Texas electric grid operator gets federal permission to exceed air quality limit

The U.S. Department of Energy granted permission for power plants to release more pollution than is normally allowed — if grid conditions worsen.

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University Of Houston ,Texas ,United States ,Houston ,Texans ,Adrian Shelley ,Ed Hirs ,Pablo Vegas ,Jennifer Hadayia ,Emily Foxhall ,Department Of Energy ,Energy Department ,Alliance Houston ,Texas Commission On Environmental Quality ,Us Department Of Energy ,Energy Jennifer Granholm ,Public Citizen Texas Office ,Reliability Council Of Texas ,Electric Reliability Council ,Houston Chronicle ,Chief Executive Officer Pablo Vegas ,Energy Jennifer ,Texas Commission ,Environmental Quality ,Special Environmental Analysis ,Air Alliance ,Citizen Texas Office Director Adrian Shelley ,Air Alliance Houston ,Texas Tribune ,After Underestimating Power Demand ,Exas Electric Grid Operator Gets Federal Permission To Exceed Air Quality Limits ,Exas Electric Grid Operator Gets Federal Permission To Exceed Air Quality Limits By Emily Foxhall ,He Texas Tribune Dec 24 ,022 Quot After Underestimating Power Demand ,Exas Electric Grid Operator Gets Federal Permission To Exceed Air Quality Limits Quot Was First Published By The Texas Tribune ,Wa Nonprofit ,Onpartisan Media Organization That Informs Texans And Engages With Them About Public Policy ,Politics ,Overnment And Statewide Issues Sign Up For The Brief ,Ur Daily Newsletter That Keeps Readers Up To Speed On The Most Essential Texas News Us Department Of Energy Has Cleared Way For Power Plants Pollute More Than Is Usually Allowed ,Uch As By Burning Dirtier Fuel Oil Instead Of Natural Gas ,O Keep The Electricity On Through Christmas Morning Electric Reliability Council Of Texas ,Hich Operates The States Main Power Grid ,Sked For Permission To Exceed Normal Federal Air Quality Restrictions After Underestimating The Demand Power During This Weeks Subfreezing Temperatures Sucha Request Is Not Unusual Emergencies ,Xperts Said Plants Will Be Able To Take Advantage Of The Waived Requirements Only If Ercot Issuesa Level 2 Or Higher Energy Emergency Alert ,Hich Includes Asking Residents To Cut Back Power And Interrupting Large Industrial Customers Electricity ,Ccording To The Letter At Least One Environmental Advocate Applauded Specificity Of Request So Far ,Uch Measures Havent Been Taken And The States Power Grid Has Withstood Arctic Temperatures Through Much Of State Nearly Two Years Aftera Catastrophic Deadly Electricity Outage On Saturday Afternoon ,Rcot Thanked Crews For Keeping The Grid Running And Said It Expects Power Supply To Keep Up With Demand Quot We Continue Closely Monitor Expect Sufficient Generation Meet ,Uot The Tweet Said Quot If You Have An Outage ,Lease Contact Your Local Provider Quot With Power Demand Reaching An Unexpected High Friday ,Ome Power Production Went Offline ,Ccording To Ercot Officials Units That Produce About 11 ,000 Megawatts Of Thermal Power Which Includes Natural Gas And Coal , ,000 Megawatts Of Wind Power And 1 ,700 Megawatts Of Solar Power Were Down Or Scaled Back Friday ,He State Grid Operator Told Federal Officials Ina Letter Friday The Houston Chronicle First Reported Ercots Request To Energy Department One Megawatt Is Enough Power About 200 Homes Electricity Demand Rose Above 74 ,000 Megawatts Friday Morning ,Ettinga New Winter Record ,Ccording To Ercot Officials Had Predicted Demand Would Peak At About 70 ,000 Megawatts At Some Points Between Thursday Evening And Friday Morning ,Ctual Demand Exceeded Projections By About 10 ,000 Megawatts Ercot Does Not Lightly Request This Authorization ,Rcot President And Chief Executive Officer Pablo Vegas Wrote To Secretary Of Energy Jennifer Granholm It Understands The Importance Environmental Permit Limits That Are At Issue However ,N Ercots Judgment ,He Loss Of Power To Homes And Local Businesses In The Areas That May Be Affected By Curtailments Presentsa Far Greater Risk Public Health Safety Than Temporary Exceedances Those Permit Limits Would Allowed Under Requested Order Most Generators Were Down Or Scaled Back Friday Expected Online Again Within 24 Hours ,Ccording To Ercot But If They Did Not Return ,R If There Were Additional Power Production Outages ,He Grid Operators Warned That They Might Need To Find Other Ways Limit Power Usage ,Ncluding Requesting Texans Conserve Power During Frigid Temperatures As Many Are Celebrating Christmas Federal Officials Granted The Request Friday And Issued An Emergency Order That Will Allow Plants To Operate Regardless Of Air Quality Limits In Certain Circumstances Texas Commission On Environmental Thursday Also Agreed Provide Enforcement Discretion Cases Where Emissions Were Exceeded ,Ccording To Ercot University Of Houston Energy Economist Ed Hirs Said The Federal Request Indicated Natural Gas Supply Could Be Shaky Such An Order Was Also Issued During February 2021 Freeze As Electricity Demand Surged And Power Cut Residents Across State That Storm ,Perators Struggled To Keep Online The Natural Gas Plants That Are Dominant Power Source During Texas Winters Federal Officials Will Require Ercot Report Emissions Data For Any Operate Under Provisions At Least One Generator Told Limits Nitrogen Oxides ,Arbon Monoxide And Ammonia Were Holding It Back The Federal Officials Will Also Look At How Much Particulate Matter ,Olatile Organic Compounds And Sulfur Dioxide Are Emitted The Department Of Energy Ina Statement Said It Issued Emergency Order To Help Ensure Reliable Power Supply For Texans During Ongoing Extreme Weather Conditions This Will Require Ercot Provide Detailed Reporting Doe Completion Ofa Post Incident Special Environmental Analysis Advocates Questioned Why More Wasnt Done Producers Related Companies Winterized Electricity Infrastructure Had Backup Generators Before Taking Step Allow Pollution There Should Not Have Bea Choice Between Upholding Law Keeping Lights On ,Hey Said It Seems That Every Time We Havea Weather Emergency ,Egulatory Agencies Like Ercot Ask For Permission To Pollute ,Aid Jennifer Hadayia ,Xecutive Director Of Air Alliance Houston Public Citizen Texas Office Adrian Shelley Said Ercot Could Have Done So Much More To Help Lower Peak Demand And Pollution ,Or Example By Increasing The Standard For Energy Efficiency In Businesses And Homes Instead ,Ecause We Havent Made That Investment ,E Re Forced Into Another Bad Decision During An Emergency ,E Said Disclosure Air Alliance Houston And University Of Have Been Financial Supporters The Texas Tribune ,Onpartisan News Organization That Is Funded In Part By Donations From Members ,Oundations And Corporate Sponsors Financial Supporters Play No Role In The Tribune X27s Journalism Finda Complete List Of Them Here This Article Originally Appeared Texas At Https Www Texastribune Org 2022 12 24 Ercot Power Grid Isa Member Supported ,Onpartisan Newsroom Informing And Engaging Texans On State Politics Policy Learn More At Texastribune Org ,