Texas Scorecard by Sydnie Henry February 14, 2024
Texas energy experts argue this would not solve any grid reliability issues. Democrat U.S. Rep. Greg Casar of Austin is proposing a measure that would require Texas to connect its electric grid to the national network.
Currently much of the state is on its own power grid separate from the rest of the country. Casar and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) are proposing the “Connect the Grid Act,” which would link Texas to the nation’s major electric grids. According to Casar, this would assist in “increasing reliability, saving money, and helping us fight the climate crisis!”
However, Texas energy experts disagree.
Bill Peacock, Director of Public Policy for the Energy Alliance, told Texas Scorecard, “Connecting with the U.S. grid will exacerbate rather than solve Texas’ reliability problems. This is because the primary source of our reliability problems is renewable energy, and the federal grid is experiencing the same problems with renewables as Texas is.”
“Connecting ERCOT would also give the federal government more power to push renewables onto the Texas grid,” added Peacock. “Though I admit Texas seems to be doing far too well with that on its own without the feds’ help.”
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) oversees the state’s power grid and came under fire following winter storm Uri in 2021, which left many Texans in the dark as unreliable renewable energy sources like wind and solar failed.
Since then, ERCOT has issued several energy conservation appeals, further spooking Texans as to the reliability of the grid, although major weather events in the past year caused no loss of power due to grid instability.
Life:Powered Policy Director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation Brent Bennett told Texas Scorecard that the issue with connections between the Texas grid and others is also an economic one.
These efforts to connect Texas haven’t gone anywhere in the past. I don’t see them getting very far in the future simply because of the economics. It’s just too hard to build those long distance transmission lines and make money off of them.
More:
https://texasscorecard.com/state/democrats-push-to-connect-texas-to-national-power-grid/
