The new public-private coalition will educate and demonstrate how proven USM technology can reduce weather-related outages and build a more resilient grid.

HOUSTON --(BUSINESS WIRE)

The Texas Reliability Coalition (TRC) is launching an educational outreach initiative today to engage the public and elected officials about the Utility-Scale Microgrid (USM) technologies. This public-private coalition is committed to strengthening the Texas electric grid’s resilience and reliability during Texas’ most extreme weather conditions, increasing the everyday reliability of the system and accommodating the addition of renewable and intermittent sources of electricity.

Founding coalition members and sponsors include Acclaim Energy, Ember Development, Park 8 Development, and PowerSecure. The coalition advocates for the integration of USM technologies into the grid because they can strengthen the Texas grid’s resilience and reliability. Laws passed in the 2023 legislative session provide the necessary framework for the deployment of USM technologies in Texas’s deregulated electricity market.

“The strength of our grid is the backbone of our economy, our security, and our daily lives. The Texas 2023 Legislature passed laws HB1500 and HB 2555 to enable Texans to enjoy one of the strongest grids in the U.S. and to give our state a competitive advantage in business and industry,” said John Elder, Executive Director of the Texas Reliability Coalition. “We aim to do what our TRC tagline says – take the Texas grid from good to great by accelerating the deployment of proven USM technologies, advocating for key infrastructure improvements, and strengthening our energy system against extreme weather and ever-growing demand. We have the framework in place to make it happen, now we need the PUC and ERCOT to establish the market rules for its implementation.”

Addressing Texas-Sized Challenges

During hurricanes Milton, Helene, and Beryl alone, more than 450 Microgrids across six states mitigated over 850 grid disruptions, ensuring communities had access to electricity and critical infrastructure. These same events left millions of Texas families in the dark, closed businesses, shut down essential services, and even halted operations at water and sewage treatment facilities. The TRC contends that USM technologies are available to protect the lives and well-being of Texans and need to be embraced by local utilities and implemented in the distribution system.

“I’m grateful to the TRC for its advocacy of new technologies that promise to enhance resiliency for critical services for communities and customers,” added Becky Klein, former chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Texas and current Principal of Klein Energy, LLC. “The Texas Electric Grid has long been the gold-standard among U.S. electric grids. It is vital that we add the resilience provided to ensure Texans continue to benefit from the best electricity delivery platform possible, especially in the wake of strong Texas storms; the continued growth of our State; and the impacts of an escalating amount of intermittent energy resources.”

A Market-Based Solution Leveraging Proven Technology

Microgrids have been used for more than 25 years, and today’s new USMs are dynamic, scalable systems designed to reinforce Texas’s electric grid by providing quick-response power to communities when the grid is stressed or unavailable. In addition to providing power when Texans need it most, USM technologies can help Texas better manage constantly growing demand, the addition of new intermittent energy sources, and help harden the grid against future weather challenges. When implemented within a municipal utility district or cities, USM technology also ensures the continuous operation of critical infrastructure for a few hours or weeks as needed, depending on the emergency.

Harry Masterson, TRC Board Member, Managing Director, Ember Real Estate Investment and Development emphasizes the impact USMs can have on the Texas Grid, stating, “Utility-Scale Microgrids are transformational energy systems, and as energy demand continues to grow, they are a solution to ensure the continuous operation of critical infrastructure and reliable power. I believe it is essential for private businesses and the public sectors to collaborate in pioneering innovative solutions, and I encourage others to join TRC to help secure Texas' energy future.”

How Utility-Scale Microgrids Work

USMs are integrated into the existing distribution grid infrastructure and are centrally controlled by the local utility. The technology allows an area to be segregated from the broader grid in a declared grid emergency and natural gas generators are used to energize the isolated grid to provide power to all meters inside the USM area. The USM area can include critical customers such as hospitals, emergency services facilities, and water treatment plants in addition to grocery stores and homes.

When the grid is operating normally, the USMs are not segregated from the greater grid, and the generators can be operated to provide electricity to the grid as needed to keep it balanced. This market participation pays for the USM system financed by private investors, not by ratepayers. USMs are built, maintained, and operated through private investment and take an estimated 14 to 18 months to get fully commissioned and begin operations.

About Texas Reliability Coalition:

The Texas Reliability Coalition (TRC) is a coalition of Texas businesses, governmental organizations, elected officials, and community members dedicated to educating Texans, the PUC, ERCOT, and other organizations involved in improving the electric grid about how Utility-Scale Microgrid technologies can take Texas’ electric grid from good to great by strengthening its resilience and reliability during Texas’ most extreme weather conditions, increasing the everyday reliability of the system.

For more information about the TRC and to get involved, visit here.

Krystal Patout
Pierpont Communications
713-627-2223

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