 up here after winter storm Uri, you know, we all came 00:03:07.179 --> 00:03:13.110 in here and um had a very challenging um mission right 00:03:13.319 --> 00:03:15.919 from day one, implementing all the legislation that 00:03:15.929 --> 00:03:19.538 got passed in 21 after winter storm Uri, engaging on 00:03:19.550 --> 00:03:23.179 several rounds of market reform discussions. Um You 00:03:23.189 --> 00:03:26.058 know, it's just been the amount of work that we've 00:03:26.069 --> 00:03:28.500 accomplished over the last, you know, two years has 00:03:28.508 --> 00:03:32.819 been, I mean, insurmountable, right? And, and for that 00:03:32.830 --> 00:03:35.139 I thank you for all of your leadership, your service 00:03:35.149 --> 00:03:38.800 your support, your friendship, you've been an outstanding 00:03:38.808 --> 00:03:41.639 um, commissioner and, and like Commissioner Gelt, he 00:03:41.649 --> 00:03:43.439 said, you know, I did some work with you out of the 00:03:43.449 --> 00:03:46.038 legislature here and there, but watching you grow and 00:03:46.050 --> 00:03:48.960 and learn the industry and all of your work with ERCOT 00:03:48.969 --> 00:03:53.038 SPP, all of your, um, you know, high lo, you know, 00:03:53.050 --> 00:03:57.219 your major accomplishments in ad er, and, um, other 00:03:57.229 --> 00:04:00.219 areas that I know you are very passionate about, um 00:04:00.229 --> 00:04:02.569 your passion, your commitment for the better, betterment 00:04:02.580 --> 00:04:05.558 of Texas is gonna be missed. Um, I know we're gonna 00:04:05.569 --> 00:04:09.080 miss you and, um, you've been a dear colleague, a dear 00:04:09.088 --> 00:04:12.229 friend and, you know, it's been great being in the 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:15.139 foxhole with you. You're a good, you're a good, good 00:04:15.149 --> 00:04:18.220 foxhole roommate and, um, but I know you'll be around 00:04:18.850 --> 00:04:20.869 and, uh, 00:04:23.459 --> 00:04:27.588 but, um, you know, um, thank you so much. Thank you 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:29.569 for your leadership and, and everything you've done 00:04:29.579 --> 00:04:30.369 We're gonna miss you. 00:04:33.108 --> 00:04:36.139 Thank you madam chair. Yeah, I just briefly would add 00:04:36.149 --> 00:04:39.608 um, you know, going first was really important, you 00:04:39.619 --> 00:04:43.629 know, on March 15th of 21 Connie and I fo found ourselves 00:04:43.639 --> 00:04:47.278 with, uh, with no one at the DAIS and, uh, being first 00:04:47.290 --> 00:04:50.480 is always difficult. Um, and, and I, I've told you 00:04:50.488 --> 00:04:52.470 privately how much I appreciate that you were willing 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:55.358 to go first and, and what that meant and how that helped 00:04:55.369 --> 00:04:58.040 the, the 21 session, you know, really turn around for 00:04:58.048 --> 00:05:01.028 us. And, um, we've had, we, you and I have had a 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:03.399 lot of, a lot of really good policy discussions, some 00:05:03.410 --> 00:05:06.660 some, a little more contentious than other ones. Um 00:05:06.670 --> 00:05:09.689 but I've appreciated it all and, uh just wanted to 00:05:09.699 --> 00:05:11.660 say, you know, in front of everybody, thank you and 00:05:11.670 --> 00:05:13.920 thank you for going first, appreciate your Thomas. 00:05:14.699 --> 00:05:18.119 So I would say, um, my first thought when we were told 00:05:18.129 --> 00:05:21.579 Will McAdams was headed this way was thank goodness 00:05:21.588 --> 00:05:23.170 someone who speaks electricity. 00:05:24.778 --> 00:05:28.040 And, um, you know, of course, we're well acquainted 00:05:28.048 --> 00:05:32.778 with you and, and your um expertise and dedication 00:05:32.790 --> 00:05:36.488 to, to good public policy from working with you, um 00:05:36.500 --> 00:05:40.199 from down the street over the years. Um Thomas and 00:05:40.209 --> 00:05:44.959 I were sitting in a very lonely hallway, um, on that 00:05:44.970 --> 00:05:49.000 day he referenced and you strolled in, you basically 00:05:49.009 --> 00:05:54.079 said we've got this and never looked back. Uh You know 00:05:54.088 --> 00:05:58.100 your, your leadership on our work and policy has been 00:05:58.108 --> 00:06:02.738 outstanding as everyone has mentioned, but also your 00:06:02.750 --> 00:06:07.269 support for the staff at this agency and helping me 00:06:07.278 --> 00:06:13.579 and Thomas plan to build, build back um to uh the growing 00:06:13.588 --> 00:06:16.769 agency we are today has been phenomenal and you always 00:06:16.778 --> 00:06:20.809 have M and MS, so you'll be missed. Thank you. And 00:06:20.819 --> 00:06:23.278 we will really miss your uh your facial expressions 00:06:23.290 --> 00:06:26.899 telling us exactly what you're thinking. Thank you 00:06:27.100 --> 00:06:31.439 Uh Thank you madam chair. Um I've gone through a lot 00:06:31.449 --> 00:06:36.720 of emotional waves today uh already, um I, I considered 00:06:36.730 --> 00:06:40.059 having ex and I apologize to the public in the audience 00:06:40.069 --> 00:06:42.759 for having to endure this. Uh This is kind of my graduation 00:06:42.769 --> 00:06:48.759 day. Um And uh but you're a valedictorian for once 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:52.639 I appreciate that. 00:06:54.298 --> 00:06:58.540 I, I considered doing impromptu extemporaneous speaking 00:06:58.548 --> 00:07:00.420 but I wrote it down because I might get emotional. 00:07:00.428 --> 00:07:05.488 Um As the media outlets have reported, I will be departing 00:07:05.500 --> 00:07:08.649 the commission by the end of this year. As I told the 00:07:08.660 --> 00:07:13.290 reporters, then there comes a point for everybody when 00:07:13.298 --> 00:07:16.410 they evaluate their work life balance and identify 00:07:16.420 --> 00:07:19.410 a need to take a step back, they need to heed that 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:22.959 that feeling, especially when they need to reset and 00:07:22.970 --> 00:07:27.410 and that point has come for me in, as I said, then 00:07:27.420 --> 00:07:29.588 this is a time for new blood to come in and to 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:32.899 continue the work and momentum that we have created 00:07:32.910 --> 00:07:39.178 and started here. Um Members of the commission members 00:07:39.189 --> 00:07:42.798 of the staff and to the public at large. I want you 00:07:42.809 --> 00:07:45.379 to know that the opportunity to serve on the Public 00:07:45.389 --> 00:07:48.678 Utility Commission of Texas has been one of the most 00:07:49.579 --> 00:07:52.738 one of the highest and true honors of my life. And 00:07:52.750 --> 00:07:55.600 I am extremely grateful to the governor for allowing 00:07:55.608 --> 00:07:59.629 me the opportunity to serve. As we have long said, 00:07:59.639 --> 00:08:02.988 this is not an easy assignment. The current commission 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:08.959 was composed under extreme circumstances. It seems 00:08:08.970 --> 00:08:14.399 to me that 2021 was uh was a defined demarcation line 00:08:14.480 --> 00:08:18.660 and uh time and especially for those working at this 00:08:18.670 --> 00:08:24.088 agency, there is now a pre 2021 history for the PUC 00:08:24.309 --> 00:08:27.920 and a post 2021 history that has yet to be made and 00:08:29.079 --> 00:08:33.259 and it's never going back. And the one thing that is 00:08:33.269 --> 00:08:37.710 certain things have changed and I feel privileged to 00:08:37.719 --> 00:08:41.099 have been here at that transition during that transition 00:08:41.969 --> 00:08:46.239 Um The function that this agency serves is essential 00:08:46.379 --> 00:08:49.590 and nothing's going to change that. I think I said 00:08:49.599 --> 00:08:53.509 it in a memo, but our role as regulators is to instill 00:08:53.779 --> 00:08:56.918 and maintain confidence in the rule of law, spirit 00:08:56.928 --> 00:09:01.090 of fair play and competitive neutrality in an environment 00:09:01.099 --> 00:09:05.500 with large and powerful corporate forces all to ensure 00:09:05.509 --> 00:09:08.379 the best possible outcomes for Texas consumers and 00:09:08.389 --> 00:09:11.918 the people of Texas. And this would not be possible 00:09:12.058 --> 00:09:14.950 without the people serving in this agency, the rank 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:18.580 and file staff who are the unsung heroes that are working 00:09:18.590 --> 00:09:22.158 day in and day out to do the right as they see 00:09:22.168 --> 00:09:25.678 the right and you have done that incredibly well 00:09:27.668 --> 00:09:32.320 in so far as my experience. And as I depart, I would 00:09:32.330 --> 00:09:35.178 like to publicly thank my team, which was of such a 00:09:35.190 --> 00:09:38.440 high caliber that we were able to help steady the ship 00:09:38.820 --> 00:09:43.019 at a time when it needed it. Creighton mcmurray, my 00:09:43.029 --> 00:09:47.009 legal counsel was the intellectual muscle that allowed 00:09:47.019 --> 00:09:50.000 us to spread the field and make an impact in proceedings 00:09:50.009 --> 00:09:54.719 ranging from CCN cases of high import to market design 00:09:54.889 --> 00:09:58.519 which was contentious as referenced. Nothing I did 00:09:58.529 --> 00:10:00.489 in my time at this commission would have been possible 00:10:00.500 --> 00:10:04.119 without Creighton. And uh and I want people to know 00:10:04.129 --> 00:10:07.580 it. Donna Johnson was the beating heart of our office 00:10:07.609 --> 00:10:09.869 providing the organizational support that made our 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:13.178 policy work possible and providing me the confidence 00:10:13.190 --> 00:10:15.908 that I could get involved in projects in far flung 00:10:15.918 --> 00:10:19.239 places like Southwest power Pool and make a difference 00:10:19.250 --> 00:10:21.840 knowing that the trains would keep running on time 00:10:21.849 --> 00:10:23.840 and the office would function and not lose a step. 00:10:24.798 --> 00:10:28.070 Tiffany Wu was the policy and analytical light of our 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:31.739 office, providing the energy and intellectual curiosity 00:10:31.750 --> 00:10:35.119 necessary to take on the toughest policy and policy 00:10:35.129 --> 00:10:38.219 challenges and produce outstanding results. ADR pilot 00:10:38.450 --> 00:10:41.259 the integration of virtual power plants in the ERCOT 00:10:41.269 --> 00:10:45.428 system is no better case in point. And then finally 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:48.330 I would like to thank my wife for letting me volunteer 00:10:48.340 --> 00:10:52.779 for this duty even though she said, well, you're gonna 00:10:52.788 --> 00:10:54.048 do this anyway. So what 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:01.308 so, uh and, and, and also, finally, I would like to 00:11:01.320 --> 00:11:06.340 thank thank Lori, Jimmy and Kathleen. Um, Lori, you're 00:11:06.349 --> 00:11:09.908 the rock, you're the engine of the dias, 00:11:11.849 --> 00:11:15.099 you have the institutional knowledge upon which the 00:11:15.109 --> 00:11:18.308 custom, customs and norms of the commission will continue 00:11:18.769 --> 00:11:23.359 But Jimmy is the energy of the DAO and, and he has 00:11:23.369 --> 00:11:28.590 the experience and the expertise to push the evolution 00:11:28.599 --> 00:11:32.229 of the agency and, and the market for the betterment 00:11:32.869 --> 00:11:37.038 And Kathleen, your leadership, as I have said is uh 00:11:37.048 --> 00:11:41.529 is unsung but it's essential and it's, it's wonderful 00:11:41.538 --> 00:11:44.109 You are the glue that will hold the agency together 00:11:44.139 --> 00:11:46.798 during a time of, of transition and that's what we 00:11:46.808 --> 00:11:52.678 have. Um I sincerely uh one of the greatest gifts for 00:11:52.690 --> 00:11:55.899 me was the friendship that we gained here and uh 00:11:57.830 --> 00:12:00.950 I will miss it. Thank you. Thank you. 00:12:14.369 --> 00:12:16.629 So, moving on with the agenda, public comments for 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:19.048 general matters will be taken up when we get to section 00:12:19.058 --> 00:12:23.149 two item. Number 16, public comments related to a specific 00:12:23.158 --> 00:12:26.668 agenda item will be heard when that item is taken up 00:12:27.058 --> 00:12:30.000 Speakers will be limited to three minutes. Each commoners 00:12:30.009 --> 00:12:32.139 should not approach the table unless oral argument 00:12:32.149 --> 00:12:35.129 has been granted or they've been invited by a commissioner 00:12:35.500 --> 00:12:38.489 Sheila. Will you please walk us through the consent 00:12:38.500 --> 00:12:42.058 items on today's agenda? Yes, ma'am. Good morning commissioners 00:12:42.239 --> 00:12:44.960 by individual ballot. The following items are placed 00:12:44.969 --> 00:12:48.428 on your consent agenda items. Two through four and 00:12:48.440 --> 00:12:52.389 nine through 15. I will entertain a motion to approve 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.288 the items just described by Sheila. So 00:12:56.129 --> 00:12:59.229 I have a motion and a second all in favor. Say I 00:12:59.259 --> 00:13:03.820 I motion passes. First up is item number one, Sheila 00:13:03.830 --> 00:13:06.428 Will you please lay out this item? Yes, ma'am. Item 00:13:06.440 --> 00:13:10.769 number one is stuck at number 50788. The ratepayers 00:13:10.779 --> 00:13:13.658 appeal of the decision by Windermere Oaks Water Supply 00:13:13.668 --> 00:13:17.469 Corporation to change water and sewer rates before 00:13:17.479 --> 00:13:20.619 you is the proposal for a decision from SOAH. The commission 00:13:20.629 --> 00:13:23.158 heard oral argument from the parties in this proceeding 00:13:23.168 --> 00:13:26.590 at the November 2nd. At the meeting, the ratepayer 00:13:26.599 --> 00:13:29.529 representatives, Windemere and commission staff each 00:13:29.538 --> 