NOTICE DATE: February 18, 2021

NOTICE TYPE: M-C021521-04 Legal

SHORT DESCRIPTION: Update: ERCOT Expectations Regarding Exiting EEA3 and Public Utility Commission Emergency Orders Affecting ERCOT Market Prices

INTENDED AUDIENCE:ERCOT Market Participants

DAY AFFECTED: February 19, 2021

LONG DESCRIPTION:  ERCOT implemented a change to its scarcity pricing mechanism on February 15, 2021 to better “ensure that firm load that is being shed in EEA3 is accounted for in ERCOT’s scarcity pricing signals.”  ERCOT made this change in accordance with Public Utility Commission of Texas Orders of February 15, 2021, and February 16, 2021.   In this change, ERCOT adjusted certain inputs to the Real-Time Reliability Deployment Price Adder to account for firm Load shed ordered by ERCOT as necessary during Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) Level 3 (EEA3).  To make use of existing system functionality, and strictly for purposes of the Real-Time Reliability Deployment Price Adder process, firm Load shed was reflected as Real-Time Block Load Transfer import (RTBLTIMPORT) and appeared as such in market-facing reporting. 

While ERCOT has authorized the Transmission and Distribution Service Providers to restore all Load associated with the EEA that was declared on Monday, February 15, 2021, many customers have not yet been re-energized.  As a result, ERCOT will remain in EEA3 through at least the morning peak period on Friday, February 19, 2021.  This Market Notice is to provide contemporaneous notification to Market Participants that ERCOT will continue adjusting the RTBLTIMPORT component of the Real-Time Reliability Deployment Price Adder accordingly.  Upon exiting EEA3, ERCOT will return to utilizing the RTBLTIMPORT component solely for any Block-Load Transfer imports into ERCOT.  When ERCOT exits EEA3, it will notify the Market via a subsequent Market Notice.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The related Public Utility Commission of Texas orders can be found using the links below:

• February 15, 2021 Order is available at this link.
• February 16, 2021 Order is available at this link. 

CONTACT: If you have any questions, please contact your ERCOT Account Manager. You may also call the general ERCOT Client Services phone number at (512) 248-3900 or contact ERCOT Client Services via email at ClientServices@ercot.com.

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