AUSTIN The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) this spring will survey Texas electricity consumers to study the costs they may incur from power interruptions. The survey was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and has been used nationally by utilities and electricity regulators to develop innovative grid reliability policy and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of grid infrastructure improvements.
“The demand for electricity is growing fast and the Public Utility Commission of Texas is focused on ensuring grid reliability for Texas, not just today, but in the decades to come,” PUCT Chairman Thomas Gleeson said in a news release. “As we develop this next stage of reliability policy and consider what infrastructure improvements are necessary to meet growth in demand, it’s critical we hear directly from Texas consumers and understand their individual needs and financial considerations.”
Beginning March 26, randomly selected residential, commercial, and large industrial electricity consumers in the ERCOT region will receive an email request to participate in the survey. The survey includes questions about consumers’ electricity use and asks participants to estimate the financial impact on their homes, businesses, or facilities that may result from power interruptions. The survey is voluntary, and responses will be submitted anonymously.
The PUCT instructed the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to conduct the survey as part of a larger study to estimate the value of electric reliability in the ERCOT region, also known technically as the Value of Lost Load (VOLL). The results of the consumer survey will be considered, among other factors, in calculating a VOLL specific to the ERCOT region. This will be an important data point for the PUCT as it continues its work on several market design initiatives, including the development of a reliability standard for the ERCOT region.
Determining a VOLL for the ERCOT region will also help commissioners evaluate whether infrastructure improvements proposed by transmission and distribution utilities (TDUs) in Texas will provide adequate value to consumers in relation to their cost.
The survey results will contribute Texas-specific data to LBNL’s nationwide electric reliability planning tool, the Interruption Cost Estimate (ICE) Calculator. The tool is used by utilities, government organizations, and regulators across the country to estimate financial impact of power interruptions and weigh the costs and benefits of reliability improvements.
ERCOT contracted with consulting and data analysis firms, Brattle Group and PlanBeyond, to plan and conduct the survey. ERCOT and the Brattle Group are working with transmission and distribution utilities and electric providers across the state to administer the survey to a diverse set of customers in the ERCOT region.
Additional information about the survey and a Frequently Asked Questions resource are available on the PUCT’s website. Consumers can also contact the PUCT’s Consumer Protection Division at [email protected] or 1-888-782-8477 with any additional questions.