00:13:32.178 filed exceptions and replies to exceptions to the proposal 00:13:32.190 --> 00:13:35.250 for decision. The A LJS Father memo stating that they 00:13:35.259 --> 00:13:37.840 do not recommend changes to the proposal for decision 00:13:39.019 --> 00:13:41.389 Um Commissioner, we have a commissioner memo on this 00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:45.219 item. Uh Thank you, Sheila. And um, I'm gonna try to 00:13:45.229 --> 00:13:47.389 just hit the high points of the memo. There's a lot 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:50.700 of information in there. This is a, a complicated case 00:13:50.710 --> 00:13:53.788 with a lot of different issues um involved. However 00:13:53.798 --> 00:13:57.629 I think that the, the main issues and um points I'm 00:13:57.639 --> 00:13:59.629 trying to make in the memo are um when you read in 00:13:59.639 --> 00:14:02.639 harmony, subsections J in the, of the Texas water code 00:14:02.649 --> 00:14:07.349 section 1304 3. Um The commission is required to preserve 00:14:07.359 --> 00:14:10.298 Windermere's financial integrity at the time. The appealed 00:14:10.308 --> 00:14:12.979 rates were set. Therefore, the scope of the evidence 00:14:12.989 --> 00:14:15.019 that the commission may consider in this proceeding 00:14:15.029 --> 00:14:17.450 should be limited to the information that was available 00:14:17.460 --> 00:14:21.029 to Windemere Board on February 11th 2020. And evidence 00:14:21.038 --> 00:14:23.298 and the evidence of the reasonable expenses incurred 00:14:23.308 --> 00:14:26.879 by Windemere in this appeal proceeding. Um Windemere 00:14:27.090 --> 00:14:29.279 failed to carry its burden of proof. Demonstrating 00:14:29.288 --> 00:14:32.918 that the um appealed rates were are in the public interest 00:14:33.119 --> 00:14:35.440 The net annual revenue requirement that Windermere's 00:14:35.450 --> 00:14:39.519 board should have used to fix Windermere's rates on 00:14:39.529 --> 00:14:49.038 February 11th, 2020 is $359,378. Um The $356,378 in 00:14:49.048 --> 00:14:53.668 net operating reserves plus 3000 in legal expenses 00:14:53.678 --> 00:14:56.639 are what comprised that? Um What should have been the 00:14:56.649 --> 00:14:59.558 net annual revenue requirement that the board should 00:14:59.570 --> 00:15:03.219 have used to fix the rates in order to preserve Windermere's 00:15:03.229 --> 00:15:05.918 financial integrity. At the time, the appealed rates 00:15:05.928 --> 00:15:08.928 were set. Windemere should have, should be authorized 00:15:08.940 --> 00:15:12.029 to recover its outstanding 2019 legal debt through 00:15:12.038 --> 00:15:15.529 a monthly surcharge collected over 12 months. Windermere's 00:15:15.538 --> 00:15:18.229 volumetric and fixed rate should be calculated using 00:15:18.239 --> 00:15:20.139 the net annual revenue requirement approved by the 00:15:20.149 --> 00:15:24.750 commission with 60% of that allocated to water service 00:15:24.759 --> 00:15:28.070 and 40% allocated to sewer service commission. Staff 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:31.080 should identify which costs in the net revenue requirement 00:15:31.090 --> 00:15:33.750 are fixed and variable and those costs should be assigned 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:36.820 to fixed and variable rates accordingly. Because of 00:15:36.830 --> 00:15:39.489 that annual revenue requirement that I recommend the 00:15:39.500 --> 00:15:42.109 commission approve is lower than the revenues that 00:15:42.119 --> 00:15:44.580 Windemere collected under the appeal rates. I recommend 00:15:44.590 --> 00:15:46.969 that the commission order Windemere to refund the difference 00:15:46.979 --> 00:15:50.038 to ratepayers. Finally, I recommend that a compliance 00:15:50.048 --> 00:15:52.759 stock could be open to oversee the calculation and 00:15:52.769 --> 00:15:55.418 refund of the over recovery to Windemere ratepayers 00:15:55.428 --> 00:15:57.960 and the implementation of the rate case expense surcharge 00:15:57.969 --> 00:16:01.500 for reasonable expenses that Windemere occurred in 00:16:01.509 --> 00:16:06.529 this appeal proceeding. So ultimately, my, my recommendation 00:16:06.538 --> 00:16:11.239 in action would be to move to adopt the PFD in part 00:16:11.250 --> 00:16:14.969 and reject the PFD in part, authorize commission counsel 00:16:14.979 --> 00:16:18.649 to issue an order, directing commission staff to conduct 00:16:18.668 --> 00:16:22.190 a number run consistent with my memo and our discussion 00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:25.090 and direct OPM to draft an order consistent with the 00:16:25.099 --> 00:16:29.029 commission's decision and that incorporates the results 00:16:29.038 --> 00:16:32.340 in number one for consideration at a future open meeting 00:16:33.830 --> 00:16:36.759 Very good. Do we have any thoughts on this? I'm going 00:16:36.769 --> 00:16:39.259 to try to stay quiet, but I agree with you. I agree 00:16:39.269 --> 00:16:42.379 I'm in agreement with the memo and, and supportive 00:16:42.389 --> 00:16:45.330 of the actions that you recommend. I I'm supportive 00:16:45.340 --> 00:16:47.820 as well. Ok. May I jump in with just one clarification 00:16:47.830 --> 00:16:51.668 to confirmation Commissioner Cobos that the, that your 00:16:51.678 --> 00:16:54.879 motion to approve the proposal decision in part and 00:16:54.889 --> 00:16:57.859 deny the proposal decision in part is for the reasons 00:16:57.869 --> 00:17:00.239 stated in your memo? Yes. Ok, great. 00:17:02.340 --> 00:17:05.209 All right with that. Do you need another motion or 00:17:05.219 --> 00:17:09.449 do I need a second. Let's see. Let's, I think I, I 00:17:09.459 --> 00:17:11.868 believe I heard a motion before but just for belts 00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:13.439 and suspenders, let's go through it one more time to 00:17:13.449 --> 00:17:16.949 be. Confirm that. Ok, I would move to adopt the PFD 00:17:16.959 --> 00:17:20.449 in part and reject the PFD in part, consistent with 00:17:20.500 --> 00:17:25.219 the discussion in my memo. And uh and also include 00:17:25.229 --> 00:17:27.920 the authorization of Commission and Council to issue 00:17:27.930 --> 00:17:30.140 an order, directing commission staff to conduct a number 00:17:30.150 --> 00:17:32.989 one consistent with my memo in our discussion and direct 00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:35.239 opdm to draft an order consistent with the commission's 00:17:35.250 --> 00:17:37.660 decision. And that incorporates the results of the 00:17:37.670 --> 00:17:40.969 number one for consideration in the future open meeting 00:17:42.459 --> 00:17:45.130 I have a motion in second all in favor. Say I I 00:17:45.209 --> 00:17:46.269 motion passes 00:17:48.858 --> 00:17:52.910 items 23 and four have been consented. Next up is item 00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:55.799 number five, Sheila, will you please lay out this item 00:17:56.338 --> 00:18:00.400 Item number five is stuck at number 53682. This is 00:18:00.410 --> 00:18:03.140 the application of the utilities investment company 00:18:03.259 --> 00:18:06.279 to amend its certificate of convenience and necessity 00:18:06.289 --> 00:18:09.229 in Liberty County before you is a joint motion for 00:18:09.239 --> 00:18:12.189 rehearing filed by commission staff and utilities investment 00:18:12.199 --> 00:18:15.150 company and the commission voted to place the motion 00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:17.289 for rehearing on the agenda for this of a meeting. 00:18:18.809 --> 00:18:22.078 I think we should grant rehearing. In part. The party 00:18:22.088 --> 00:18:24.910 showed that the CCN attached to the notice of approval 00:18:24.930 --> 00:18:27.818 misidentified the type of service provided. Therefore 00:18:27.828 --> 00:18:30.130 I would grant rehearing in part solely to correct the 00:18:30.140 --> 00:18:32.959 certificate to state that the utility provides water 00:18:32.969 --> 00:18:36.289 service regarding the counties served. The notice of 00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:38.900 approval is based on evidence in the record and the 00:18:38.910 --> 00:18:41.318 parties do not identify in the evidentiary record of 00:18:41.328 --> 00:18:44.140 factual basis for correcting the counties listed in 00:18:44.150 --> 00:18:47.479 the finding of fact tariff and certificate. Therefore 00:18:47.489 --> 00:18:50.439 we should not make the request change to the list of 00:18:50.449 --> 00:18:53.459 counties through a motion for rehearing. The utility 00:18:53.469 --> 00:18:57.430 should instead seek a minor tariff change in a separate 00:18:57.439 --> 00:19:02.539 proceeding. Any thoughts I'm in agreement in your position 00:19:04.868 --> 00:19:08.189 As do I, I would entertain a motion to grant rehearing 00:19:08.199 --> 00:19:11.630 in part solely to approve a corrected certificate stating 00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:14.199 that utilities investment provides water service. 00:19:15.910 --> 00:19:19.390 I have a motion and second all in favor. Say a motion 00:19:21.390 --> 00:19:23.650 next up is item number six, Sheila, will you please 00:19:23.660 --> 00:19:27.459 lay out this item? Item six is the application of Vista 00:19:27.469 --> 00:19:30.519 Del Rio Property Owners Association for authority to 00:19:30.529 --> 00:19:34.358 change rates before you. As a revised proposed order 00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:37.769 A proposed order was previously filed on September 00:19:37.779 --> 00:19:40.709 21st. Commission staff filed corrections to the proposed 00:19:40.719 --> 00:19:43.779 order. The A LJ filed a revised proposed order with 00:19:43.789 --> 00:19:47.068 commission Staff's Corrections Commission Council memo 00:19:47.078 --> 00:19:49.880 was filed recommending changes and I believe chairman 00:19:49.890 --> 00:19:53.449 Jackson filed a memo. Yes, I did file a memo recommending 00:19:53.459 --> 00:19:56.959 approval of the revised proposed order with modifications 00:19:56.969 --> 00:19:59.969 for accuracy and in accordance with the revised proposed 00:19:59.979 --> 00:20:06.259 tariff filed on November 28th 2023. Any thoughts I'm 00:20:06.299 --> 00:20:06.930 in agreement 00:20:08.969 --> 00:20:11.868 I would move to modify the revised proposed order consistent 00:20:11.880 --> 00:20:15.630 with my memo. Do I have a second, a motion in a 00:20:15.640 --> 00:20:21.130 second, all in favor. Say I I motion passes. Next. 00:20:21.140 --> 00:20:23.868 We will take up items number seven and eight together 00:20:24.009 --> 00:20:27.670 Sheila. Will you please lay out these items? Yes. Uh 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:31.250 I'm gonna go, I'll do one and followed by the other 00:20:31.259 --> 00:20:35.078 Item seven is stuck at number 54617. This is the application 00:20:35.088 --> 00:20:38.939 of Texas water utilities and southern horizons development 00:20:39.118 --> 00:20:42.618 for the cell transfer or merger of facilities and certificate 00:20:42.630 --> 00:20:45.338 rights in liberty in Montgomery counties. The commission 00:20:45.348 --> 00:20:48.568 requested briefing on threshold issues in this proceeding 00:20:48.699 --> 00:20:51.779 and commission staff, Anna Miller, the Office of Public 00:20:51.789 --> 00:20:54.959 Utility Council and Texas Water Utilities filed briefs 00:20:54.969 --> 00:20:57.973 and reply briefs for item number eight. That's docket 00:20:57.983 --> 00:21:02.015 number 55157. This is the application of Texas water 00:21:02.025 --> 00:21:05.713 utilities and midway water utilities for the sale transfer 00:21:05.723 --> 00:21:09.223 or merger facilities and certificate rights in Grayson 00:21:09.233 --> 00:21:13.184 Harris Hill, Johnson, Montgomery and Palo Pinto counties 00:21:13.634 --> 00:21:16.334 The commissioner also requested briefing on threshold 00:21:16.344 --> 00:21:19.934 issues in this proceeding. Commission, Staff Office 00:21:19.943 --> 00:21:23.555 of Public Utility Council, Double Diamond and the applicants 00:21:23.564 --> 00:21:27.789 filed briefs and reply briefs. I think we should table 00:21:27.799 --> 00:21:30.549 items seven and eight to a future open meeting. So 00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:33.920 we can consider these dockets at the same time or after 00:21:33.969 --> 00:21:38.338 the rule making. And project number 53, 924. Any thoughts 00:21:39.449 --> 00:21:43.650 agree. I agree as well. That sounds like we'll take 00:21:43.660 --> 00:21:47.630 this up then at a future open meeting. Items number 00:21:47.640 --> 00:21:51.029 nine through 15 have been consented. We will now transition 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:55.390 to section two of our agenda rules projects and miscellaneous 00:21:55.400 --> 00:21:55.920 items. 