Congressman August Pfluger of Texas recently participated in a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Energy Subcommittee. The session, titled "Keeping The Lights On: Examining The State Of Regional Grid Reliability," featured several key figures from major power grid organizations across the United States.
The witnesses included Pablo Vegas, President and CEO of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT); Gordon van Welie, President and CEO of ISO New England; Richard J. Dewey, President and CEO of New York Independent System Operator; Manu Asthana, President and CEO of PJM Interconnection; Jennifer Curran, Senior Vice President for Planning and Operations at Midcontinent ISO; Lanny Nickell, Chief Operating Officer at Southwest Power Pool; and Elliot Mainzer, President and CEO of California Independent System Operator.
During the hearing, Mr. Vegas highlighted the necessity for investing in long-duration dispatchable resources to maintain reliability in Texas' energy grid. He explained that current peak demand during summer reaches around 80,000 to 85,000 megawatts. However, by 2030, this demand is expected to grow to approximately 150,000 megawatts due to industrialization and population growth.
Rep. Pfluger emphasized the importance of having a balanced energy resource mix that considers affordability and reliability while addressing national security concerns. He noted that West Texas lacks access to hydropower but stressed using affordable and reliable sources where available.
Mr. Vegas stated that thermal energy sources like coal, natural gas, and nuclear power currently account for about 65% of delivered energy on the Texas grid. These are essential for ensuring reliability alongside renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.
Rep. Pfluger raised concerns about government policies potentially affecting capacity planning and resource mixture decisions on grids like ERCOT's. Mr. Vegas responded by emphasizing how detrimental such policies could be to affordability, reliability, and ultimately national security.