SAN ANTONIO - With several days this year hitting triple-digit temperatures, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas is taking proactive steps to ensure the state's power grid remains in optimal working order.
The company is currently in the midst of its summer inspection season. Workers are conducting detailed inspections, which include verifying that power plants are properly weatherized to withstand extreme conditions. Pablo Vegas, CEO and President of ERCOT said that ERCOT has seen over 10,000 megawatts of new generation supply come online since last summer. This increase includes a mix of solar, battery storage, wind, and gas resources.
"For us, those are the periods in the summertime when the sun is setting, and it’s a hot afternoon and hot day. All of that solar generation begins to come offline, so that time of day in the summer tends to be the highest risk period. That’s when we focus the most to make sure we have adequate resources ready to keep the power flowing," said Vegas.
In addition to the current measures, ERCOT is anticipating the completion of a new transmission plant by the end of the year. This new infrastructure is expected to help meet the growing demand and support the state's ongoing expansion.