00:21:59.868 --> 00:22:05.709 Next up is item number 16, general comments for topics 00:22:05.719 --> 00:22:09.059 not specifically posted on this agenda. Speakers will 00:22:09.068 --> 00:22:11.979 be limited to three minutes each. Sheila. Do we have 00:22:11.989 --> 00:22:15.368 anyone from the public signed up to speak? Yes, ma'am 00:22:15.380 --> 00:22:17.318 commissioners. We have one person that signed up to 00:22:17.328 --> 00:22:20.739 speak on item 16, the first, well, one person to sign 00:22:20.750 --> 00:22:23.930 up, Prus read Mr Reid. Do you wanna come on up? 00:22:31.868 --> 00:22:35.368 Thank you all. Thank you. I'll be very brief. Um First 00:22:35.380 --> 00:22:38.500 of all, stay tuned. Cyrus Reed, Lone Star chapter, 00:22:38.509 --> 00:22:41.989 the Sierra Club. Thank you for your service. I've known 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:44.709 you a long time. I don't have a Christmas gift for 00:22:44.719 --> 00:22:48.209 you, but you, but you do have my respect. Uh We knew 00:22:48.219 --> 00:22:50.338 each other in the legislature. You were always very 00:22:50.348 --> 00:22:54.358 approachable, open to new ideas. Uh Appreciate you 00:22:54.630 --> 00:22:57.219 Um As you leave this position, if you want to grow 00:22:57.229 --> 00:22:59.578 out your hair, let your beard down. I'm all for it 00:22:59.598 --> 00:23:03.719 I am gonna be ok. Great. Thank you. Um I'm here very 00:23:03.729 --> 00:23:07.289 briefly just to say that we submitted comments in the 00:23:07.299 --> 00:23:13.578 winter preparedness docket 55633. You do not have to 00:23:13.588 --> 00:23:19.170 read all 700 pages. Um but they are simply people reacting 00:23:19.180 --> 00:23:21.910 to an action alert. We had put out because we were 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:25.265 concerned with the RCT proposal to bring back what 00:23:25.275 --> 00:23:28.703 we called zombie power plants. Um But in the, in the 00:23:28.713 --> 00:23:32.875 comments um that were included in those 700 pages of 00:23:32.884 --> 00:23:36.634 about 350 members of the Sierra Club. It's asking you 00:23:36.644 --> 00:23:39.703 in 2024 to look at some of the same issues you and 00:23:39.713 --> 00:23:43.154 I have been discussing which is um make sure that private 00:23:43.164 --> 00:23:47.699 utilities like Oncor A P and others. CenterPoint can 00:23:47.709 --> 00:23:52.219 all do also have winter demand response programs which 00:23:52.229 --> 00:23:54.779 will be important for the winter. And I know that CenterPoint 00:23:54.789 --> 00:23:56.809 has, has asked to have that authorized so they can 00:23:56.818 --> 00:24:01.459 have a 24 7 product. Make sure that because the legislature 00:24:01.469 --> 00:24:06.500 did pass SB 1699 which includes both some clarifications 00:24:06.509 --> 00:24:11.019 on ad but also includes some direction on residential 00:24:11.029 --> 00:24:15.009 demand response that you take that up in 2024. Make 00:24:15.019 --> 00:24:17.949 sure we continue to expand AD R and the virtual power 00:24:17.959 --> 00:24:20.630 plant. And I saw your guys' memo, I'm, I'm all in favor 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:23.539 of getting the nay involved, hopefully they will. Um 00:24:23.549 --> 00:24:28.118 And then finally, well, two more uh um look again, 00:24:28.130 --> 00:24:30.549 you know, we had those workshops at the beginning of 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:33.229 this year, look at changes we can make to the energy 00:24:33.239 --> 00:24:37.479 efficiency programs to expand them. Um And then finally 00:24:37.750 --> 00:24:44.118 to the extent that uh um Texas does receive substantial 00:24:44.130 --> 00:24:48.160 amounts of money through Iijar, I for energy efficiency 00:24:48.309 --> 00:24:50.489 that we coordinate that very closely with the other 00:24:50.500 --> 00:24:52.989 agencies and with the private utilities. So tho those 00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:55.680 are the asks, I think they're all things we can accomplish 00:24:55.689 --> 00:24:59.900 in 2024. Uh And that, those are my, my uh New Year's 00:24:59.910 --> 00:25:03.160 resolution and Christmas wishes is um, so myself and 00:25:03.170 --> 00:25:05.009 many members of the Sierra Clover putting it before 00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:07.449 you and with that, I'll, I'll end my comments. Thank 00:25:07.459 --> 00:25:09.140 you. Thank you. Thank you. 00:25:15.578 --> 00:25:19.650 This completes item number 16. Next, we'll be taking 00:25:19.660 --> 00:25:23.368 up item number 30 out of order. Item number 30 is project 00:25:23.380 --> 00:25:27.348 number 55837. The commission's project for the review 00:25:27.358 --> 00:25:30.680 of the value of lost load in the ERCOT market, Sheila 00:25:30.689 --> 00:25:32.828 Do we have anyone from the public signed up to speak 00:25:32.838 --> 00:25:34.910 on item number 30? No, ma'am 00:25:36.750 --> 00:25:39.858 filed its work plan for the BAL study and commission 00:25:39.868 --> 00:25:44.068 staff filed a memo in response. Um Matt Arth with ERCOT 00:25:44.500 --> 00:25:47.959 and Dr Suman Ji with Bradle are here to present the 00:25:47.969 --> 00:25:52.140 plan. Could you please come up and state your names 00:25:52.150 --> 00:25:53.049 for the record? 00:25:55.269 --> 00:25:58.489 Um Good morning Commissioner Matt Arth for ERCOT. And 00:25:58.500 --> 00:26:01.489 I have uh doctor Sanam Sarge, a principal with the 00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:04.390 uh Brattle group who is the uh team lead for Brattle 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:06.368 on the value of loss load study. 00:26:09.289 --> 00:26:10.358 And Rebecca Z LO with ECO, 00:26:12.848 --> 00:26:17.299 we appreciate the commission's time. Um uh As, as y'all 00:26:17.309 --> 00:26:21.900 saw, we filed a uh v uh survey work plan um, last 00:26:21.910 --> 00:26:26.019 week, um which uh presents um the proposed plan to 00:26:26.029 --> 00:26:29.769 accomplish um the customer survey element of the value 00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:34.000 of lost load um study uh which would be conducted by 00:26:34.009 --> 00:26:37.500 the Brattle Group with uh the, the survey administration 00:26:37.509 --> 00:26:41.618 expertise of, of plan beyond. Um We highlighted a couple 00:26:41.630 --> 00:26:45.709 of things in that filing, one of which would be um 00:26:45.828 --> 00:26:49.219 ERCOT S continued recommendation to use. Um What we're 00:26:49.229 --> 00:26:54.118 referring to is option three, which would be um to 00:26:54.130 --> 00:26:57.979 utilize the uh customer billing contact information 00:26:57.989 --> 00:27:01.430 that ERCOT has in its possession CBC I um which is 00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:04.670 provided by competitive retailers on a monthly basis 00:27:04.818 --> 00:27:07.750 to distribute the survey in the competitive areas of 00:27:08.140 --> 00:27:12.140 CT um And to uh partner with any interested non op 00:27:12.299 --> 00:27:16.828 entities um to uh either uh receive customer contact 00:27:16.838 --> 00:27:21.989 information from them or uh uh uh uh guide them in 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:24.900 distributing the survey to a select sample of their 00:27:24.910 --> 00:27:29.854 customer. Um uh We've had uh several positive discussions 00:27:29.864 --> 00:27:32.743 with the, with the noy and uh I, I know that there 00:27:32.755 --> 00:27:36.314 is, is support there. I think um it, it's, it's the 00:27:36.324 --> 00:27:37.785 end of the year and it's a busy time. And so I 00:27:37.795 --> 00:27:40.055 think those, those conversations are, are ongoing, 00:27:40.064 --> 00:27:42.894 but we would uh encourage any, any nay that are interested 00:27:42.904 --> 00:27:45.354 in partnering with us to, to reach out to, to myself 00:27:45.364 --> 00:27:48.775 and to uh Ryan King, the, the uh the, the team lead 00:27:48.785 --> 00:27:52.979 at Cott. Um And so, uh perhaps with that, I will uh 00:27:52.989 --> 00:27:56.140 pass it over to Dr Sergei to kind of um give an 00:27:56.150 --> 00:27:59.239 overview of the uh V uh survey work plan and, and we'll 00:27:59.250 --> 00:28:00.900 be happy to answer any questions. 00:28:02.910 --> 00:28:06.618 Good morning commissioners. Um Yeah, so I'm here to 00:28:06.630 --> 00:28:10.338 present an overview of the survey plan. Um It's a 15 00:28:10.358 --> 00:28:12.779 page document, so I'm not really planning to go through 00:28:13.118 --> 00:28:15.979 Uh they, they need to go to the details of the survey 00:28:15.989 --> 00:28:19.500 plan, but over the past couple of months uh with close 00:28:19.509 --> 00:28:23.670 coordinations with the rat team, LBNL uh reps. And 00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:26.479 Noy, we've been having a lot of discussions as to how 00:28:26.489 --> 00:28:29.979 to uh implement the survey uh effectively. And those 00:28:29.989 --> 00:28:33.289 discussions have been very, very helpful um as a result 00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:37.410 of those uh discussions and um our, our team which 00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:40.338 includes the Bridle Group and also plan beyond a market 00:28:40.348 --> 00:28:43.489 research firm which we have worked in the past. Um 00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:46.959 We put together a survey implementation plan to undertake 00:28:46.969 --> 00:28:51.209 the wall study. Um The survey implementation plan um 00:28:51.219 --> 00:28:56.250 has four components. The first part in a value of lo 00:28:56.348 --> 00:29:00.680 load survey is to develop effective uh survey instruments 00:29:00.969 --> 00:29:03.650 Uh We have been fortunate in the sense that we were 00:29:03.660 --> 00:29:08.568 leverage lbnls um long experience and expertise in 00:29:08.578 --> 00:29:12.334 this area. Uh So we are adopting their surveys, we 00:29:12.344 --> 00:29:16.334 will perhaps make uh a few modifications to directly 00:29:16.394 --> 00:29:19.535 be able to answer some of our cards, uh specific questions 00:29:19.545 --> 00:29:23.094 But to a large extent, we are planning to uh leverage 00:29:23.104 --> 00:29:27.394 lbnls uh survey instruments. So then um the second 00:29:27.404 --> 00:29:31.463 part is really uh the most challenging part. It's the 00:29:31.473 --> 00:29:34.779 survey implementation. It's challenging in the sense 00:29:34.789 --> 00:29:39.078 that ROT does not have a direct uh link with the customers 00:29:39.088 --> 00:29:43.578 Uh Oftentimes utilities under JD surveys, they have 00:29:43.588 --> 00:29:47.640 a lot of information um for their individual customers 00:29:47.650 --> 00:29:50.769 because they send the customers the bills. Uh but C 00:29:51.088 --> 00:29:54.479 does not directly have that um customer interface. 00:29:54.489 --> 00:29:57.979 So that makes the survey um challenging. And again 00:29:57.989 --> 00:30:00.098 we've been having a lot of conversations over the past 00:30:00.108 --> 00:30:05.368 couple of months. But our proposal is um to uh for 00:30:05.380 --> 00:30:09.439 residential and small CN I customers um to send these 00:30:09.449 --> 00:30:13.969 customers hopefully through CBC I information, um email 00:30:13.979 --> 00:30:17.489 uh hyperlinks to these surveys which will then their 00:30:17.500 --> 00:30:21.650 responses will go to pro pro priority um database uh 00:30:21.660 --> 00:30:24.969 to collect this information and for large customers 00:30:24.979 --> 00:30:29.108 which are again, um the more challenging class of customers 00:30:29.118 --> 00:30:33.059 to uh survey that uh we are also coordinating a few 00:30:33.068 --> 00:30:36.559 of the industry groups uh to hopefully execute the 00:30:36.568 --> 00:30:41.348 survey. Um So then in our work plan, we have also identified 00:30:41.358 --> 00:30:46.180 a few sources of potential bias and how we are planning 00:30:46.189 --> 00:30:50.578 to uh address these biases in every survey work. There 00:30:50.588 --> 00:30:54.459 is some amount of bias that um is inherent. The the 00:30:54.469 --> 00:30:57.439 first of all is um survey respondent bias. You know 00:30:57.449 --> 00:31:00.953 you send these surveys to a lot of customers, some 00:31:00.963 --> 00:31:03.703 of them respond and these respondents are likely to 00:31:03.713 --> 00:31:05.723 be different from the nonrespondent. So there are a 00:31:05.733 --> 00:31:09.344 few statistical techniques that could mitigate that 00:31:09.354 --> 00:31:12.625 which we will implement. But the other is what we are 00:31:12.634 --> 00:31:16.505 concerned about is that um you know, noise are not 00:31:16.515 --> 00:31:19.473 going to be part of the CBC I list as, as as 00:31:19.483 --> 00:31:24.000 Mr Arth mentioned um to the extent that no customers 00:31:24.009 --> 00:31:27.900 are different from uh com uh rep customers, the the 00:31:27.910 --> 00:31:31.000 the customers subject to competition, they would not 00:31:31.009 --> 00:31:34.118 be represented in the survey responses. If we don't 00:31:34.130 --> 00:31:37.588 have a way to uh survey these customers and given that 00:31:37.779 --> 00:31:41.125 a reliable to standard and other initiatives will be 00:31:41.134 --> 00:31:44.795 for all of the customers. Um In my personal opinion 00:31:44.805 --> 00:31:48.184 it would be very valuable to get some support, uh some 00:31:48.193 --> 00:31:51.654 representation of the no customers so that we can, 00:31:52.074 --> 00:31:55.670 you know, we're not talking about all noise, just a 00:31:55.680 --> 00:31:59.719 a, you know, a, a company, a, a group of noise so 00:31:59.729 --> 00:32:04.309 that we can post stratify and wait according to, to 00:32:04.318 --> 00:32:07.489 to get to a er a wide uh number at the end 00:32:07.500 --> 00:32:11.969 of the day. So that's um something to consider. And 00:32:11.979 --> 00:32:15.328 um last, but not least after we collect all this data 00:32:15.338 --> 00:32:20.459 we will implement uh sophisticated econometric uh techniques 00:32:20.469 --> 00:32:25.170 to glean customers, evaluation of uh lo load and report 00:32:25.180 --> 00:32:29.209 these by customer class by season by time of day. And 00:32:29.219 --> 00:32:32.598 again, any other granularity that uh we deem appropriate 00:32:32.608 --> 00:32:35.848 in consideration and conversations with A T and we 00:32:35.858 --> 00:32:40.904 will get to a wide value of lo node uh numbers. So 00:32:40.914 --> 00:32:43.364 I guess that's at a very high level how we are planning 00:32:43.375 --> 00:32:45.993 to implement. And one thing that I want to note is 00:32:46.005 --> 00:32:50.664 that we have laid out um a 24 mo uh weeks uh 00:32:50.674 --> 00:32:55.255 timeline for this um survey. We have budgeted for about 00:32:55.265 --> 00:32:59.505 13 weeks for the survey implementation uh from start 00:32:59.515 --> 00:33:04.900 to finish. And now we need that um other sort of 13 00:33:04.910 --> 00:33:07.689 weeks. So we have two overlapping weeks, weeks in which 00:33:07.699 --> 00:33:10.699 survey still is is ongoing. But we start some of the 00:33:10.709 --> 00:33:13.818 data processing for our econometric analysis. This 00:33:13.828 --> 00:33:17.858 timeline is um sort of extremely tight uh to begin 00:33:17.868 --> 00:33:21.449 with. Um So I wanna note that uh to the extent that 00:33:21.459 --> 00:33:25.098 there are any delays in um getting started with the 00:33:25.108 --> 00:33:28.709 survey effort, we would need to add that back to the 00:33:28.719 --> 00:33:31.838 schedule at the, at the tail end because unfortunately 00:33:31.848 --> 00:33:35.818 this is as compressed as it gets and, and we would 00:33:35.828 --> 00:33:39.400 not be comfortable rushing the economic analysis. Um 00:33:39.410 --> 00:33:42.578 And, and beyond that time that we budgeted for it. 00:33:43.608 --> 00:33:47.469 So I'm, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have 00:33:49.160 --> 00:33:51.219 and sorry, I was just going to add one more thing that 00:33:51.229 --> 00:33:53.779 I forgot to add before we're, we're happy to say that 00:33:53.789 --> 00:33:56.338 um Texas and I'm authorized to represent the Texas 00:33:56.348 --> 00:33:58.789 Industrial energy consumers, the Texas Oil and Gas 00:33:58.799 --> 00:34:01.640 Association and the Energy Professional Association 00:34:01.650 --> 00:34:05.199 have all um partnered with us to help distribute survey 00:34:05.209 --> 00:34:08.860 to um the large customers. And uh and I understand 00:34:08.869 --> 00:34:13.070 that in, in many instances, brokers have um uh the 00:34:13.079 --> 00:34:15.750 kind of email relationship with the customer and so 00:34:15.760 --> 00:34:18.128 they can help us out um particularly with those small 00:34:18.139 --> 00:34:20.349 and medium commercial, commercial customers. 