Meeting Summary - 12/10/2024 - RMS Meeting

▶️ 1 - Antitrust Admonition John Schatz

▶️ 2 - Agenda Review John Schatz

3 - Not Discussed

▶️ 4 - New Protocol Revision Subcommittee PRS Referrals Vote John Schatz

▶️ 4.1 - NPRR1259, Update Section 15 Level Response Language

• Motion to endorse NPRR1259 as revised by RMS added to the combo ballot
• Overview of NPRR1259: It aims to align ERCOT's response time protocol with SLA strategy, ensuring there's no protocol violation during system outages.
• The NPRR ensures timing requirements do not include duration of planned and approved ERCOT retail system outages.
• Kathy Scott proposed modifications to ensure clarity about the approval process by the tax subcommittee for outages.
• Participants agreed on revising language about planned and subcommittee-approved outages.
• Consensus reached to move to a combo ballot with a motion to endorse NPRR1259 as revised by WMS.
• While the NPRR alters the protocol slightly, there's no change in current practice since ERCOT doesn't normally request approval during retail business hours.
• Discussion suggested aligning the changes with upcoming SLA conversation and year's release calendar.

▶️ 5 - ERCOT Updates

▶️ 5.1 - Flight Update David Michelsen

05-flight-testing-update-to-rms20241210.pdf

• 28 new CRS came in; one withdrew; only a few were brand new during 5.0 testing.
• 113 existing CRS retested for the flight 0924 for 5.0.
• First heads up for the 2025 flight schedule sent.
• Reminder set for January 25, 2025.
• Application deadline on January 15, 2025.
• Concerns raised about timeline due to holiday season; first flight of the year is critical.
• Signup deadline January 29, 2025.
• Connectivity testing to commence in early February and conclude by early March.

▶️ 5.2 - Retail Projects Update David Michelsen

• Project updates will be primarily driven by Texas SET and TDTMS.
• The Texas 5.0 release was successful considering the scope and number of systems involved.
• Ongoing issues are being tracked with known paths forward.
• Effective communication and quick response times were highlighted as key factors.
• Processing percentages were in excellent shape within a few days post-Go Live.
• Further discussions are expected in upcoming working group sessions.

▶️ 5.3 - IT Report Mick Hanna

05-ercot_it_report_december_2024_-_rms.pdf

• Report on IT issues in November, including Texas upgrade and site failure on the 17th for retail and listserv, with other systems failing over on the 14th.
• MarkeTrak performance metrics were significantly better than the 12-month average.
• Noticed a major spike in MarkeTrak volume on October 24th, reaching 60,000 transactions in a day, compared to the usual 7,000.
• Listed graph updates will show trending over time in upcoming reports.
• Reported listserv activity with significant post and recipient numbers.
• Single weather moratorium removal noted due to a potential cybersecurity system action.
• Clarified changes and scheduling for future production releases, with emphasis on retail weekday releases happening on Thursdays after April.
• Emphasized targeting system updates that can occur with minimal downtime and moving towards a no-downtime patching scenario.
• Discussed changes with the SLAs and the approval of NPRR 1259 for relevant scheduling, which might affect schedule by April 2024.
• Acknowledged cybersecurity needs driving new initiatives and improvements in system patching processes.

▶️ 5.3.1 - 2025 Retail and ListServ Market IT Services Service Level Agreement Possible Vote

• Motion to add 2025 Retail and ListServ Market IT Services SLA.v2 - to approve as revised by RMS to the combo ballot 
• Discussion on the Retail Analyst Serve Market IT Services SLA V2 changes, primarily updates to calendar dates from 2024 to current year.
• Clarification needed on production releases: weekdays should occur on Wednesday and Thursday, and weekends on Sunday.
• A specific focus was on the SLA changes related to NPRR 1259, which influences the SLA effective date and is expected to be approved by April 1st.
• The suggestion to remove weekday releases for January, February, and March to minimize confusion due to pending NPRR 1259 approval.
• Proposal to explicitly reference NPRR 1259 in the SLA to avoid misunderstandings.
• The possibility of approving the SLA in January or with provisions post-April 1 was discussed, with an option to revisit if needed.
• Agreement to remove weekday releases for January, February, and March and include reference to NPRR 1259.
• Consideration of approving SLAs multiple times a year if necessary, noting precedence.
• General consensus to take this SLA item to the combo ballot for approval as revised, with edits to be finalized.

