25 Investigates: A "Deep Dive" into ERCOT's biggest changes

AS YOU APPROACH THE TOWN OFHOLLAND FROM ALMOST ANYDIRECTION, THE FIRST THING YOUNOTICE... HOLLAND LOOKS LIKEAN OASIS OF TREES SURROUNDEDBY CORNFIELDS ALONG THE TEXASPRAIRIE.

WHEN THE TEXAS DEEPFREEZE HIT, THOSE TREES THATPROVE ALL THAT GREENERY ANDSHADE, TURNED INTO THE TOWN'SACHILLIES' HEEL.

ITS MOSTGLARG INWEAKNESS.

IT TOOKWEEKS TO REMOVE ALL THETHREATS TO LIFE AND PROPERTYHERE.

THAT MAY HELP YOUUNDERSTAND, WHY PEOPLE HERELIKE DOUG MOON, REMAINO SSKEPTICAL ABOUT THE PROPOSEDFIXES TO THE TEXAS POWER GRID.THE GRID THAT PEOPLE HERE SAY,FAILED THEM.

"YOU HEARD ABOUTERCOT'S CHANGES, THAT THEYMADE... ATTEMPTS, YES.

WHAT DOYOU THINK?

YOU NEVER KNOW THERESULTS OF ANYTHING UNTILTHE'ERS AN ISSUE, AND YOU FINDOUT WHAT COMES ABOUT IT... SOIT'LL BE THE NEXT ICE STMORBEFORE WE FIGURE OUT IF THISIS RIGHT OR NOT?

YEAH, IFTHERE IS ONE." WHETEN XASDEREGULATED ITS ENERGY MARKET,PRICE TOOK PRIORITY.

THESTATE, AS A MATTER OF POLICY,ALWAYS TOOK THE CHEAPESTROUTE, AGAINST THE ADVICE OFTHE MOST RESPECTED ECONOSTMIIN TEXAS.

"ONE OF THE THINGS,WHEN THE SYSTEM WAS ORIGINALLYDESIGNED 20 YEARS AGO, THAT IPOINTED OUT TO THEM AT THETIME WAS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANINCENTIVE, FOR PEOPLE TO HAVEPOWER STANDING BY IN CASE YOUNEED IT, IT'S NOT GOING TOHAPPEN." AND.... IT DIDN'T.THE TEXAS DEEP FREEZE PROVEDHIM RIGHT.

TEXAS TURNED TOPANIC PRICING TO GET THE JUICEFLOWING..

THAT DIDN'T WORK,BECAUSE THE PRODUCERS,THEMSELVES PARALYZED BY THEFREEZE... HAD NOTHING TO BUY,SO THE MARKET... COLLAPSED."AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'REREDESIGNING THE ENTIRE THINGFROM SCRATCH." A N MEWARKET,WILL FOCUS MORE ON HAVING THATEMERGENCY POWER IN RESERVE.THAT'S NOT FREE, SO THEY HAVETO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PAYOR FIT.

"THERE ARE A MYRIAD OFPOSSIBILITIES IN CHANGING HOWGENERATORS ARE PAID FORPRODUCING ELECTRICITY IN TASEXTO ADDING NEW FINANCIALPRODUCTS LIABILITY TOALLOCATING CTSOSDIFFERENTLY,..

.." AS CRITICSPOINT OUT, THIS MEANS TEXASHAS LEARNED THE CHEAPESTAY WIS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST WAY."UP UNTIL NOW, THEY HAVE BEENVERY RESISTANT TO PAYGENERATORS HAVE CAPACITY THATWE DON'T USE ALL THE TIME.OW NWE'RE MOVING MORE TOWARDS PAYLET'S PAY FOR A LITTLE EXTRA,SO THAT WE KNOW IT'SHE TWHEN WE NEED IT,." AND THATACTUALLY MEANS SOMETHING TOTHE PEOPLE OF HOLLAND, WHO HADTO LITERALLY DIG THEMSELVESOUT OF THE ICE AND ICE-COVERED FALLEN TREE LIMBS ATTHPARALYZED THE TOWN.

NO PLACEIN TEXAS GOT HIT HARDER IN THETEXAS DEEP FREEZE, THE TOWN OFHOLLAND, A SMALL TOWN WITHLIMITED RESOURCES, IN A STATETOTALLY UNPREPARED FOR THATKIND OF WEATHER, SEE WHERE I'MGOING WITH THIS?

PEOPLE INTHIS TOWN.

THEY HAD A BIG BIGPROBLEM ON THEIR HANDS.

ANDFOLKS HERE SAY, THEY GOT NOOUTSIDE HELP IN DEALING THWIIT, EXCEPT FROM VOLUNTEERS,LIKE THIS GROUP, FROM IOWA.YOU COULD SEE IT IN THEIRPOSTS TO SOCIAL MEDIA....MOSTOF THE WORK OF GETTING HOLLANDUP AND RUNNING AGAIN, CAMEFROM NEIGHBOR HELPINGNEIGHBOR... ALL FOR FREE.

WEMIGHT NOT GET AS GOOD A BREAKIN THIS RE- DESIGNED ENERGYMARKET, THAT EVEN ERCOT ANDTHE PUC ADMIT, THEY DON'TFULLUNY DERSTAND, BECAUSE THEYHAVE YET TO DESIGN IT.

BUTTHEY WANT TO STRESS, CALL TWOVERY IMPORTANT POINTS.

"THELIGHTS ARE GOING TO STAY ONAND YOUR BILL SHOULDOT NCHANGE.." JUST ONE PROBLEM."WHAT DOES THIS OKLO LIKE INPRACTICE?

WE DON'T KNOW YET."BUT THE PUC AND ERCOT DO MAKETHIS PLEDGE.

"WE DON'T WANT TORAISE COSTS AND WE DON'TEXPECT THAT WE WILL RAEISCOST.

WE'RE JUST SHIFTING THEPAYMENTS TO THE, TO THEGENERATORS THAT PROVIDE THEMOST RELIABLE ELECTRICITY INTHE MOST ACCOUNTABLE MANNE."R.AGAIN, THAT PROMISE COULDPROVE HARD TO KEEP...BECAUSE... WELL... THAT OLDSAYING "YOU DON'T GETSOMETHING FOR NOTHING.

ERCOTPROMISES THOUGH, TO KEEP USINFORMED OF ITS PROGRESS"WE.INTEND TO SHOW TO YOU, EACHMONTH, AT THE BEGINNING OFEVERY MONTH, WHERE WE ARE ONTHOSE INITIATIVES AND PROVIDEYOU EVIDENCE OF HOW WE'VECOMPLETED EACH OF THOSE ITEMS.." COULD "RELIABILITY" MEANINCREASED COST?

THEY SAY WEMAY KNOW BY THE END OF THEYEAR.

MEANTIME DOUG MOON SAYSHE DOES HAVE SOME SYMPATHY FORTHOSE WHO PRESIDED OVER THISMESS, BUT HE'S NOT SITTING ONHIS HANDS WHEN IT COMES TONE WXTINTER "YOU GONNA DOANYTHING DIFFERENT TO PREPAREFOR NEXT YEAR.

I BOUGHT AGENERATOR BUT OTHER THAN THAT,I'M SURE NOTHING'S GONNAHAPPEN FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARSBUT WHO KNOWS, WE'LL FIND OUTWHAT HAPPENS TO." BUT SOME SAYTHAT'S HOW WE GOT INTO THISMESS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

INHOLLAND, DENNIS TURNER, 25NE