00:34:22.137 --> 00:34:24.318 So I know that commission staff recommends that the 00:34:24.329 --> 00:34:27.539 commission accept ERCOT S proposal to use option three 00:34:27.829 --> 00:34:31.478 to conduct the BAL survey. Uh I agree with staff. Do 00:34:31.489 --> 00:34:34.467 we have any thoughts? I agree as well. And, and I, 00:34:34.478 --> 00:34:36.958 and I want to thank ERCOT and, and Bridle for their 00:34:36.967 --> 00:34:39.708 work on this. And it's clear to me that this is gonna 00:34:39.717 --> 00:34:43.579 be a very robust, um great effort to come up with a 00:34:43.588 --> 00:34:46.197 whole study that will help inform our reliability standard 00:34:46.208 --> 00:34:49.929 I'm supportive of option three and um also would like 00:34:49.938 --> 00:34:54.139 to encourage some Noy to partner with ERCOT um to get 00:34:54.148 --> 00:34:55.918 information from their service territories because 00:34:55.929 --> 00:34:59.019 I think it would be beneficial for ERCOT to have that 00:34:59.030 --> 00:35:01.668 information since we have a lot of noy and big noy 00:35:02.059 --> 00:35:06.219 in um in Texas, um some big uh mo us and, and 00:35:06.228 --> 00:35:08.458 co ops and would also request that the competitive 00:35:08.469 --> 00:35:11.929 reps include email addresses and their CBC I files 00:35:11.938 --> 00:35:13.728 in January and February if possible because that will 00:35:13.739 --> 00:35:19.128 help ERCOT outreach to more customers um via email 00:35:19.139 --> 00:35:21.728 And so, um thank you again, I think this is moving 00:35:21.739 --> 00:35:23.188 in a very good direction. 00:35:24.809 --> 00:35:28.750 I'll follow up on that. I agree that staff laid out 00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:32.500 Option three very well in their memo adheres to the 00:35:32.510 --> 00:35:36.228 law. It's in my opinion, the best path forward. I would 00:35:36.239 --> 00:35:39.458 just encourage you all to look when you are looking 00:35:39.469 --> 00:35:43.489 at. Nay, don't just take city of Austin and city of 00:35:43.500 --> 00:35:46.869 San Antonio. Look to the rural areas of the state. 00:35:46.878 --> 00:35:49.878 They have a voice in this and it needs to be heard 00:35:49.889 --> 00:35:52.340 in the study as well. So I just encourage you to make 00:35:52.349 --> 00:35:55.039 the extra effort if, if that information doesn't get 00:35:55.050 --> 00:35:57.079 returned the first time, you can always come back to 00:35:57.090 --> 00:36:00.849 us or we'll help you find a way to, to get their 00:36:00.860 --> 00:36:04.599 voice heard in this, in this study. Thanks. I know 00:36:04.610 --> 00:36:08.619 Matt presented at both R MS and tact this month requesting 00:36:08.628 --> 00:36:10.579 that participation. And I think we're also issuing 00:36:10.590 --> 00:36:14.458 a market notice to encourage no precip as well. 00:36:16.369 --> 00:36:18.469 So I think I'm hearing that each of you are satisfied 00:36:18.478 --> 00:36:21.679 with option three. ERCOT, do you need anything else 00:36:21.688 --> 00:36:24.188 from us before moving forward? Rebecca? 00:36:26.489 --> 00:36:30.550 Um I don't believe so. Uh uh We appreciate y'all's 00:36:30.559 --> 00:36:34.840 feedback and I continue to work with staff on the survey 00:36:34.849 --> 00:36:37.860 moving forward. And just so I'm on the record. I support 00:36:37.869 --> 00:36:40.179 that as well. Um I'm just glad to see Brattle on the 00:36:40.188 --> 00:36:42.719 field. Finally, I know the timeline is extremely tight 00:36:43.050 --> 00:36:48.570 Uh glad, very gratified to see um industrial users 00:36:48.699 --> 00:36:51.938 and other industry participants playing ball because 00:36:51.949 --> 00:36:54.760 this is an essential component for both ERCOT and other 00:36:54.769 --> 00:36:57.019 systems that are evaluating what the value of scarcity 00:36:57.030 --> 00:36:59.489 truly needs to be moving forward. So, thank you to 00:36:59.550 --> 00:37:03.969 ERCOT. Good plan. This is going to be a bright, a shining 00:37:03.978 --> 00:37:06.889 light for ERCOT who's blazing a path that others will 00:37:06.898 --> 00:37:11.148 follow. So very appreciative. Thank you. Um Again, 00:37:11.159 --> 00:37:13.438 also important to note that we'd like to have input 00:37:13.449 --> 00:37:17.228 from all Texans in response to the survey. Again, not 00:37:17.239 --> 00:37:19.349 just those that are served by the reps. So I'd urge 00:37:19.418 --> 00:37:21.938 ERCOT and staff to continue to work with Armenis and 00:37:21.949 --> 00:37:24.938 Co ops to get participation from their customers as 00:37:24.949 --> 00:37:26.469 well as we talked about earlier. 00:37:28.398 --> 00:37:33.309 Ok, thank you. Um I don't have anything on item 17 00:37:33.320 --> 00:37:39.429 or 18. Next up is item number 19. Project number 53710 00:37:39.438 --> 00:37:42.079 this is the commission's project for the project monitor 00:37:42.090 --> 00:37:46.389 distribution and usage of pure Chapter 39 chapter N 00:37:46.398 --> 00:37:49.179 proceeds. Sheila, do we have anyone from the public 00:37:49.188 --> 00:37:52.139 signed up to speak on item 19? No, ma'am. 00:37:53.769 --> 00:37:56.918 Staff filed a memo providing the final update regarding 00:37:56.929 --> 00:37:59.438 the distribution of the bond proceeds and is here to 00:37:59.449 --> 00:38:01.119 provide a brief overview. 00:38:02.978 --> 00:38:05.159 Good morning commissioners. Zachary Dollar for commission 00:38:05.168 --> 00:38:08.039 Staff, commission. Staff's memo is the fifth and final 00:38:08.050 --> 00:38:09.938 update regarding the distribution and monitoring of 00:38:09.949 --> 00:38:13.929 sub chapter and security station bond proceeds L CS 00:38:13.938 --> 00:38:15.619 with the remaining subchapter and bond proceeds were 00:38:15.628 --> 00:38:17.849 required to file a final status report on November 00:38:17.860 --> 00:38:21.019 15th. Staff's memo included a summary table based on 00:38:21.030 --> 00:38:23.918 their filings, there were only six L CS with funds 00:38:23.929 --> 00:38:27.398 not distributed to customers totaling just over $78,000 00:38:27.989 --> 00:38:30.090 All funds were attempted to be returned to customers 00:38:30.099 --> 00:38:32.659 by check but were never cashed despite the efforts 00:38:32.668 --> 00:38:34.869 of the remaining six LLC S to reach these customers 00:38:36.269 --> 00:38:40.840 all of the remaining $78,000 in return, staff believes 00:38:40.849 --> 00:38:43.199 each LLC use reasonable effort to locate and issue 00:38:43.208 --> 00:38:45.918 refunds to their eligible active and inactive customers 00:38:46.398 --> 00:38:48.599 Commission staff recommends that the commission deem 00:38:48.610 --> 00:38:51.719 all LLC obligations regarding the distribution of subchapter 00:38:51.728 --> 00:38:54.010 and bond proceeds to be fully discharged. And that 00:38:54.019 --> 00:38:57.398 project number 537 10, be closed. Thank you. And I'm 00:38:57.409 --> 00:39:00.159 happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Any thoughts 00:39:00.168 --> 00:39:03.789 on this one? I think they proposed the right thing 00:39:03.840 --> 00:39:08.030 I think reducing the uplift is the way to go with these 00:39:08.039 --> 00:39:09.398 dollars that can't be 00:39:12.329 --> 00:39:15.860 assigned to or, or checks cashed, assigned to an individual 00:39:16.398 --> 00:39:19.659 and think that they've done the right thing and I'm 00:39:19.668 --> 00:39:22.429 supportive of that effort if we need to draft an order 00:39:22.438 --> 00:39:28.570 or is there a? Um Anyway, I would entertain a motion 00:39:28.579 --> 00:39:31.809 to approve staff's recommendation, deeming all LSE 00:39:31.820 --> 00:39:34.659 obligations regarding the distribution of subchapter 00:39:34.668 --> 00:39:38.360 in bond proceeds to be fully discharged. And that project 00:39:38.369 --> 00:39:42.769 number 53710 be closed. I would also direct PUC C staff 00:39:42.780 --> 00:39:45.128 to draft an order consistent with the commission's 00:39:45.139 --> 00:39:50.148 decision. So I have a motion and a second all in favor 00:39:50.159 --> 00:39:56.648 Say I I motion passes. Thanks. Next up is item number 00:39:56.659 --> 00:40:00.648 20 project number 53911. This is the commission's project 00:40:00.659 --> 00:40:03.769 for the aggregate distributed Energy Resources ERCOT 00:40:03.780 --> 00:40:06.610 pilot project. See, do we have anyone from the public 00:40:06.619 --> 00:40:10.750 signed up to speak on item number 20? No, ma'am. Commissioners 00:40:10.760 --> 00:40:14.739 McAdams and Glotfelty filed a joint memo. Could you 00:40:14.750 --> 00:40:19.208 please lay out your memo? Thank you madam chair on 00:40:19.219 --> 00:40:22.148 behalf of Commissioner Glotfelty and myself, we we 00:40:22.159 --> 00:40:26.869 filed a memo basically reflecting a continuance of 00:40:26.878 --> 00:40:30.389 the conversation that we had at the August 24th open 00:40:30.398 --> 00:40:34.500 meeting. We asked the task force to discuss pathways 00:40:34.510 --> 00:40:39.539 to expand participation in the AD pilot. And over the 00:40:39.550 --> 00:40:42.418 last months, the task force has held multiple meetings 00:40:42.429 --> 00:40:45.349 to identify barriers to participation as highlighted 00:40:45.360 --> 00:40:50.389 in the memo among the possible actions ERCOT has and 00:40:50.398 --> 00:40:55.679 I believe this is accurate, has agreed that we should 00:40:55.688 --> 00:41:00.110 allow ADRS to qualify for ecs. Thank you, Rebecca approach 00:41:00.929 --> 00:41:04.599 We also, they also believe it is appropriate to update 00:41:04.610 --> 00:41:09.938 the telemetry validation methodology which can be codified 00:41:09.949 --> 00:41:13.760 in the governing document and to clarify the procedures 00:41:13.769 --> 00:41:16.628 for checking for enrollment in other programs such 00:41:16.639 --> 00:41:23.070 as si I would say tomorrow is a the final meeting of 00:41:23.079 --> 00:41:26.849 the ADER task force for the year. I'd like to ask the 00:41:26.860 --> 00:41:30.969 task force to bring, to make all effort to bring more 00:41:31.010 --> 00:41:36.478 non non opt-in entities noy into the conversation of 00:41:36.489 --> 00:41:39.929 ADR participation, unlocking the business case for 00:41:39.938 --> 00:41:43.168 noy will be a great benefit to the state. It will serve 00:41:43.179 --> 00:41:48.059 those rural areas and underserved areas in terms of 00:41:48.070 --> 00:41:51.769 a lot of technical capabilities, technological capabilities 00:41:52.119 --> 00:41:54.708 and we encourage our coin task force to continue working 00:41:54.719 --> 00:41:58.510 together to provide, to continue the momentum on the 00:41:58.590 --> 00:42:02.449 ADR pilot moving forward and expand it as quickly as 00:42:02.458 --> 00:42:08.679 is practicable madam chair. Just to close on my layout 00:42:09.300 --> 00:42:12.059 I believe this has been a significant success for Texas 00:42:12.070 --> 00:42:15.159 We have demonstrated that we are still in the most 00:42:15.168 --> 00:42:19.300 innovative and dynamic system in the country and that 00:42:19.309 --> 00:42:22.610 this is going to be a resource that the system should 00:42:22.619 --> 00:42:25.800 be able to truly depend on in the future and will help 00:42:25.809 --> 00:42:29.500 resiliency help to make the system more reliable and 00:42:29.510 --> 00:42:33.159 resilient in extreme situations. With that, I would 00:42:33.168 --> 00:42:40.398 welcome any comments. I would like to add that this 00:42:41.139 --> 00:42:44.269 this ADER task force I think has been a has been a 00:42:44.280 --> 00:42:52.320 success in knocking down barriers to the understanding 00:42:52.329 --> 00:42:55.438 of value of ads and virtual power plants in the state 00:42:56.168 --> 00:42:58.789 We have not yet achieved the potential of what these 00:42:58.800 --> 00:43:04.090 things can do this step, expanding ECR S and other 00:43:04.099 --> 00:43:08.978 products is critical and it's not critical, it's critical 00:43:08.989 --> 00:43:12.389 if we want to grow these into major reliability tools 00:43:12.889 --> 00:43:16.610 That's because the the retail providers and the others 00:43:16.619 --> 00:43:20.750 that are creating V PS need critical mass that they 00:43:20.760 --> 00:43:24.610 can go market to and have critical mass of products 00:43:24.619 --> 00:43:28.760 they can sell into otherwise they're spending marketing 00:43:28.769 --> 00:43:31.570 dollars on just a few customers and we're