{"id":9056,"date":"2014-12-18T12:55:23","date_gmt":"2014-12-18T18:55:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/?p=9056"},"modified":"2014-12-19T09:14:02","modified_gmt":"2014-12-19T15:14:02","slug":"texas-grid-regulator-cites-very-little-burden-in-complying-with-epas-clean-power-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2014\/12\/18\/texas-grid-regulator-cites-very-little-burden-in-complying-with-epas-clean-power-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Grid Regulator Cites Very Little Burden in Complying with EPA\u2019s Clean Power Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Source:<\/a><\/p>\n

Well, it didn\u2019t take long before the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) released, at the request of Texas\u2019 very political Public Utilities Commission, another report<\/a> about the impacts of the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA\u2019s) rules designed to protect public health.<\/p>\n

This time ERCOT, which manages 90 percent of Texas\u2019 electric grid, looked at the impact of seven EPA clean air safeguards on the electric grid, including the Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR<\/a>), the Mercury Air Toxics Standard (MATS<\/a>), the Regional Haze program (all of which go back before the Obama administration), the proposed Clean Power Plan<\/a>, which would set the first-ever national limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants, and others. What was surprising to learn, though, is that after power companies in the state start complying with EPA\u2019s other clean air protections, the proposed Clean Power Plan poses a minimal incremental impact to the power grid. We would only have to cut 200 megawatts of coal-fired generation, which equates to less than one coal-fired power plant.<\/p>\n

Singing a different tune<\/strong><\/p>\n

For as much doom-and-gloom we heard last month in ERCOT\u2019s report<\/a> about the Clean Power Plan, they certainly seem to be singing a different tune this go-around. The new report shows that Texas can go a long way toward complying with the Clean Power Plan by meeting other clean air safeguards, for which Texas power companies have had years to prepare.<\/p>\n

Very soon power companies in Texas will install control technologies to reduce multiple \u2013 not just one \u2013 pollutants, thereby making compliance with EPA\u2019s subsequent regulations easier and more cost-effective. In the end, Texas will only need to take a minimal amount of additional aging coal plants offline by 2029.<\/p>\n

Plus, other energy resources, like energy efficiency, rooftop solar, and demand response<\/a> (which pays people to conserve energy when the electric grid is stressed) are gaining ground every day in Texas. They have proven to be vital resources on the power grid that help reduce electricity costs for Texas homes and businesses.<\/p>\n

Energy efficiency, in particular, provides significant reductions in power plant emissions, including carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone-forming pollutants, and has a four-to-one payback<\/a> on investment. This is the type of performance worth investing in.[Tweet “Texas Grid Regulator Cites Very Little Burden in Complying with @EPA\u2019s Clean Power Plan http:\/\/ow.ly\/GaLD6 “]<\/p>\n

Putting the reliability issue to rest<\/strong><\/p>\n

ERCOT\u2019s job is to maintain electric reliability in Texas. That\u2019s why they have traditionally worked with power plants to ensure enough of them are up and running to meet the expected demand for electricity. To industry, changes to the status quo pose threats, but the energy system is<\/em> changing \u2013 for economic, not environmental reasons.<\/p>\n

Smart utilities in Texas recognized what was on the horizon and began prudent planning. Today, these forward-thinking utilities are well-positioned<\/a> to meet EPA regulations because they already installed pollution control technologies, retired inefficient, water-intensive coal plants, and integrated more clean energy resources. If ERCOT doesn\u2019t want to look to these utilities as a model, they can always look to their consultant, The Brattle Group, who noted that ERCOT could:<\/p>\n