News Room
Texas Competitive Power Advocates (TCPA) is a trade association representing more than a dozen power generators, wholesale power marketers and retail electric providers with business in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) wholesale and retail electricity markets.
TCPA's mission is to support and promote competitive wholesale and retail markets that ensure abundant, reliable and affordable electricity is available to Texas consumers.
In this section, please find information about TCPA's activities and positions.
TCPA News Releases Return to top
Nodal Opponents Ignoring Problems with Current Market Design - Data, numerous studies support switch to nodal , April 29, 2005
DownloadTCPA Praises House Committee Interim Report at Hearing, Feb. 8, 2005
DownloadStudy Review Should Persuade PUC to Adopt Nodal Market Design, Feb. 7, 2005
DownloadKey Texas House Committee Report Supports Nodal Market Design, Jan. 6, 2005
DownloadWe've got the power to..., Dec. 22, 2004
DownloadTexas Nodal Team Reviews Cost-Benefit Study; Nodal Market Would Save Average of $800 Million Annually, Dec. 9, 2004
Download the Full Release Read the Entire Study OnlineLawmakers told nodal would bring economic dispatch, Sept. 24, 2004
DownloadNew ERCOT State of the Market Report points to need for nodal, Sept. 9, 2004
Download the press release Download full ERCOT State of the Market ReportTCPA In The News Return to top
"Power plan could clear D-FW air, lower bills,"
Dallas Business Journal, April 8, 2005
As Dallas-Fort Worth residents are becoming more interested in what is in the air they breathe and how it could impact their health, state and federal regulators and environmental groups are looking at methods -- some of them punitive -- to improve local air quality.
Read the full article"Texas group wants nodal power to the people,"
Houston Business Journal, March 21, 2005
As new attention is drawn to what is in the air Houstonians are breathing and how it could be impacting their health, a number of companies in the electric power industry -- including several located in Houston -- are urging significant changes to their own industry that would allow them to help clear the air.
Read the full articleBackground on Texas Nodal Return to top
Why Texas Needs a Nodal Market
The rationale for transitioning to this superior market design
DownloadWhy Houston Needs a Nodal Market
The Houston Zone could realize an immediate decline of $886 million in the overall wholesale cost of providing electricity, with almost $6 billion saved over a 10-year period.
DownloadWhy South Texas Needs a Nodal Market
In 2003 consumers in the South Zone paid 229 percent more of $400 million in statewide congestion costs than they generated.
DownloadWhy Northeast Texas Needs a Nodal Market
The Northeast Zone could realize an immediate decline of $12 million in the overall wholesale cost of providing electricity, with $127 million saved over a 10-year period.
DownloadWhy West Texas Needs a Nodal Market
The West Zone could realize an immediate decline of $13 million in the overall wholesale cost of providing electricity, with $199 million saved over a 10-year period.
DownloadStudies Back a Nodal Market for Texas/ERCOT
Numerous independent reports point to the benefits of a nodal market design
DownloadThe Straight Story
A reality check on claims by opponents of the nodal market design
DownloadAbout TCPA
A look at the companies that comprise TCPA and the organization's mission
DownloadCongestion Costs in Texas
Hard numbers that show just how much congestion problems in today's market are costing Texas consumers
DownloadPUC Rule - Summarized
TCPA's summary of PUC Rule 25.501 adopted by the Public Utility Commission of Texas on August 21, 2003 to begin the transition to a nodal market
DownloadTexas Nodal Timeline
A timeline of the transition to Texas nodal, based on PUC staff explanations in Spring 2004
DownloadBackground On Other Electricity Markets Return to top
The Nodal System in Other Markets
Read how other electricity markets are faring under the nodal market design with locational marginal pricing
Download2003 PJM Annual Report
Read about the PJM market, which serves the mid-Atlantic region
Visit the PJM Site2003 New England ISO Annual Report
Read about the New England ISO
Visit the New England ISO Site2003 Midwest ISO Annual Report
Read about the Midwest ISO
Visit the Midwest ISO SiteReports and Presentations Return to top
ERCOT Market Re-Design: Presentation to Legislative Staff, Feb. 21, 2005
In 2001, the PUCT ordered that the ERCOT market should be re-designed when the increased costs due to "local" transmission congestion exceeded $20 million in any 12 month period, This threshold was exceeded in March 2002 after the ERCOT market had been operating for just seven months. Since then, hundreds of millions in local congestion costs annually.
DownloadThe Texas Business and Commerce Committee Report to the 79th Legislature.
During the interim of the 78th Legislature, the Lieutenant Governor issued the following charges to the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce (the Committee): Interim charge number five charged the Committee to study and make recommendations on improving the on-going implementation of SB7 (76th Legislature). Interim charge number six charged the Committee to study and make recommendations relating to improving the potential for further renewable energy development in Texas and the effectiveness of current policies encouraging the use of renewable energy sources. This study should focus on the State's capacity for wind generation, current efforts by the General Land Office (GLO) to commercialize wind generation on state lands, and solutions to the constraints on utilizing wind potential to its fullest. Include an analysis of state and federal mandates, federal tax credits, wind potential, transmission constraints, economics of electricity production and delivery, and environmental considerations.
DownloadThe Texas House Committee on Regulated Industries Report to the 79th Legislature.
This report outlines the committee’s examination of the issues, presents the facts and data obtained by the committee, raises legislative concerns, and summarizes the recommendations of the committee with regard to its interim charges.
DownloadGlossary and Guide to Acronyms
Learn some of the terms and definitions that are used in electricity jargon
DownloadTexas Nodal Team Reviews Cost-Benefit Study
Adoption of a nodal power market design in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) would reduce the cost of providing electricity by an average of more than $800 million a year.
Download the Full Release Download the Full Study Download Study Appendix 1 Download Study Appendix 2 Read the Entire Study Online2004 Assessment of ERCOT Operations by Potomac Economics
In response to a request by the Market Oversight Division, Potomac Economics analyzed the operation of the ERCOT wholesale market for the period January-September 2004. The main focus of the study was to explain what situations ERCOT operators face in real-time operation, what problems are causing operational concerns, and what steps are needed to address those operational concerns to improve market operation.
DownloadFull ERCOT State of the Market Report 9/9/04
Full 2003 State of the Market Report prepared by Potomac Economics
DownloadJoel Mickey, Manager of Market Operations Support at ERCOT, to the Gulf Coast Power Association, September 29, 2004
Joel Mickey explains that the current zonal market structure contains numerous inconsistencies that require a lot of guesswork by ERCOT operations staff and notes that many of these problems would be solved by nodal market design.
DownloadRoss Baldick, Ph.D. to House Regulated Industries subcommittee on economic dispatch – September 24, 2004
Professor Baldick explains how a nodal market design would lead to the most economic dispatch of the state’s electric generating facilities
DownloadBob Helton, American National Power, to House Regulated Industries subcommittee on economic dispatch – September 24, 2004
Mr. Helton explains ERCOT’s operational difficulties with current market design
DownloadCharles Griffey, Reliant Energy, to House Regulated Industries subcommittee on economic dispatch – September 24, 2004
Mr. Griffey notes that a nodal market design creates the right incentives to correct much of the state’s congestion problems
DownloadMedia Contacts Return to top
Marianne Carroll, Executive Director
Texas Competitive Power Advocates
c/o Brown McCarroll LLP
111 Congress Avenue
Suite 1400
Austin, Texas 78701
voice: 512-479-1156
e-mail: mcarroll@mailbmc.com