not going 00:43:31.579 --> 00:43:36.030 to get the value out of it. So expanding this is, I 00:43:36.039 --> 00:43:39.389 think absolutely the right thing to do it. It will 00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:47.070 be our kind of our net metering tool for these resources 00:43:47.079 --> 00:43:50.389 As we go forward, they are playing in a wholesale market 00:43:50.398 --> 00:43:54.978 and they are helping the reliability of the system 00:43:54.989 --> 00:43:57.889 And I think as we grow this, it will continue to grow 00:43:57.898 --> 00:44:02.019 across the state. And I'm happy to have my name on 00:44:02.030 --> 00:44:05.800 the memo with you. I would also point out commissioner 00:44:05.809 --> 00:44:10.878 and echo those comments. One of the important outcomes 00:44:10.889 --> 00:44:13.958 of this is we need to see the density produced from 00:44:13.969 --> 00:44:17.929 the pilot uh geographic density so that the infrastructure 00:44:18.099 --> 00:44:20.969 of our grid may be built out to better accommodate 00:44:20.978 --> 00:44:26.260 this more diffuse and uh and and prevalent capability 00:44:26.340 --> 00:44:29.179 in our system, especially as technology improves and 00:44:29.188 --> 00:44:32.869 consumers see the value associated with this, this 00:44:32.878 --> 00:44:37.269 technology that they could deploy. Yeah, I I just wanna 00:44:37.280 --> 00:44:39.869 congratulate both of y'all on your work on this um 00:44:39.878 --> 00:44:43.628 ad R project. I mean, it's been really um cutting edge 00:44:43.639 --> 00:44:46.659 nationally globally. I think in terms of just innovation 00:44:46.668 --> 00:44:50.840 showing um that we continue to lead in innovation in 00:44:50.849 --> 00:44:54.610 in Texas, in ERCOT. Um And it's awesome that now we're 00:44:54.619 --> 00:44:57.349 moving to the next chapter of expansion into another 00:44:57.429 --> 00:45:00.708 ancillary service. And you know, I'm glad ERCOT supportive 00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:03.119 and I know there will be changes to the governing documents 00:45:03.128 --> 00:45:04.800 that will be presented to the board. And so I think 00:45:04.809 --> 00:45:08.300 this is moving in a great direction and congratulations 00:45:08.309 --> 00:45:12.389 on both of y'all and, and you know, Commissioner McAdams 00:45:12.398 --> 00:45:15.010 you know, your leadership on this has been outstanding 00:45:15.019 --> 00:45:17.449 and I think this is a model for other markets in the 00:45:17.458 --> 00:45:20.019 United States. So your new wing man over here is going 00:45:20.030 --> 00:45:20.829 to be carrying the baton, 00:45:22.780 --> 00:45:24.519 Jimmy will be carrying the baton going forward and 00:45:24.530 --> 00:45:27.269 I'm sure it will be such robust memos. 00:45:31.059 --> 00:45:33.349 We'll just appreciate the leadership from both of y'all 00:45:33.360 --> 00:45:36.449 and knowing that this is moving forward. Um You know 00:45:36.458 --> 00:45:38.688 it's, it's not one big answer. It's a lot of little 00:45:38.699 --> 00:45:41.539 answers and it's things that support the system overall 00:45:41.550 --> 00:45:44.688 in terms of reliability, resiliency, and affordability 00:45:44.699 --> 00:45:48.610 and this definitely hits on all of those objectives 00:45:48.619 --> 00:45:50.909 So I if if I could madam chair before you close it 00:45:50.918 --> 00:45:53.309 out, I would like to personally thank before I am no 00:45:53.320 --> 00:45:57.719 longer heard from again, c staff for, for your willingness 00:45:57.728 --> 00:46:03.019 to embrace this new capability, study it and take those 00:46:03.030 --> 00:46:06.550 steps and support taking those steps that allow the 00:46:06.559 --> 00:46:10.360 grid to evolve and grow this. This is going to be neat 00:46:10.369 --> 00:46:12.978 to watch in the years to come and we were there on 00:46:12.989 --> 00:46:15.579 the ground floor. So thanks, thanks Rebecca, thanks 00:46:15.599 --> 00:46:19.918 Dan. We, we presenting our draft report on phase one 00:46:19.938 --> 00:46:24.429 at the task force tomorrow. It should make the recommendation 00:46:24.438 --> 00:46:28.128 for phase two to include CRS and that will cover the 00:46:28.139 --> 00:46:31.969 August 24th through November 30th of this year. I think 00:46:31.978 --> 00:46:35.329 the phase two governing document recommendation would 00:46:35.340 --> 00:46:37.753 be available for the task force after the for review 00:46:37.764 --> 00:46:40.284 moving towards that February board approval. Really 00:46:40.293 --> 00:46:43.083 appreciate that. And I know I know you wanted to thank 00:46:43.094 --> 00:46:46.304 Tiffany for writing for the help of the memo. She was 00:46:46.313 --> 00:46:50.014 the tip of the spear on this and from my standpoint 00:46:50.023 --> 00:46:51.965 I've got to find my Tiffany now. 00:46:53.969 --> 00:46:57.559 Well, that doe fellowship program was a, a great loner 00:46:57.570 --> 00:47:00.789 program. Best thing the feds ever did 00:47:05.329 --> 00:47:09.760 with that, we will move forward. Ok. I don't have anything 00:47:09.769 --> 00:47:14.789 on item 2021 unless y'all do. Uh next up is item number 00:47:14.800 --> 00:47:19.188 22. Project number 54444. This is the commission's 00:47:19.199 --> 00:47:23.010 project for ERCOT S calendar year 2023 reports. Sheila 00:47:23.019 --> 00:47:25.110 do we have anyone from the public signed up to speak 00:47:25.119 --> 00:47:29.079 on item number 22 ma'am. Uh Today we will discuss the 00:47:29.090 --> 00:47:32.829 final report ERCOT filed and uh addressing the September 00:47:32.840 --> 00:47:37.929 6th 2023 emergency event. Um Dan with him from ERCOT 00:47:38.219 --> 00:47:41.679 is here. Um Dan, if you would come up and provide an 00:47:41.688 --> 00:47:45.418 overview of ERCOT S report and please state your name 00:47:45.429 --> 00:47:51.300 for the record DM with and with got um, so we did 00:47:51.309 --> 00:47:55.019 file a, a unredacted confidential report with, for 00:47:55.030 --> 00:47:57.708 the commission to review as well as a redacted public 00:47:57.719 --> 00:48:00.878 version because it the difference was primarily due 00:48:00.889 --> 00:48:03.809 to some of the uh critical energy infrastructure uh 00:48:03.820 --> 00:48:07.539 information that had to be in there. Um at a high level 00:48:07.550 --> 00:48:10.300 the, the report provides details that are consistent 00:48:10.309 --> 00:48:14.159 with what I uh gave you back at soon after the event 00:48:14.168 --> 00:48:17.269 and the verbal report at an open meeting. The one thing 00:48:17.280 --> 00:48:22.219 that is new is that we issued an RF to entities that 00:48:22.228 --> 00:48:25.110 were contributing to our physical responsive capability 00:48:25.119 --> 00:48:29.139 that that part of reserves that is frequency responsive 00:48:29.260 --> 00:48:32.458 And we had reason to believe that that because frequency 00:48:32.469 --> 00:48:35.030 went low, although we still have a significant amount 00:48:35.039 --> 00:48:39.559 of PRC the physical responsive capability that, that 00:48:40.250 --> 00:48:42.559 the information that we were getting from the market 00:48:42.570 --> 00:48:44.909 participants in order to provide to calculate that 00:48:44.918 --> 00:48:47.708 PR C number was probably too high. So we issued the 00:48:47.719 --> 00:48:50.389 RF I. So one of the things I want to report on 00:48:50.398 --> 00:48:54.010 today is kind of the talk more about the results of 00:48:54.019 --> 00:48:57.469 that RF I because we didn't know about that at the 00:48:57.478 --> 00:49:00.289 time that I gave the previous open meeting uh presentation 00:49:00.639 --> 00:49:04.458 Um So I guess the summary is at the point of lowest 00:49:04.469 --> 00:49:09.168 frequency, the um the PR C that was being calculated 00:49:09.179 --> 00:49:13.579 was about 564 megawatts higher than what it should 00:49:13.590 --> 00:49:17.070 have been at the time. Um And the, the breakdown of 00:49:17.079 --> 00:49:20.898 of what was causing that, that um PR C to be calculation 00:49:20.909 --> 00:49:24.199 to be too high is we had about 200 megawatts, a little 00:49:24.208 --> 00:49:29.438 under 200 megawatts of uh reported cap capacity from 00:49:29.449 --> 00:49:32.780 thermal generators. This is on page four of the report 00:49:32.789 --> 00:49:35.639 By the way, if you got it, um, the, um, there are 00:49:35.648 --> 00:49:38.989 about a little under 200 megawatts from thermal generators 00:49:39.000 --> 00:49:42.389 that were reporting that they could get to a higher 00:49:42.398 --> 00:49:44.820 capacity than what they could actually get to at that 00:49:44.829 --> 00:49:50.369 point in time. And uh most of that is, is just single 00:49:50.469 --> 00:49:53.789 digit megawatts because they were assuming that it 00:49:53.800 --> 00:49:56.369 was uh the amount of capacity you can get out of a 00:49:56.378 --> 00:50:00.269 thermal unit is largely, is somewhat dependent on ambient 00:50:00.280 --> 00:50:03.329 air temperatures. And so that there's always a little 00:50:03.389 --> 00:50:06.949 little bit of error there. Um We actually passed N 00:50:06.958 --> 00:50:11.949 pr 1085 last year that, that sets rules around how 00:50:11.958 --> 00:50:15.349 accurate those the reporting has to be. And so no, 00:50:15.360 --> 00:50:19.378 uh no one was in violation of that N pr 1085 that 00:50:19.389 --> 00:50:24.159 we've seen at this point. Um The uh the next category 00:50:24.168 --> 00:50:28.659 was a little over 200 megawatts from wind generation 00:50:28.668 --> 00:50:33.918 resources that their controls, if they're curtailed 00:50:33.929 --> 00:50:37.300 then they have to be able to respond to frequency and 00:50:37.309 --> 00:50:40.010 increase their output if their control systems are 00:50:40.019 --> 00:50:42.559 set up, right. That happens automatically. But in this 00:50:42.570 --> 00:50:45.309 case, it didn't seem to be working, right. And so we're 00:50:45.320 --> 00:50:49.079 actually working with all of those different wind generators 00:50:49.090 --> 00:50:51.878 to look at their control system and see if they can 00:50:51.889 --> 00:50:55.219 make the changes that would allow them to provide frequency 00:50:55.228 --> 00:50:59.619 response in, in, in a similar situation. And then the 00:50:59.628 --> 00:51:04.349 final category is 158 megawatts that was from uh energy 00:51:04.360 --> 00:51:08.898 storage resources that were uh largely the, the biggest 00:51:08.909 --> 00:51:11.728 category of those that they were reporting that they 00:51:11.739 --> 00:51:14.978 could get us to a certain output. But because they 00:51:14.989 --> 00:51:17.909 had depleted their state of charge significantly, it 00:51:17.918 --> 00:51:20.300 gets harder and harder to get juice out of the battery 00:51:20.309 --> 00:51:22.978 when, when they're at a very low state of charge. And 00:51:22.989 --> 00:51:26.429 so they couldn't actually get there. And so, uh that 00:51:26.438 --> 00:51:29.800 that's one where we're working on uh, rules around 00:51:29.809 --> 00:51:33.360 Uh, we may need to make some rule changes to, to or 00:51:33.369 --> 00:51:37.050 or systems changes, one or the other to, to account 00:51:37.059 --> 00:51:39.378 for that, especially as we get more and more batteries 00:51:39.389 --> 00:51:42.559 on the system. And so that's really the, the, the primary 00:51:42.570 --> 00:51:44.539 things that I wanted to report on that, that like I 00:51:44.550 --> 00:51:46.918 said is different from the previous report, but I'm 00:51:46.929 --> 00:51:49.889 happy to answer any questions you might have on anything 00:51:49.898 --> 00:51:50.719 in the report. 00:51:55.789 --> 00:51:59.489 Yeah, I, I'm appreciative of the report and the extra 00:51:59.500 --> 00:52:03.530 time to look at it. I still, 00:52:05.769 --> 00:52:09.349 I think these are things that, that we reports like 00:52:09.360 --> 00:52:11.929 this. Unfortunately, I think are things that are going 00:52:11.938 --> 00:52:13.648 to be more normal than not, 00:52:15.369 --> 00:52:18.550 at least until the, the transmission line from the 00:52:18.559 --> 00:52:23.269 south gets completed and some of the reliability issues 00:52:23.280 --> 00:52:28.030 get resolved long term. I hope this is a lesson. I 00:52:28.039 --> 00:52:31.699 I'm, I, when I look at the data, I see it, I 00:52:31.708 --> 00:52:34.398 read it differently than you all do. Um I would have 00:52:34.409 --> 00:52:38.099 a different headline, I would have a different um uh 00:52:38.550 --> 00:52:38.708 uh 00:52:40.280 --> 00:52:44.679 I would write the report a little differently, so I'm 00:52:44.688 --> 00:52:48.300 not going to pick, pick at that. I just think that 00:52:48.590 --> 00:52:51.750 we know this is a constraint. We know this is a problem 00:52:51.760 --> 00:52:56.860 Now, we know that when I think when you have high thermal 00:52:56.869 --> 00:53:00.500 problems in the North, something like this is possible 00:53:00.510 --> 00:53:03.978 to happen. And I hope we can look at all of the 00:53:03.989 --> 00:53:11.139 possible remedies to solve this utilizing market functions 00:53:11.148 --> 00:53:17.039 first rather than operator actions. And, and hopefully 00:53:17.050 --> 00:53:20.289 we can keep prices down and continue to encourage the 00:53:20.300 --> 00:53:23.090 market to function as opposed to the operators taking 00:53:23.099 --> 00:53:26.969 these, these actions. I think the other thing that 00:53:26.978 --> 00:53:29.329 it showed me was that 00:53:31.378 --> 00:53:34.869 and this is, this is kind of scary. We at this commission 00:53:34.878 --> 00:53:43.030 moved s to be deployed prior to getting into EES and 00:53:43.039 --> 00:53:44.929 that leaves the cupboard pretty bare 00:53:46.559 --> 00:53:51.878 when you get into an ee if you don't have tools because 00:53:51.889 --> 00:53:56.050 you've already deployed them to prevent you getting 00:53:56.059 --> 00:53:59.280 into ee then the coverage bear the way I see it. The 00:53:59.289 --> 00:54:02.139 question becomes to ERCOT, how do we fill that in? 00:54:02.208 --> 00:54:06.079 What is, what are the tools that we need to do if 00:54:06.090 --> 00:54:09.458 we do real time call optimization? Do we need to take 00:54:09.590 --> 00:54:13.699 er s and put it back into eea the last resort. I 00:54:13.708 --> 00:54:15.510 mean, I think those are the discussions we need to 00:54:15.519 --> 00:54:18.139 have with ancillary service with a big study that we're 00:54:18.148 --> 00:54:21.760 going to do and have the, the market input. Because 00:54:22.159 --> 00:54:24.418 while we don't want, we want to use the tools not to 00:54:24.429 --> 00:54:27.148 get into eea, we also got to have something there when 00:54:27.159 --> 00:54:30.619 we get into it. So, and that, that was an apparent 00:54:30.628 --> 00:54:35.909 apparent to me. So I hope that we can continue to work 00:54:35.918 --> 00:54:38.260 through this. I asked Woody some questions about this 00:54:38.418 --> 00:54:41.099 about the numbers of thermal outages in the north. 