TCAP Current Issue 71
|
|
|
|
|
|
87th Texas Legislature to convene in Austin
|
|
|
The new year is here and with it a new session of the Texas Legislature. Given the restrictions arising from COVID-19, it should be a strange one. Capitol workers already have outfitted committee rooms with Plexiglas and distanced seating. They also have modified desk arrangements in the Texas House and made other significant changes.
But what of the media and the general public? Key lawmakers say they will have access to the Capitol, but questions remain. The Texas House and Senate have issued initial guidelines. One state lawmaker also has called upon the Texas Attorney General to issue an opinion as to whether debates and votes must occur in person. Find out more about these developments here and here.
Whatever form the 2021 legislative session takes, don’t expect lawmakers to be bashful about filing bills. More than 1,300 bills and resolutions are already in the hopper. The vast majority will die during the session’s 140 days, but not all. And a
few may affect how much we pay for electricity service.
A description of some bills already on our radar:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ERCOT Forecasts Higher Energy Reserves
|
|
|
ERCOT last month released its latest update to its Capacity, Demand, and Reserve Report, and the findings in it are likely to come as good news for electric consumers. The grid operator expects a greater reserve margin — or “cushion” of capacity above expected demand — for the next five years. All else equal, this means less likelihood of certain kinds of reliability problems, as well as lower wholesale prices.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
About TCAP
Want to find out more about the Texas Coalition for Affordable Power? Check out our website. You also can learn more about the state's deregulated electricity market by checking out the in-depth reports at TCAPTX.com.
Email TCAP policy analyst R.A. Dyer at rdyer@tcaptx.com for more details.
|
|
|
|
|
If you have any questions about this newsletter or have a news tip, feel free to contact TCAP policy analyst R.A. "Jake" Dyer. He can be reached by email at rdyer@tcaptx.com.
|
|
|
|
|
