Heading into 2023
As we prepare to close out the year, it is a time for reflection on all that has transpired during the year, and a time to look ahead to all the possibilities the new year holds for us. I wanted to share a few things at the top of my mind heading into 2023: The latest progress towards improving system reliability; why policy change might be the biggest issue we grapple with; and how resource planning and technology will shape our future.
There has been a heightened need to plan for grid resilience to extreme weather this past year because of Winter Storm Uri. Resilience comes in all forms, including investing in infrastructure, ensuring a diversity of resources, and enabling flexible resources. Collaboration has been a steady premise with our work this year. Although it continues to take up the bulk of our time, I’m blown away by the amazing progress made by our team and our partners in 2022.
Most weeks, we have a virtual meeting with everyone who’s working on our current solar energy and system improvement projects. We are also gearing up on our construction work plan projects. Each meeting focuses on project management and different topics like regulatory requirements, easement procurement, or long lead times on equipment and material delivery. It’s inspiring to hear how groups are working together to find solutions to ensure we meet our renewable energy goals and are able to provide reliable energy service for our member-owners.
On top of ensuring these projects continue progressing, we have been monitoring market design rules and requirements that have come out of the Legislature and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) regarding aggregated distributed energy and storage resources, which tasks the PUC to seek ways to effectively add more of these resources to the distribution system within ERCOT to increase reliability. As this new frontier moves forward, we are to design a system ready for the energy transition. We, no doubt, have a lot of work ahead of us and planning is key!
2022 has been a year of big transitions for me, personally, and for Rio Grande. Transitions are never completely without challenges, and I want to take this opportunity to thank family, employees, and the membership for the support you have given me, and the Cooperative.
From all of us at Rio Grande Electric Cooperative, Inc., Merry Christmas to you and your family. May Peace, Joy, Hope, and Prosperity follow you into the new year. God bless you always!