00:54:41.110 --> 00:54:44.719 How big of a problem actually was that? And he said 00:54:44.728 --> 00:54:47.739 he'd get back to me. So, so actually I have an answer 00:54:47.750 --> 00:54:52.679 to that. So if we looked at the number of thermal outages 00:54:52.688 --> 00:54:57.039 on that at I earning 20 on that afternoon of the six 00:54:57.050 --> 00:55:01.119 it was about a little under 5900 megawatts. That's 00:55:01.128 --> 00:55:04.199 about the same number. It was on the following day 00:55:04.500 --> 00:55:07.469 It actually had been higher on the day before and, 00:55:07.478 --> 00:55:11.878 and earlier in the morning on the sixth. So we actually 00:55:11.889 --> 00:55:15.844 the outage kind of went down in the afternoon, the 00:55:15.853 --> 00:55:18.114 amount of forest outages on thermal generation had 00:55:18.125 --> 00:55:22.603 gone down in the afternoon before the event from what 00:55:22.614 --> 00:55:25.175 they had been the day before and the morning before 00:55:25.333 --> 00:55:28.155 and were all those in the north or were they was that 00:55:28.164 --> 00:55:33.628 system the, the, I guess the increase had, had gone 00:55:33.639 --> 00:55:37.059 up in both the north and the south and then they both 00:55:37.070 --> 00:55:40.878 kind of came down proportionally. I just again, something 00:55:40.889 --> 00:55:43.750 that we need to, your operators, your folks need to 00:55:43.760 --> 00:55:46.878 keep an eye on, I think is important as we go forward 00:55:46.978 --> 00:55:51.739 Thank you. Um Dan, one highlight on page six of the 00:55:51.750 --> 00:55:54.659 report, you said it was the highest instantaneous net 00:55:54.668 --> 00:55:58.570 load in ERCOT history that just stood out to me. Can 00:55:58.579 --> 00:56:01.228 you, can you touch on that a little bit? Yeah. So the 00:56:01.239 --> 00:56:06.239 the the the net load is kind of the instantaneous amount 00:56:06.250 --> 00:56:09.958 of the the maximum consumption that we have from all 00:56:09.969 --> 00:56:13.688 the electricity consumers minus the amount that's being 00:56:13.780 --> 00:56:16.809 of that load that's being provided by wind and solar 00:56:16.820 --> 00:56:19.989 resources. And so the way, the way to look at that 00:56:20.000 --> 00:56:23.179 net load number is that's the, that's the load that 00:56:23.188 --> 00:56:27.909 the dispatchable generation has to serve. And so basically 00:56:27.918 --> 00:56:30.978 what that comment is saying is that's the maximum amount 00:56:30.989 --> 00:56:35.010 that the dispatchable fleet had ever had to serve on 00:56:35.019 --> 00:56:39.409 the ERCOT system. Uh If you, if you look back at, at 00:56:39.418 --> 00:56:43.329 a time before wind and solar resources were added to 00:56:43.340 --> 00:56:45.938 the system that we typically reported on the peak demand 00:56:45.949 --> 00:56:48.320 the maximum consumption and that whatever the maximum 00:56:48.329 --> 00:56:51.360 peak demand was, that was the time that the dispatchable 00:56:51.369 --> 00:56:55.510 generation was needed the most. Well, in this case 00:56:55.519 --> 00:56:58.889 it's it's shifted to where it's really the net load 00:56:58.898 --> 00:57:02.378 is what they're providing. And so that's kind of says 00:57:02.389 --> 00:57:05.889 that's the most we've ever needed. And is that driven 00:57:05.898 --> 00:57:08.728 or, or mainly focused that net load period that you're 00:57:08.739 --> 00:57:12.500 highlighting in the solar ram down that because solar 00:57:12.510 --> 00:57:15.500 was going away, that would I think it was consistent 00:57:15.510 --> 00:57:17.929 with that not being there to help. 00:57:19.668 --> 00:57:22.619 So the the dispatchable generation had to ramp up to 00:57:22.628 --> 00:57:25.280 to cover what? Because the load was staying fairly 00:57:25.289 --> 00:57:28.809 constant at that point in time. And so as the solar 00:57:28.820 --> 00:57:31.429 ramped down, the dispatchable generation had to ramp 00:57:31.438 --> 00:57:35.309 up um to help serve the load. Yeah, it was still hot 00:57:35.320 --> 00:57:39.929 at night. And so you still had high demand on the system 00:57:40.340 --> 00:57:42.809 We just have a whole lot more, we have wind, but we 00:57:42.820 --> 00:57:45.918 have a whole lot more solar. So is the expectation 00:57:45.929 --> 00:57:49.320 that the net load, um the peak net load will get steeper 00:57:49.329 --> 00:57:52.239 and that's sort of the going forward expectation of 00:57:52.250 --> 00:57:56.039 what we had in the summer there. It's definitely true 00:57:56.050 --> 00:58:00.250 that um when the peak load on the system happens, the 00:58:00.260 --> 00:58:03.639 peak peak consumption in the heat of the afternoon 00:58:03.648 --> 00:58:06.728 that typically is going to be around 5 p.m. or so in 00:58:07.168 --> 00:58:10.168 the summer, the sun's going to be helping. So as we 00:58:10.179 --> 00:58:13.188 get more solar on the system, it's going to help a 00:58:13.199 --> 00:58:16.719 lot sir. As the load continues to grow with the great 00:58:16.728 --> 00:58:20.340 Texas economy and so forth. But then when the sun goes 00:58:20.349 --> 00:58:23.699 away at night, it won't be, the solar will not be there 00:58:23.708 --> 00:58:26.099 to help and we'll need more dispatchable generation 00:58:26.110 --> 00:58:29.860 to help or, and, and I guess it is dispatchable generation 00:58:29.869 --> 00:58:34.510 I'm including batteries in that as, as being what we 00:58:34.519 --> 00:58:37.750 will need to tide us over until in the evening. Then 00:58:37.760 --> 00:58:41.300 the load tends to come down. Sure. So the net peak 00:58:41.309 --> 00:58:43.590 load period will become even more critical as we have 00:58:43.599 --> 00:58:45.530 more solar on the system, we have that ramp down and 00:58:45.539 --> 00:58:47.489 we're gonna need dispatchable resources to fill that 00:58:47.500 --> 00:58:51.418 ramp down as you highlighted um traditional generation 00:58:51.429 --> 00:58:58.688 and batteries. Ok, thanks Dan. Um Do you have a picture 00:58:59.070 --> 00:59:04.530 So state of charge a little bit um on, on how on 00:59:04.539 --> 00:59:11.300 how we observed state of charge post ee A and, and 00:59:11.309 --> 00:59:15.750 going into the event, we, we noted that one state of 00:59:15.760 --> 00:59:18.728 charge indicated that 00:59:20.320 --> 00:59:24.898 I'm trying to figure out, do you have a a picture on 00:59:24.909 --> 00:59:29.559 once curtailment happened in the south, how much state 00:59:29.570 --> 00:59:36.219 of charge energy was, was isolated in the South and 00:59:36.228 --> 00:59:39.449 basically remained? And then how much in the north 00:59:39.458 --> 00:59:43.769 was basically the entire capacity of state of charge 00:59:43.780 --> 00:59:48.079 in the north depleted over the high-risk hours or high-risk 00:59:48.090 --> 00:59:52.820 moments of September 6th. How did the ratio bear out 00:59:52.829 --> 00:59:56.478 Do we, do we have a picture on that? I don't think 00:59:56.489 --> 00:59:59.179 we've got it broken out into those two pieces. There 00:59:59.188 --> 01:00:03.889 is on page 18 A a uh kind of AAA graphic that 01:00:03.898 --> 01:00:07.429 shows the uh state of charge for the all the batteries 01:00:07.438 --> 01:00:10.418 but we don't have it broken out. So I I'm just wondering 01:00:10.429 --> 01:00:14.969 this, this was a combination of events that, that came 01:00:14.978 --> 01:00:19.478 to a confluence at one time, it was a disruption caused 01:00:19.489 --> 01:00:24.090 by an overloaded point of the transmission system that 01:00:24.099 --> 01:00:27.360 caused generation to be backed down which then affected 01:00:27.369 --> 01:00:30.840 frequency. PRC was doing strange things. All these 01:00:30.849 --> 01:00:33.628 things were happening at once. Thus the, the need to 01:00:33.639 --> 01:00:36.918 act decisively and frankly in a short period of time 01:00:37.429 --> 01:00:42.059 And I'm I'm just trying, I think it would be useful 01:00:42.099 --> 01:00:45.349 as we move forward. And if these things happen, which 01:00:45.360 --> 01:00:49.289 they may happen in the, in the future, we get a better 01:00:49.300 --> 01:00:53.329 fix on where is the energy being trapped in, in those 01:00:53.340 --> 01:00:57.889 events? Where is it being depleted so that we identify 01:00:57.898 --> 01:00:59.958 regionally? And again, we, we talked about this during 01:00:59.969 --> 01:01:03.510 the PCM and the market design conversation. It's deliverability 01:01:03.519 --> 01:01:06.199 is a big part of this. I mean, I think you all 01:01:06.208 --> 01:01:10.590 are big believers in that and, and it's making your 01:01:10.599 --> 01:01:14.099 life more complicated. I think September 6th is, is 01:01:14.110 --> 01:01:17.579 like a heart condition. I mean, a blockage is now finally 01:01:17.590 --> 01:01:21.418 causing a major disruption in the system. And, and 01:01:21.489 --> 01:01:25.208 we've got to start to solve for that and, and batteries 01:01:25.219 --> 01:01:27.458 are a big part of that. And state of charge is a 01:01:27.469 --> 01:01:32.510 big part monitoring that I concede it. But I'd like 01:01:32.519 --> 01:01:34.860 to know where things are, where electrons are getting 01:01:34.869 --> 01:01:37.500 trapped and not able to assist the rest of the system 01:01:37.510 --> 01:01:41.219 Arrest these. And that's a good point, Commissioner 01:01:41.228 --> 01:01:44.239 McAdams because now we know, I mean, we know that there 01:01:44.250 --> 01:01:46.809 is an issue south of San Antonio and there will be 01:01:46.820 --> 01:01:50.780 one until the CPS energy transmission project is built 01:01:51.219 --> 01:01:54.530 And so how do we proactively tackle these situations 01:01:54.539 --> 01:01:57.469 in the future? Um When we know we're going to have 01:01:57.478 --> 01:02:02.119 low wind, low solar in the in the north zones and we 01:02:02.128 --> 01:02:06.010 may end up in a situation where as he as will just 01:02:06.019 --> 01:02:08.679 noted, you know, a comp of events where you can't get 01:02:08.688 --> 01:02:12.478 generation out of the south, we have low um renewables 01:02:12.489 --> 01:02:14.639 some forced outages, just a combination of things, 01:02:14.648 --> 01:02:18.250 how, what can we do to proactively deal with that situation 01:02:18.260 --> 01:02:21.199 So we don't end up in a tailspin um in the future 01:02:21.208 --> 01:02:22.869 because we know we're going to have those solar ram 01:02:22.878 --> 01:02:26.909 downs. We know we're gonna have hot nights. We, we 01:02:26.918 --> 01:02:29.610 all this information is just known now at this point 01:02:29.619 --> 01:02:33.719 So making sure we're proactively planning um for the 01:02:33.728 --> 01:02:36.610 same circumstances that could arise in the near future 01:02:36.619 --> 01:02:40.989 again. So I guess several thoughts on that. The, the 01:02:41.000 --> 01:02:45.340 um so we're just in the, in the interim period where 01:02:45.349 --> 01:02:48.478 we are working with the transmission owners to see 01:02:48.489 --> 01:02:50.780 if there are kind of small incremental things that 01:02:50.789 --> 01:02:55.349 we can do to help until the there is a planned transmission 01:02:55.360 --> 01:02:58.579 line that will help with that constraint that's already 01:02:58.590 --> 01:03:00.708 been gone through the regional planning process. And 01:03:00.719 --> 01:03:04.199 it, it's um um kind of in the, in the process of 01:03:04.208 --> 01:03:06.289 being constructed, but several, several years out. 01:03:06.300 --> 01:03:08.860 And so we'll, we'll be working on kind of incrementally 01:03:08.869 --> 01:03:12.760 what can we do. And um, so that, that's, that's the 01:03:12.769 --> 01:03:14.969 first thing. The second thing is the planning group 01:03:14.978 --> 01:03:18.148 has gone back and looked at, ok, what would they have 01:03:18.159 --> 01:03:23.228 had to see differently back in say 2017 or so in order 01:03:23.239 --> 01:03:26.769 to get to, so that a line would be in place by 01:03:26.780 --> 01:03:30.114 the, so if they'd seen this set of things, then we 01:03:30.125 --> 01:03:32.974 then they might have built the line earlier. And so 01:03:32.985 --> 01:03:35.023 that's a kind of a lessons learned thing. We go back 01:03:35.034 --> 01:03:38.284 look at these set of things. Ok? How, how can we going 01:03:38.293 --> 01:03:41.304 forward, start to identify those things more as you 01:03:41.313 --> 01:03:45.228 say, proactively? Um And in fact, they're, they're 01:03:45.239 --> 01:03:47.949 they're looking at that, is that ok? We're building 01:03:47.958 --> 01:03:51.260 one line out of South Texas to, to it into the San 01:03:51.269 --> 01:03:54.030 Antonio area. Do we need another line? And they're 01:03:54.039 --> 01:03:57.070 starting already to look at that as part of the um 01:03:57.079 --> 01:04:01.628 uh the, the normal annual planning cycle. And so, so 01:04:01.639 --> 01:04:05.070 we are trying to, to, to use this as a lesson learned 01:04:05.079 --> 01:04:07.849 and, and get ahead of, of it going forward as well 01:04:07.860 --> 01:04:10.059 as solving the kind of immediate problem. 