Texas Senate Advances Measure To Control ERCOT

Austin (WBAP/KLIF) – The Texas Senate has advanced a bill that is intended to change the way the state oversees its electric grid operator. Senate Bill 2 would require ERCOT’s Board of Directors to all be residents of Texas. The chairman would have to be appointed by the Governor, and approved by the state Senate. Any changes ERCOT makes would have to be approved by the Public Utility Commission. That’s part of a flurry of measures working its way through both houses of the Texas Legislature following the near collapse of the entire power grid during the Valentine’s week winter storm. Approval of the Senate measure came Wednesday, the day after ERCOT suddenly asked all Texas consumers to conserve energy on a bright Spring day because it was unexpectedly caught between high demand and low supply.