Post: ERCOT amends minimum operating reserves

ERCOT amends minimum operating reserves

The grid operator has adjusted its minimum operating reserves for emergency conditions in a move aimed at enhancing grid reliability.

Announced on November 1, the adjustment comes in response to the changing landscape of power generation resources and aims to align reserve levels across various Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) stages more accurately with the system’s needs during emergencies.

The updated requirements establish a new minimum operating reserve for EEA3 at 1,500MW, which triggers automatic adjustments for EEA1 and EEA2 levels:

• EEA1 will be activated when reserves drop to 2,500MW (previously 2,300MW) and are not expected to recover within 30 minutes.
• EEA2 will be prompted by reserves falling to 2,000MW (previously 1,750MW) and not anticipated to recover within 30 minutes, or if the frequency remains below 59.91Hz for 15 minutes (previously 30 minutes).
• EEA3 will come into effect if reserves drop below 1,500MW and are not expected to rebound within 30 minutes, or if the frequency dips below 59.8Hz for any duration. In such instances, ERCOT would instruct Transmission and Distribution Service Providers (TDSPs) to implement controlled outages impacting residential, commercial, and industrial users. Previously, EEA3 was declared when ERCOT’s operating reserves fell below 1,430MW. When these reserves dropped below 1,000MW and recovery within 30 minutes was improbable, controlled outages were activated.

This adjustment reflects ERCOT’s ongoing commitment to ensuring grid reliability by adapting to the evolving energy landscape and redefining reserve requirements to meet the demands of emergency situations.