01:04:12.110 --> 01:04:14.918 What would be some incremental transmission improvements 01:04:14.929 --> 01:04:19.829 like just examples um if, if there is a, like a, a 01:04:19.840 --> 01:04:24.320 switch or a wave trap or some kind of device on a 01:04:24.329 --> 01:04:30.409 line that is the limiting element um that you can replace 01:04:30.418 --> 01:04:37.110 that fairly quickly, fairly low cost. Um And then that 01:04:37.369 --> 01:04:41.309 incrementally will raise the, the, the transfer capability 01:04:41.320 --> 01:04:43.070 on that line. Um 01:04:45.708 --> 01:04:50.280 We're also looking at at uh potential switching solutions 01:04:50.289 --> 01:04:52.929 that we were, we actually implemented on the, the, 01:04:52.938 --> 01:04:56.728 the day, the next day on the seventh. And, uh, can 01:04:56.739 --> 01:05:00.409 we, can we do that, uh, in other, you know, proactively 01:05:00.679 --> 01:05:04.918 uh, as a, what's called a PUC A PP plan? Uh 01:05:06.478 --> 01:05:08.619 I hate it when I forget what the acronyms are. We've 01:05:08.628 --> 01:05:11.458 got too many acronyms if, if, if I forget what they 01:05:11.469 --> 01:05:12.610 what they stand for. 01:05:14.519 --> 01:05:17.360 Um, but, but, you know, that's one of the things we're 01:05:17.369 --> 01:05:20.110 we're looking at is, is kind of small. It's not gonna 01:05:20.119 --> 01:05:22.958 it's not gonna provide, you know, 1000 megawatts more 01:05:22.969 --> 01:05:26.019 transfer capability, but it may hooch it up a little 01:05:26.949 --> 01:05:32.478 Ok. Thank you. And, and in that space, I know facility 01:05:32.489 --> 01:05:35.929 rating methodologies are, that's solely within the 01:05:36.360 --> 01:05:40.059 purview of the utility and CPS. Is that right? But 01:05:40.070 --> 01:05:43.889 do you get to work with them to, um, 01:05:45.679 --> 01:05:48.938 I mean, do you all have any authority or any 01:05:51.300 --> 01:05:55.139 right to see if facility rating methodologies are correct 01:05:55.148 --> 01:05:59.239 or accurately, not followed but accurate in terms of 01:05:59.250 --> 01:06:02.128 their ratings? I think they, the transmission companies 01:06:02.139 --> 01:06:05.378 provide those to us, we don't really have authority 01:06:05.389 --> 01:06:07.860 over them, although we are working with them. I think 01:06:07.869 --> 01:06:11.708 all the ones in this area recognize that they need 01:06:11.719 --> 01:06:14.829 to look at it. We've reviewed, like I said, the kind 01:06:14.840 --> 01:06:18.739 of minor upgrades that can be done looked and this 01:06:18.750 --> 01:06:22.398 line was already um dynamically rated. So during the 01:06:22.409 --> 01:06:24.559 winter, it's going to have a higher rating because 01:06:24.570 --> 01:06:29.510 of it's cooler. Um And so they are definitely working 01:06:29.519 --> 01:06:33.898 on those things. Ok, thanks. So it sounds like, you 01:06:33.909 --> 01:06:37.119 know, uh expectation of an after action report or root 01:06:37.128 --> 01:06:41.260 cause analysis is not only to identify what caused 01:06:41.269 --> 01:06:44.139 the issue, but also to address those things you can 01:06:44.148 --> 01:06:47.208 do in the near term, whether it's operational or it's 01:06:47.219 --> 01:06:50.510 capital improvement as well as, you know, kind of look 01:06:50.519 --> 01:06:54.219 for what things need to be done for the longer term 01:06:54.418 --> 01:06:57.199 solution, always with an eye on preventing it from 01:06:57.208 --> 01:07:00.570 occurring period. And so I think a lot of the things 01:07:00.579 --> 01:07:03.478 that you discussed here really hone in on that and 01:07:03.489 --> 01:07:06.760 um really thank you for your efforts on this and um 01:07:06.769 --> 01:07:10.250 we'll continue to be working with you and, and watching 01:07:10.260 --> 01:07:10.519 this. 01:07:13.320 --> 01:07:15.010 Thank you, Dan. Thanks Dan. 01:07:16.898 --> 01:07:22.010 Next up is item number 23 project number 54445. This 01:07:22.019 --> 01:07:25.019 is the commission's project for rules adopted by ERCOT 01:07:25.199 --> 01:07:27.280 Sheila. Do we have anyone from the public signed up 01:07:27.289 --> 01:07:31.619 to speak on item number 23? No, ma'am. Let's let's 01:07:31.628 --> 01:07:35.398 discuss uh n Pr R 1186 1st and then we'll discuss the 01:07:35.409 --> 01:07:40.070 seven administrative revision request. Uh On 1186 ERCOT 01:07:40.079 --> 01:07:44.099 filed a letter requesting we defer discussion and consideration 01:07:44.110 --> 01:07:48.938 of N Pr R 1186 to our January 18th open meeting to 01:07:48.949 --> 01:07:51.489 ensure that ERCOT can provide the best information 01:07:51.500 --> 01:07:54.239 possible and to allow a reasonable opportunity for 01:07:54.250 --> 01:07:57.789 review. ERCOT commits to file its presentation with 01:07:57.800 --> 01:08:01.418 the commission no later than January 4th. ERCOT has 01:08:01.429 --> 01:08:04.398 confirmed that delaying consideration of this N Pr 01:08:04.409 --> 01:08:08.159 R would not delay any of ERCOT s other market initiatives 01:08:08.179 --> 01:08:11.728 including real time Co optimization Commission. Staff 01:08:11.739 --> 01:08:14.619 filed a memo regarding ERCOT S proposal and finds it 01:08:14.628 --> 01:08:18.088 reasonable. Staff is recommending interested parties 01:08:18.100 --> 01:08:21.479 submit written comments in response to ERCOT S materials 01:08:21.489 --> 01:08:25.810 be permitted until January 11th with a limit of five 01:08:25.819 --> 01:08:30.539 pages. I'm good with ERCOT S timeline and staff's recommendations 01:08:30.548 --> 01:08:34.699 Do we have any thoughts? Well, I'm good with it. Uh 01:08:36.750 --> 01:08:37.750 But I love to hear your thoughts. 01:08:39.949 --> 01:08:44.539 Yeah, I'm I'm obviously I have taken issue with this 01:08:44.770 --> 01:08:50.798 NPRR. I am fine with this. I am concerned as I voiced 01:08:50.810 --> 01:08:54.020 to Woody at ERCOT about the staff time that it's taking 01:08:54.029 --> 01:08:58.779 to, to analyze this little interim solution that 01:09:00.519 --> 01:09:02.957 will be resolved and the number of hours that it's 01:09:02.969 --> 01:09:05.908 taking of the senior staff people that could be working 01:09:05.917 --> 01:09:10.429 on RT CB. I think there is a concern there within me 01:09:10.438 --> 01:09:15.269 but I'm happy to delay this discussion for another 01:09:15.278 --> 01:09:17.269 until the January open meeting. 01:09:18.939 --> 01:09:23.409 Yeah, I I um emphasize with your points. Um Commissioner 01:09:23.829 --> 01:09:25.739 Glotfelty on we, we've spent a lot of time on this 01:09:25.750 --> 01:09:30.020 this uh M pr R I mean months and I wanna make 01:09:30.029 --> 01:09:33.180 sure that we get all the information that um ERCOT 01:09:33.189 --> 01:09:37.439 can provide before we uh take action on it. I know 01:09:37.449 --> 01:09:39.918 that, you know, there's a suite of, of questions and 01:09:39.930 --> 01:09:43.587 concerns that we raised at the last open meeting that 01:09:43.658 --> 01:09:46.257 ERCOT wants an opportunity to provide more detailed 01:09:46.269 --> 01:09:48.297 information. I really do hope that we get some good 01:09:48.309 --> 01:09:51.898 information from ERCOT this, this next round um to 01:09:52.188 --> 01:09:54.719 to help us better understand the issue as they're seeing 01:09:54.729 --> 01:09:58.938 it. Um from their perspective, I know the battery companies 01:09:58.948 --> 01:10:02.278 want certainty sooner rather than later on this issue 01:10:02.288 --> 01:10:04.667 And I'm sympathetic to that as well. I think just having 01:10:04.679 --> 01:10:07.627 a more robust record with ERCOT S information, stakeholder 01:10:07.639 --> 01:10:12.418 feedback will benefit us in the long run. Um But iii 01:10:12.489 --> 01:10:16.079 I think that we need to um find a way to move 01:10:16.088 --> 01:10:19.100 past this issue sooner rather than later because it 01:10:19.109 --> 01:10:21.109 is, it has taken up a lot of our time and I 01:10:21.119 --> 01:10:23.489 know it's been taking up a lot of Burt's time as well 01:10:23.500 --> 01:10:25.810 and, and we have a lot of very important market reform 01:10:25.970 --> 01:10:30.329 measures that need to be um put in place. And um I 01:10:30.338 --> 01:10:33.430 think that's the focus that we need to be um really 01:10:33.439 --> 01:10:36.250 focused on. So I look forward to Eco's information 01:10:36.259 --> 01:10:39.539 and additional stakeholder feedback and we'll tackle 01:10:39.548 --> 01:10:42.430 it at the January 18th open meeting. Ok. So it sounds 01:10:42.439 --> 01:10:44.449 like we're all in agreement and we'll bring up N Pr 01:10:44.458 --> 01:10:49.220 R 1186 on January the 18th. Next, we'll discuss the 01:10:49.229 --> 01:10:52.659 seven administrative revision request. C staff filed 01:10:52.668 --> 01:10:55.899 a memo and a proposed order recommending approval of 01:10:55.909 --> 01:10:59.250 seven administrative revision requests. Any thoughts 01:10:59.520 --> 01:11:03.520 I'm in agreement and move their adoption. Ok. We have 01:11:03.560 --> 01:11:08.359 a motion to approve the proposed order for adoption 01:11:09.000 --> 01:11:13.000 We have a second all in favor. Say I motion passes 01:11:13.640 --> 01:11:18.109 I don't have anything on items 24 or 25. Next up is 01:11:18.119 --> 01:11:22.509 item number 26. Project number 55250, this is the commission's 01:11:22.520 --> 01:11:25.250 rulemaking regarding its transmission and distribution 01:11:25.259 --> 01:11:28.439 system resiliency plans. Sheila, do we have anyone 01:11:28.449 --> 01:11:31.270 from the public signed up to speak on item number 26 01:11:31.489 --> 01:11:34.899 No, ma'am. PUC staff filed a memo and proposal for 01:11:34.909 --> 01:11:37.810 adoption due to staff's recommendation having been 01:11:37.819 --> 01:11:41.220 filed yesterday. I would like to delay consideration 01:11:41.229 --> 01:11:44.259 of this item and table it until the next open meeting 01:11:44.418 --> 01:11:47.918 to allow more time for me to review and to allow more 01:11:47.930 --> 01:11:49.640 time for stakeholders to review. 01:11:51.239 --> 01:11:53.039 I'm good with that too. I'm in agreement. 01:11:54.628 --> 01:11:57.048 I'm supportive, Sheila Connie. Will you please add 01:11:57.060 --> 01:12:01.819 this item to our January 18th agenda? Next up is item 01:12:01.829 --> 01:12:05.918 number 27. Project number 55320, this is the commission's 01:12:05.930 --> 01:12:09.789 project for RFP for consulting services. Relating to 01:12:09.798 --> 01:12:13.378 electric emergency operations plan and whether emergency 01:12:13.390 --> 01:12:17.720 preparedness plans, preparedness reports. Sheila, do 01:12:17.729 --> 01:12:20.208 we have anyone from the public signed up to speak on 01:12:20.220 --> 01:12:24.720 item number 27 ma'am. Commission staff filed a memo 01:12:24.729 --> 01:12:28.128 in a proposed order. This is a routine delegation of 01:12:28.140 --> 01:12:31.079 authority to the executive director to enter into a 01:12:31.088 --> 01:12:35.060 contract. I'm good with the proposed order. Um 01:12:36.750 --> 01:12:39.569 For I would entertain a motion to approve the proposed 01:12:39.579 --> 01:12:43.350 order. So I have a motion in a second, all in favor 01:12:43.359 --> 01:12:46.899 Say a, a motion passes. Thanks for coming in. 01:12:51.458 --> 01:12:55.479 Next up is item number 28 project number 55421. This 01:12:55.489 --> 01:12:57.628 is the commission's project for the Texas Advanced 01:12:57.640 --> 01:13:00.609 nuclear reactor working group, Sheila. Do we have anyone 01:13:00.619 --> 01:13:03.259 from the public signed up to speak on item 01:13:07.989 --> 01:13:11.729 number 28 commissioner. Um We had a great meeting in 01:13:11.739 --> 01:13:16.208 here a few weeks ago, a week ago. Um The whole room 01:13:16.220 --> 01:13:19.079 was totally rearranged. So thank you for the all of 01:13:19.088 --> 01:13:23.640 the team uh within the PUC that ar arranged and rearranged 01:13:23.869 --> 01:13:27.850 Uh that's cords, that's uh cameras, that's microphones 01:13:27.859 --> 01:13:29.939 everything. It was, it took quite an effort, but it 01:13:29.949 --> 01:13:33.720 was a, it was a very well received meeting. We had 01:13:33.729 --> 01:13:38.720 well over 100 people online and we had, you know, maybe 01:13:38.729 --> 01:13:42.789 25 or 30 within the room. Our guest was the nuclear 01:13:42.798 --> 01:13:46.600 regulatory commissioner David Wright, um madam chairman 01:13:46.609 --> 01:13:49.319 I'm appreciative that you spent time with us as well 01:13:50.060 --> 01:13:51.970 And I think the most important thing coming out of 01:13:51.979 --> 01:13:56.029 that meeting was we have decreased the number of our 01:13:56.039 --> 01:14:00.239 working groups from 7 to 4. We have put leadership 01:14:00.250 --> 01:14:03.229 together on all of those and they are often running 01:14:03.239 --> 01:14:10.109 So the goal here is to help manage that, but to push 01:14:10.119 --> 01:14:14.079 them to think creatively and see what the state needs 01:14:14.088 --> 01:14:16.520 to do. So we're excited that, that they're off and 01:14:16.529 --> 01:14:21.529 running now. Ok. Well, great, great update and uh really 01:14:21.539 --> 01:14:23.289 enjoyed meeting Commissioner Ryan. I think that was 01:14:23.298 --> 01:14:27.449 a real tribute to the work at work group here in Texas 01:14:27.458 --> 01:14:29.770 that, you know, he felt like that that was important 01:14:29.779 --> 01:14:32.199 to come and become a part of this. And uh of course 01:14:32.208 --> 01:14:35.128 lots of work ahead and appreciate as always your leadership 01:14:35.140 --> 01:14:38.890 Absolutely. Uh Next up is item number 29 project number 01:14:38.899 --> 01:14:42.680 55718. This is the commission's project for the reliability 01:14:42.689 --> 01:14:45.470 plan for the Permian Basin, Sheila. Do we have anyone 01:14:45.479 --> 01:14:48.600 from the public signed it to speak on item number 29 01:14:48.609 --> 01:14:51.970 Yeah, ma'am Lori. I appreciate you traveling to Midland 01:14:52.338 --> 01:14:55.009 and hosting the permanent Basin Electric