Special to the Press
The chief of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas told state lawmakers recently that the state’s power demand could nearly double in just six years. The reasons: population growth, new requests for grid connections and a rise in requests from data centers and other heavy users.
ERCOT chief executive officer Pablo Vegas told lawmakers the grid operator has sharply increased its prediction of power demand in coming years, The Texas Tribune reported.
“All of that is putting together a picture of a very significant, different demand growth that is forcing us to really re-think how we’re looking at planning to make sure we can meet those needs and continue to deliver on the expectations of all Texans,” Vegas told lawmakers.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Lt. Gov.
Dan Patrick said the Legislature should “take a close look” at data centers and crypto operations.
“We want data centers, but it can’t be the Wild, Wild West of data centers and crypto miners crashing our grid and turning the lights off,” he wrote.
Vegas also recently warned the ERCOT board that new federal emission rules for fossil fuel power plants, to take effect July 8, are “exacerbating the reliability risks given forecasted load growth,” The Dallas Morning News reported.
Vegas said the new regulations could lead to all 10 coal plants in Texas being decommissioned as the Environmental Protection Agency places new limits on mercury and greenhouse gas emissions. Those backing the new regulations say they will help reduce air pollution and reduce climate change.
