The conversion to a nodal market in Texas is progressing according to plan and will begin testing in late October, according to Mike Cleary, chief technology officer at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), who briefed the ERCOT board on the nodal program's preparations for market connectivity tests.
The conversion to a nodal market will change the way ERCOT forecasts demand and directs transmission on its grid. It is designed to give ERCOT more information about congestion and bottlenecks so it can more efficiently utilize the fleet of dispatchable generation to minimize curtailment. The nodal system will also give ERCOT the ability to set up a daily day-ahead market for the grid, which is currently not possible.
According to ERCOT, market connectivity begins on Oct. 28 and will give ERCOT market participants access to the nodal market trials environment and the latest version of several software applications, enabling them to complete their own development activities.
Full-scale market trials begin in early 2010. The nodal market remains on track for its December 2010 implementation.
‘There are no major defects in the system tests, Cleary told the board. ‘There's nothing on the critical path we see causing us any issues. All lights are green.’
SOURCE: ERCOT
