Scheduling entities and transmission operators within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region are subject to protocol compliance audits. Texas Reliability Entity, Inc. (Texas RE) monitors compliance with ERCOT Protocols and Operating Guides for the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), as outlined on the Texas RE website: Any organization that is registered with [...]
'Regulatory' Articles
A structured approach to NERC Reliability Standards compliance and cyber security
On June 18, 2007, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) mandated all users, owners, and operators of the bulk electric system (BES) comply with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) Reliability Standards. Since then, the energy industry has been earnestly implementing the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) NERC Cyber Security Standards CIP-002 through CIP-009. FERC [...]
Competitive electricity markets spur innovation
A look at recent history of electricity market innovations in the United States shows that competitive markets have fostered—and will continue to foster—innovation in the U.S. electricity industry. Three case studies shed light on aspects of competitive electricity markets that can help accelerate innovation.
Energy execs on the new utility leadership paradigm
Balancing customer and environmental demands and existing and emerging technologies to create a sustainable energy future requires bold, confident leadership to navigate the challenges of change. Here’s a look at the perspectives on the future of leadership and strategy from some of the C-level energy and utility industry leaders gathering at the 2010 KEMA Utility [...]
Electric energy generation and the low-carbon challenge
The FutureGen Alliance is a non-profit consortium of some of the largest coal producers and users in the world and was formed to partner with the U.S. Department of Energy on the FutureGen project. FutureGen Alliance CEO Michael Mudd offers insight on achieving a balance across prime fuels, conversion technologies and environmental pressures at the [...]

