March 2 — It was an usually hot Texas day in late February and, per usual, Houston was causing trouble.
By late afternoon on Feb. 22, temperatures around the state had climbed into the 90s, and the demand for power surged. In Houston, where midday wholesale power prices typically hover around $25, the price spiked to $4,000 per megawatt-hour – a sign that the market was short of supply.
Is a policy analyst consultant for TCAP, a coalition of political subdivisions in Texas that purchase electricity in the deregulated market for their own governmental use. Because energy costs are typically a significant budget item to our members, TCAP is consistently looking for ways to save our members money, through cost-saving contracts, energy efficiency or demand response programs.