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Letter to ERCOT on Texas' Winter Weather Related Energy Crisis

Washington, DC, February 17, 2021

Click here to download the full letter and view all signatories

February 17, 2021

Bill Magness
President and Chief Executive Officer
Electric Reliability Council of Texas
7620 Metro Center Drive
Austin, Texas 78744

Dear President Magness,

This week’s unexpected weather crisis is unlike anything most Texans have ever experienced and has placed considerable strain on Texas’s electric grid. We thank you and everyone at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) for your tireless efforts to stabilize the power supply and bring the lights back on for millions of Texans currently without consistent power. 

As you are aware, millions of Texans are currently at risk of exposure to dangerous, prolonged low temperatures due to power outages that last several hours at a time. This is an immediate public health crisis. We urge you to do everything within your authority to restore power to every Texan who has lost it due to this rare weather event.  

In such unprecedented circumstances, we want to ensure that ERCOT has the resources it needs to get the job done as quickly as possible. As of February 14, the Department of Homeland Security declared a federal emergency across all 254 counties in Texas, as authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act. This will provide significant resources to communities battling this disaster. If ERCOT requires additional assistance to return power to these communities, please inform us as soon as possible. Getting the power back on is of utmost importance.

While it appears the significant mismatch in energy supply and demand during this cold snap was caused by a variety of factors, various narratives have begun to surface that must be addressed. Texas residents deserve to know the root causes of their power outages and how they can be prevented in the future. To that end, we ask that you provide written answers to the following questions immediately upon the conclusion of this emergency:

  1. How did ERCOT prepare for this weather event and anticipated energy demand prior to when the controlled blackouts began?
  2. It has been reported that ERCOT will adjust rates to meet demand. How will this impact future energy prices in Texas?
  3. How were the various types of energy generation impacted by the extreme cold weather?
  4. What is the likelihood of similar weather events impacting Texas’s electric grid again?
  5. What measures can be taken to improve grid resiliency in Texas in the future?

Thank you again for your hard work and devotion to Texans across our great state. We look forward to working with you moving forward to provide resources to those in need and answers for all Texans.

Sincerely,