Frustrated lawmakers and consumer groups have complained for years that the power industry wields too much influence over the state’s electric grid manager, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.
There’s good reason for that perspective. While it may sound like a regulatory agency, ERCOT is a private council led mostly by representatives affiliated with the state’s electricity industry. It controls a multimillion-dollar budget from fees built into consumer rates.
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.