The ERCOT Retail Market Subcommittee (RMS) meeting held on September 10 covered a variety of key topics relating to retail market operations, project progress, and system updates. The meeting primarily focused on updates for the Texas Standard Electronic Transaction (SET), project implementation timelines, demand response surveys, and ongoing efforts to ensure smooth integration and operational improvements across the retail market.
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Update
TAC provided updates on two important revision requests:
- NPRR1227: This revision focused on changes related to operational efficiency and reporting within the retail market framework.
- RMGRR181: This revision addressed alignment and resolution of inconsistencies within the ERCOT market guides. Both revisions were approved by TAC and are moving forward in the process.
ERCOT Updates
- Flight Update: Texas SET 5.0 remains the primary focus, with the implementation scheduled for November. Registration deadlines for the market were successfully met in July. ERCOT reported that connectivity testing is progressing well, with 182 out of an expected 500-515 tests completed. The first day of transactions is set for September 23, with the flight scheduled to conclude by October 4. A contingency period extending through October 18 has been planned to address any last-minute issues. Thirty new CRs (Competitive Retailers) have registered, with most being DUNS+4 registrations.
- Retail Projects Update: ERCOT confirmed that Texas SET 5.0 will go live in mid-November, specifically targeting the Monday after the scheduled implementation weekend. Detailed schedules will be shared soon, and coordination with market participants remains ongoing to ensure all systems are fully prepared.
- IT Report: ERCOT met its service availability SLAs for both retail and non-retail systems. Maintenance windows were reviewed, with recent maintenance taking place on August 25 for retail and August 22 for non-retail systems. A suggestion was made to align maintenance schedules for both systems moving forward. ERCOT also discussed an ongoing issue with its listservs, where cybersecurity measures caused automatic unsubscriptions. This problem primarily affected Oncor users, and ERCOT plans to set up a call to address the issue. ERCOT also mentioned the introduction of weekday release windows for minor system updates, such as patches, to better align with NIST standards.
Demand Response Survey
ERCOT provided an update on the 2024 annual demand response survey. So far, 86% of the required responses have been received from retail electric providers (REPs). In total, 111 REPs are required to report, and 59 have indicated active participation in demand response programs. The survey covers approximately 6.15 million ESI IDs, and the deadline for initial submission of participation data is October 15. The final deadline for all submissions, including corrections, is October 31. There was some discussion about a related PUC rulemaking project, but no direct connections were identified.
Texas Standard Electronic Transaction (Texas SET) Working Group
The Texas SET Working Group provided updates on testing schedules and upcoming flight exercises. Testing for the current version continues, with day one transactions scheduled to begin on September 23. Flight cleanup activities with retailers are underway to resolve any remaining issues before the full go-live. The 2025 flight schedule, which had been tabled during the last meeting, was revisited and moved to the combo ballot for approval. Concerns about turnaround times and the addition of Juneteenth as a holiday were raised, but they were considered manageable within the current schedule.
Market Coordination Team (MCT)
The MCT reviewed and approved updates to the 814_04 implementation guide, which outlines processes for customer transaction handling. Key changes include updates to business requirements and redlines for relevant documents. One notable discussion point was the proposal to move the 814_20 transactions to Saturday mornings to avoid issues with weekend processing. The group also addressed a planned transition for LSE files and requested a vote on this plan during the October Webex meeting.
Lubbock Retail Integration Task Force
Lubbock’s integration efforts are progressing, with discussions centering on issues with transaction processing, Smart Meter Texas onboarding, and backdated move-ins. The task force also reviewed decimal place changes in transaction data (allowing up to six decimal places) and addressed ongoing issues with 650_01 disconnects and reconnects. Lubbock has been working to resolve these transaction errors and implement fixes, especially regarding the processing of IDR transactions and ensuring correct billing for backdated transactions. The task force continues to meet weekly to stay on top of integration efforts and ensure a smooth transition for market participants.
Texas Data Transport and MarkeTrak Systems (TDTMS) Working Group
The TDTMS group provided an update on the transition plan for MarkeTrak, particularly for the handling of inadvertent gains and losses. A critical deadline was set for backdated move-ins, with TDSPs expected to submit necessary files by Friday, with normal operations resuming on September 11. MarkeTrak analysis continues with a focus on ensuring the 2024 data is substantial and usable for the market.
Profiling Working Group
ERCOT presented updates on load profile validation, including the addition of LP&L and Nueces profiles. Formal data analysis is being conducted, with results to be shared at the next Profiling Working Group meeting. ERCOT’s goal is to improve the efficiency and accuracy of load profiles used across the market, which will benefit both TDSPs and REPs.
Other Business
- November Meeting Reschedule: Due to the Texas SET 5.0 implementation, the November RMS meeting may be canceled or rescheduled. October’s meeting is likely to be pushed back to avoid a long gap between meetings. The December meeting remains on the schedule to recognize the significant progress expected by then.
- 2025 Block Calendar: The 2025 block calendar was reviewed, with no major changes required. TAC and PRS will meet slightly less frequently in 2025, and the RMS meetings will continue to follow the same cadence as in 2024.
- PUCT Open Project List: It was decided that the open project list would be removed from future agendas as the list is outdated, and there are other methods for tracking PUCT dockets.
- TNMP REP Workshop: TNMP will hold a workshop in October, with all interested parties encouraged to attend.
