PUC imposes new protection months after Texas deep freeze
The new rule is that federal regulators instructed the state 10 years ago. Texas waited for millions to lose power and hundreds to die.
Dallas — Power plant operators and transmission companies like Oncor suffer billions of damage and hundreds of lives, with millions of people losing electricity for days after repeated power outages in February. It is necessary to carry out “preparation for winter emergencies” to prevent robbery.
The public utility commission, which consists of four members, unanimously adopted the rules on Thursday. Companies are required to comply with the new regulations and submit a winter weather preparation report by December 1.
“This rule-making will be a big step in ensuring that the physical elasticity of the grid will improve significantly this winter compared to last winter,” said PUC Chairman Peter Lake. increase.
As committee staff admit, the new rule is to implement winter weather recommendations made by federal regulators after the 2011 winter storm that caused a major blackout in Texas. Is required of the generator. Last month, the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission blew up Texas after the 2011 winter storm, claiming it couldn’t go through the winter.
Other requirements approved by PUC on Thursday are:
– Make sure that the “critical component failures in cold weather” that occurred in the past winter
have been fixed.
– Require the utility leader to sign the modified notary form.
-Training on winter weather preparation.
– Submission to inspections conducted by ERCOT. This includes granting ERCOT and committee personnel
free access to the facility.
– Monthly tests are conducted during the winter season from November to March.
“I’m confident that the generator is ahead of the game in this regard and is planning to implement it ahead of the rules,” said Will Macadams. “Consumers are on the other side of this hook, so let’s get out there. Let’s start imposing this standard. Get ready. Winter is just around the corner.”
Power plant operators and transmission companies can ask for “exceptions for good reason” for “nonconformity”, but “brief explanations and supplementary documents outlining why and why they cannot meet that particular requirement.” Must be provided. Comply with new PUC rules.
“Power generation entities must not use the demand for exceptions for good reason as a means of delaying compliance,” the new rule states. If the committee staff disagree, the entity “may be subject to enforcement if it does not make the best efforts to comply with the rule requirements.”
ERCOT must report to the Commission whether each generator has submitted a Winter Meteorological Preparation Report by December 12.