Reliability 01:14:55.020 --> 01:14:58.000 plan workshop. I think it's always great to meet the 01:14:58.009 --> 01:15:00.418 boots on the ground people and get their input. Uh 01:15:00.430 --> 01:15:03.029 Would you like to provide an update from the workshop 01:15:03.039 --> 01:15:06.088 and then lay out your memo and proposed order? Yes 01:15:06.100 --> 01:15:08.029 Thank you madam chair. It was, it was a pleasure to 01:15:08.039 --> 01:15:11.020 go to Midland Odessa um it's kind of like going back 01:15:11.029 --> 01:15:14.418 home and told everybody that I had attended Texas Tech 01:15:14.430 --> 01:15:16.119 and I got more guns up than I would ever get in 01:15:16.128 --> 01:15:18.489 Austin. So that was, that was pretty cool. I even got 01:15:18.500 --> 01:15:20.259 a chance to wear black and red. So it was, it was 01:15:20.270 --> 01:15:23.819 kind of nice. Um So as chair Jackson mentioned, um 01:15:23.829 --> 01:15:25.918 the commission held a workshop on Tuesday in Midland 01:15:25.930 --> 01:15:27.869 to kick off the discussion of the development of a 01:15:27.878 --> 01:15:31.229 reliability plan for the Permian Basin region. Pursuant 01:15:31.239 --> 01:15:36.079 to house Bill 5066. Um as the commissioner leading 01:15:36.088 --> 01:15:39.079 the effort uh to have ERCOT develop a reliability plan 01:15:39.088 --> 01:15:41.298 for the Permian Basin. I attended the workshop and 01:15:41.310 --> 01:15:44.000 provided some opening remarks. The workshop was very 01:15:44.009 --> 01:15:47.220 well attended, uh bringing together representatives 01:15:47.229 --> 01:15:49.378 from the oil and gas industry transmission service 01:15:49.390 --> 01:15:53.699 providers in and outside of um the region. Uh PUC staff 01:15:53.770 --> 01:15:57.418 ERCOT, staff and the region's legislative delegation 01:15:57.430 --> 01:15:59.409 and local officials. I want to give a special thank 01:15:59.418 --> 01:16:03.509 you to Senator Sparks. Uh State representatives Cradock 01:16:03.520 --> 01:16:06.279 and Landgraf and Ear County Judge Fawcett for attending 01:16:06.289 --> 01:16:09.140 the workshop. The workshop, panelists from the oil 01:16:09.149 --> 01:16:11.640 and gas industry transmission companies or kind of 01:16:11.649 --> 01:16:14.100 PUC provided valuable feedback including the oil and 01:16:14.109 --> 01:16:17.259 gas industry's need for additional transmission and 01:16:17.270 --> 01:16:19.759 dispatchable generation resources to electrify their 01:16:19.770 --> 01:16:23.569 operations. They were very focused on the industry 01:16:23.579 --> 01:16:25.319 as a whole. The oil and gas industry as a whole is 01:16:25.329 --> 01:16:30.159 very focused and, and uh strongly desires a reliable 01:16:30.168 --> 01:16:33.060 affordable and clean supply of power. The transmission 01:16:33.069 --> 01:16:35.850 service providers um provided information on their 01:16:35.859 --> 01:16:39.199 construction process. And Ian PUC C provided information 01:16:39.208 --> 01:16:43.399 on the transmission planning and CN process. This kickoff 01:16:43.409 --> 01:16:46.520 workshop um demonstrates our strong commitment at the 01:16:46.529 --> 01:16:49.359 commission to work with ERCOT, the applicable T SPS 01:16:49.369 --> 01:16:51.489 and the oil and gas industry to ensure the delivery 01:16:51.500 --> 01:16:54.418 of a timely and effective reliability plan for the 01:16:54.430 --> 01:16:57.489 Permian basin region. An area that is important for 01:16:57.500 --> 01:17:00.729 our state. Our state's economy in the world. Texas 01:17:00.739 --> 01:17:03.350 is the number one energy producing state in the United 01:17:03.359 --> 01:17:06.819 States. Texas Energy Power is the world and the Permian 01:17:06.829 --> 01:17:09.720 Basin is a critically important part of this success 01:17:10.829 --> 01:17:13.689 And so, um I wanna thank cause before I lay out uh 01:17:13.699 --> 01:17:16.838 this memo, I, I wanna thank um all of the stakeholders 01:17:16.850 --> 01:17:19.649 that were involved in providing me feedback on this 01:17:19.659 --> 01:17:24.418 um initiative, um ERCOT um Woody and, and Christie 01:17:24.430 --> 01:17:29.819 and P pu um And um the stakeholders Oncor, on behalf 01:17:29.829 --> 01:17:33.850 of the, the T SPS and the oil and gas industry um 01:17:33.859 --> 01:17:38.338 associations, Tex Soga, um Shana, Todd Staples, uh 01:17:38.350 --> 01:17:42.489 Permian Basin Petroleum Association, Mike Lozano and 01:17:42.500 --> 01:17:45.739 uh the Texas Energy um alliance of energy producers 01:17:45.750 --> 01:17:48.128 Jason Magle, who was involved throughout most of the 01:17:48.140 --> 01:17:50.548 process. Um He's no longer with the Association, but 01:17:50.560 --> 01:17:55.569 I wanted to thank him anyway. Um And so, you know, 01:17:55.579 --> 01:18:00.109 my memo um as stated House Bill 5066 requires the commission 01:18:00.119 --> 01:18:04.789 to direct ERCOT by January 30th 2024 to develop a reliability 01:18:04.798 --> 01:18:07.850 plan for the Permian Basin region. In order to comply 01:18:07.859 --> 01:18:11.199 with the statutory obligation, I have filed a memo 01:18:11.208 --> 01:18:13.369 that includes a proposed order that directs ERCOT to 01:18:13.378 --> 01:18:15.949 develop the reliability plan for the Permian Basin 01:18:15.958 --> 01:18:18.958 region. The proposed order specifically attachment 01:18:18.970 --> 01:18:22.390 a to the proposed order sets forth the proposed procedural 01:18:22.399 --> 01:18:25.869 process and timeline to ensure that ERCOT timely and 01:18:25.878 --> 01:18:29.810 effectively delivers uh develops and delivers a reliable 01:18:29.819 --> 01:18:33.270 plan to for the premium basin for the commission's 01:18:33.279 --> 01:18:36.628 approval. The proposed timeline provides that ERCOT 01:18:36.640 --> 01:18:39.770 will file a final reliability plan at the commission 01:18:39.779 --> 01:18:43.409 in July of 2024 provides an opportunity for stakeholder 01:18:43.418 --> 01:18:46.649 feedback on the final reliability plan and commission 01:18:46.659 --> 01:18:49.869 approval of a reliability plan in September of 2024 01:18:50.569 --> 01:18:53.600 I would emphasize that this timeline is, is heavily 01:18:53.609 --> 01:18:57.770 contingent upon the T SPS providing rot with the necessary 01:18:57.779 --> 01:19:01.369 customer load data. Um So ERCOT can start developing 01:19:01.378 --> 01:19:06.350 the plan this next year. And so, um with that said 01:19:06.359 --> 01:19:09.958 um I I have the proposed order with attachment a um 01:19:09.970 --> 01:19:12.770 available to take action on, but I do want to say something 01:19:13.069 --> 01:19:16.739 Uh I know that I've had some T SPS come through and 01:19:16.750 --> 01:19:19.930 um note the importance of implementing the rest of 01:19:19.939 --> 01:19:24.520 house bill 5066. Um And, and you know, our state's 01:19:24.529 --> 01:19:27.029 growing, uh our electricity needs are growing in uh 01:19:27.039 --> 01:19:30.588 in areas outside of the Permian Basin. And um you know 01:19:30.600 --> 01:19:33.168 I visit had a chance to get feedback from staff and 01:19:33.180 --> 01:19:35.390 and we're gonna try to prioritize that implementation 01:19:35.399 --> 01:19:39.689 of, of the um rest of house bill 5066 to ensure that 01:19:39.699 --> 01:19:43.029 other areas of the state are um getting the infrastructure 01:19:43.039 --> 01:19:45.409 they need to maintain reliability and serve their growing 01:19:45.418 --> 01:19:48.208 electricity needs sometime this next year. Um And we'll 01:19:48.220 --> 01:19:51.199 try to get to that as soon as we can. And um 01:19:51.229 --> 01:19:54.319 but I wanted it to say that uh before I take a 01:19:54.329 --> 01:19:57.649 motion on, on the proposed order and, and attachment 01:20:00.079 --> 01:20:01.529 Very good. Do you have any thoughts 01:20:03.350 --> 01:20:07.329 madam chair? I, I agree. I think statute directs us 01:20:07.338 --> 01:20:11.909 to take action on this and this is a special case because 01:20:11.918 --> 01:20:15.140 of that statutory direction. And so I, I support Commissioner 01:20:15.369 --> 01:20:19.298 Cobos memo and plan as outlined and look forward from 01:20:19.310 --> 01:20:22.659 the outside, looking in in the future, seeing how this 01:20:22.668 --> 01:20:26.009 progresses and assists and ensuring that deliverability 01:20:26.020 --> 01:20:26.770 across the state. 01:20:28.500 --> 01:20:31.329 I agree as well. And if you would allow me, I would 01:20:31.338 --> 01:20:34.279 move to approve Commissioner Cobos proposed order. 01:20:36.970 --> 01:20:40.668 We have a motion in a second all in favor. Say I 01:20:40.680 --> 01:20:42.270 I the motion passes, 01:20:46.069 --> 01:20:48.729 we already took up item number 30. I don't have anything 01:20:48.739 --> 01:20:53.359 on item number 31. Next up. We will take items 32 and 01:20:53.369 --> 01:20:59.189 33 together. Item 32 is the project number 4121. The 01:20:59.199 --> 01:21:01.449 commission's project for information related to the 01:21:01.458 --> 01:21:05.689 organization of MISO States. Item number 3033 project 01:21:05.699 --> 01:21:09.449 Number 41210, the commission's project for information 01:21:09.458 --> 01:21:12.378 related to the Southwest Power Pool Regional State 01:21:12.390 --> 01:21:14.708 Committee, Sheila, do we have anyone from the public 01:21:14.720 --> 01:21:20.779 sign to speak on item 32 or 33 with Commissioner McAdams 01:21:20.789 --> 01:21:23.750 departure. Uh, Commissioner Cobos will serve as the 01:21:23.759 --> 01:21:26.859 Texas delegate to the Southwest Power Pool regional 01:21:26.869 --> 01:21:29.720 State Committee. And Commissioner Glotfelty will serve 01:21:29.729 --> 01:21:32.750 as the Texas delegate delegate to the org organization 01:21:32.759 --> 01:21:38.189 of Miso states effective January 1 2024. Uh Lori and 01:21:38.199 --> 01:21:41.039 Jimmy, I know you both will represent Texas. Well, 01:21:41.069 --> 01:21:43.918 and thank you so much for stepping up and taking on 01:21:43.930 --> 01:21:47.029 these additional responsibilities. Thank you madam 01:21:47.039 --> 01:21:51.000 chair. Got big shoes to fill in sp I think. Well, as 01:21:51.009 --> 01:21:54.939 Washington said to Adams, I am surely out and you are 01:21:54.949 --> 01:21:55.729 surely in. 01:21:58.829 --> 01:22:02.220 Thank you, Commissioner Becca Adams. We will miss those 01:22:02.229 --> 01:22:03.628 little anecdotes. 01:22:06.079 --> 01:22:11.458 Do you have an SP P update? Yes, ma'am of late. The 01:22:11.470 --> 01:22:14.970 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected Southwest 01:22:14.979 --> 01:22:18.909 Power Pool's imposition of a winter capacity obligation 01:22:19.829 --> 01:22:26.430 They did. So because the outage policy planned outages 01:22:26.439 --> 01:22:30.819 during those during those seasonal months of capacity 01:22:30.829 --> 01:22:34.750 obligation were not harmonized with the summer policy 01:22:35.399 --> 01:22:39.270 Put it in perspective in Southwest Power Pool during 01:22:39.279 --> 01:22:43.009 May 15th through September 15th, for which the summer 01:22:43.020 --> 01:22:45.708 capacity obligation is in place for all vertically 01:22:45.720 --> 01:22:50.009 integrated utilities serving the system outages are 01:22:50.020 --> 01:22:53.829 not accepted on the system. So therefore, you may not 01:22:53.838 --> 01:22:57.520 take outages what FERC took exception to is that we 01:22:57.529 --> 01:23:00.970 imposed a capacity obligation for winter months, but 01:23:00.979 --> 01:23:05.649 we were still allowing limited outages to be approved 01:23:05.659 --> 01:23:10.810 during that season and they objected to the incongruous 01:23:10.819 --> 01:23:15.759 policy contract. So happily enough, this is one of 01:23:15.770 --> 01:23:18.500 the issues that both the resource and energy adequacy 01:23:18.509 --> 01:23:22.329 leader, leadership team is working feverishly on right 01:23:22.338 --> 01:23:27.359 now to have a, a policy construct proposed by January 01:23:27.369 --> 01:23:30.079 of next year. And that's our top priority right now 01:23:30.088 --> 01:23:33.069 in real team, I'll, I'll lead that last meeting of 01:23:33.079 --> 01:23:36.479 the real team for this year before I sign off station 01:23:36.909 --> 01:23:40.609 and that will be Monday and then I'll, I'll hand over 01:23:40.619 --> 01:23:43.640 those duties to. It is my understanding, Commissioner 01:23:43.649 --> 01:23:45.520 Christy Fen from South Dakota. 01:23:48.199 --> 01:23:52.199 The, the outage policy problem is not insurmountable 01:23:52.208 --> 01:23:54.500 I think we can crack the code on that. I think Commissioner 01:23:54.810 --> 01:23:56.298 Cobos, you're going to be able to hit the ground running 01:23:56.310 --> 01:24:00.609 in SPP and a revision and basically a remediation strategy 01:24:00.619 --> 01:24:07.199 to cure Ferc's rejection can be filed within the back 01:24:07.208 --> 01:24:10.149 part of Q one to early part of Q two next year 01:24:10.338 --> 01:24:14.039 And, and we could have a policy framework in place 01:24:14.048 --> 01:24:18.060 for the winner of 2024 2025. So that concludes my update 01:24:18.069 --> 01:24:22.229 Ma I'm sure, thank you. Uh I don't have anything on 01:24:22.239 --> 01:24:27.329 items 34 through 41. There is nothing for closed session 01:24:28.220 --> 01:24:30.890 before joining this meeting. I would like to invite 01:24:30.899 --> 01:24:35.100 everyone to stick around for a surprise celebration 01:24:35.109 --> 01:24:39.100 To honor Will for his service at the PUC C. We have 01:24:39.109 --> 01:24:45.119 lemonade cake and cookies. So please join us for his 01:24:45.128 --> 01:24:50.048 final meeting as a commissioner of the PUC, I'll, I'll 01:24:50.060 --> 01:24:53.208 yield the chair to Commissioner McAdams to please. 01:24:54.750 --> 01:24:54.909 Oh, 01:24:58.270 --> 01:24:58.918 thank you. Got you. 01:25:01.750 --> 01:25:04.069 There being no further business to come before the 01:25:04.079 --> 01:25:06.838 commission. This meeting of the Public Utility Commission 01:25:06.850 --> 01:25:09.770 of Texas is hereby adjourned at 1105.