Executive Summary

A long TAC that got very interesting at the end.  There was a quick heads up on the upcoming cold weather event (ERCOT will most likely be okay, but will possibly procure more NonSpin and also requests that resources enter outages as soon as possible, particularly gas supply related outages and derates.) There was also discussion on Firm Fuel Service (NPRR issued, but much is still to be decided and will be in the RFP), Real-Time Co-optimization (2027 at the earliest, expenses still need to be approved), and the Load Task Force (scope to be determined over the next few weeks; goal to approve scope and launch task force at March TAC meeting; contact ERCOT if you are interested in influencing the scope). Just for good measure, TAC decided to give the Reliability and Operations Subcommittee (ROS) the task of starting to look at Voltage Service issues related to the Phase 1 goal of paying for voltage support.

Agenda

• ERCOT Meeting Page

Video

• Link to video

Notes

• ERCOT Presentations
  • For upcoming cold weather, ERCOT is looking okay, but urges all generators to enter outages (particularly gas supply related) very quickly into the Outage Scheduler.  They may call for additional NonSpin for some combination of Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday based on the 2022 AS Methodology.
  • Firm Fuel Service – ERCOT stated that it will file an open ended NPRR soon for Firm Fuel Service (they did later that day, it is here).  They stated that much of the important detail will be in the RFP, which has yet to be written.  Market participants wanted a chance to comment on the RFP and ERCOT said they will support a task force.
  • Load task force.  There will be a task force, but ERCOT and TAC need more time to come up with a scope for the task force.  ERCOT would love feedback over the next couple of weeks; they will come back with some ideas at the next TAC meeting and then will try to have a scope in place by the March TAC.  Notably, Nodal prices for controllable load resources will NOT be in the scope, as it needs to be on a faster timeline as a PUC phase 1 market redesign item.
  • Real-Time Co-optimization (RTC) update – RTC can’t be started until after the EMS upgrade is complete (mid 2023).  After that it will probably take 3.5 years to do and will go over the original ~$50M price tag.  Several market participants expressed interest that it happen, but ERCOT (Kenan) implied that the money that was originally apportioned to it has been spent and the funding will need to be revisited in 2023 if it is to go forward.RUCs in 2022 by Dave Maggio; There were a lot of RUCs for capacity after the beginning of conservative operations in June, tapering off in the last couple of months.  There were notably more RUC Opt Outs this year (~30%) compared to earlier years (~15%).
    • There was some discussion on how to convey limitations (fuel supply, emissions limits, etc.)  This will be kicked over to WMS.
    • Some market participants wanted to see MWhs of RUCs and Unit age of RUCs; ERCOT will bring those back for next TAC.
  • TAC discussed Voltage Support Service for a little bit, with some talk of how many technologies can provide it (it is possible for wind and solar to provided even when they aren’t producing power, but that package is not installed in many ERCOT wind/solar resources.)  The issue was moved to ROS and will be discussed there
• Clif Lange and Eric Blakey re-elected as Chair and Vice Chair by consent.
• Notes from Board Meeting – Clayton worried that PUC Chairman Lake thinks that the market participants were at fault for the delay of FFR Advancement.  ERCOT (Kenan Ogelman) and NRG (Bill Barnes) said that it was a shared failure and they will do better going forward, particularly with the new Technology Working Group.  Engie (Bob Helton, for TAC chair) urged TAC leadership to set up regular meetings with PUC Commissioners – Clif responded that they regularly met with commission staff, but will look into meeting with commissioners as well.
• TAC has now closed out all Emergency Conditions Issues either resolved or being addressed) and will take that off of future agendas.
• Market Impact Statements/ERCOT opinions on NPRRs
  • ERCOT supports all NPRRs
• NPRRs
  • NPRR1095 Texas Set 5.0 Approved on Combo Ballot
  • NPRR1098 DC Tie Reactive Capability Requirements (Southern Cross related) Approved on Combo Ballot
  • NPRR1099 ERCOT moves resource nodes under certain circumstances Approved on Combo Ballot
  • NPRR1102 ERCOT Discretion for adjusting non-IDR backcast profiles Approved on Combo Ballot
  • NPRR1111 Wind resources behind GTCs need to follow base points Approved on Combo Ballot
  • NPRR1113 Stop double paying CLRs for RegUp Approved on Combo Ballot
  • NPRR1114 Securitization N Approved on Combo Ballot
  • SCR816 CRR Auction Bid enhancement Approved on Combo Ballot
  • SCR817 Related to NPRR1095 Texas SET 5.0 Approved on Combo Ballot
  • SCR819 related to NPRR1111 Wind resources behind GTCs need to follow base points Approved on Combo Ballot
  • OBDRR034 related to NPRR1099 moving resource nodes Approved on Combo Ballot
  • OBDRR037 & OBDRR038 changes related to MCL = 3000MW and VOLL = $5000. Approved on Combo Ballot
• ROS Reports
  • NPRR1096 (Battery duration for NonSpin and ECRS) had a lot of discussion; ROS approved a 2 hour duration for each; ERCOT feels 2 hours is okay for ECRS, but they need 4 hours for NonSpin.

Discussed Issues

• Firm Fuel Service
• Real-Time Co-optimization(RTC)
• Crypto Mining Problems / Load Issues Task Force
• NPRR1096(Battery duration for NonSpin and ECRS)
• Feb 2-5, 2022 Cold Weather
• Voltage Support Service