▶️ 5.3.2 - 025 Market Data Transparency Service Level Agreement Possible Vote

• Motion to add 2025 Retail and ListServ Market IT Services SLA.v2 - to approve as revised by RMS to the combo ballot
• Discussion on market data transparency SLA with no additional edits besides the ones on the table.
• Confirmation was needed regarding approval dates.
• Technical issues regarding screen sharing were sorted out.
• Revisions to SLA included replacing R1, R2, and R3 with 'no release' as seen in previous versions.
• Participants were shown a cleaned-up version of the SLA.
• Request for consensus to move the SLA to combo ballot with an intention to approve the edited version.
• Clarification that documents were available in both PDF and Word versions, facilitating edits.
• Approval sought for both the retail SLA and market data SLA version 2 as revised by RMS.
• Acknowledgments and gratitude expressed by participants for cooperation and patience.

▶️ 6 - New Part 1 Commissioning Checklist Requirement (NPRR1212/PGRR114) Kelly Brink

06-new-part-1-commissioning-nprr1212-and-pgrr114.pdf

• Presentation about new gen site setup requirements, crossing between modeling and needing assistance from retail electric providers and TDSPS.
• NPRR1212 effective as of 8.1 requires an ESI ID setup before consuming load at a site, to prevent load consumption without proper accounting.
• Resource entities must coordinate with DSPs and retail energy providers to ensure attributes and ESI ID to LSE relationships are setup.
• ERCOT planning guide updated to reflect this as part of requirements before Part 1 approval.
• Part 1 approval is paused until ESI ID is correctly set up.
• Information on attributes for ESI ID: business IDR required, non-weather sensitive profile code, and reviewing loss codes.
• Exceptions for sites that do not require ESI IDs: WSL-only energy usage for charging batteries and generation sites behind NOE tie points.
• Provided a list of transactions required from TDSPs and LSES.
• No transactional responses required from NOE, need for direct communication for setup.
• Causes of delays include lack of understanding of ESI ID setup requirements.

• Raised awareness request for TDSPs about the requirement.
• Encountered frequent market tracks from ERCOT requiring ESI ID setups.
• Identified knowledge gaps within organizations due to growth in solar farms, wind farms, and battery storage.
• Collaborated with ERCOT to address ongoing issues.
• Acknowledged that all TDSPs face similar challenges.

• Supported the assessment of data gaps and the need for ESI ID setups.
• Suggested creating a checklist for SODGs to improve setup processes.
• Mentioned issues with improper ESI ID setups causing delays.

▶️ 7 - Combo Ballot Vote

• Motion to approve the combined ballot as presented carried unanimously.

▶️ 8 - Lubbock Retail Integration Task Force LRITF Sheri Wiegand

08-lritf-update-20241210.pdf

• Last task force meeting was mid-October with one weekly call since.
• Discussion and updates were planned for the LRITF meeting later that afternoon.
• Key topics to be discussed include decimals conversation post Texas SET 5.0 and Lubbock's reversioned LSE files.
• Lubbock has gap retrieval in place, but manual push for revised LSC files is still required.
• New Lubbock tariff went into effect on November 1st, with changes including delivery service fee and franchise fee adjustments.
• DLS Distribution loss factors were thought to have improved; updates expected in the afternoon's meeting.
• Stabilization issues being addressed include DNP 650.01 reconnect processing corrections and remediation for service charge errors.
• Need for correction on overcharge of premium fee and double billing instances.
• Problem with standalone 810s and remediation plans discussed.
• Issues with 867 IDRs and missing bills being worked on, corrections detailed.
• Upcoming corrections on backdated move-ins and issues with start and end reads.
• MarkeTrak counts discussed with plans for updates in the afternoon meeting.
• Lessons learned from transition to competitive market for future use with municipalities.
• Overall progress includes successful transition of over 100,000 ESI IDs into competitive market, with Lubbock integrating well.
• Smart Meter Texas integration remains the last major task, with updates expected from Chris.
• No questions from attendees indicated satisfaction with updates and progress.

▶️ 9 - Texas Data Transport and MarkeTrak Systems TDTMS Sheri Wiegand

09-tdtms_update_12_10_2024.pdf

• SCR817, part of Texaset 5.0, was a success with significant training sessions in September and October.
• Tammy Stewart from ERCOT led effective training sessions with attendance of 163 and 225 participants.
• There were three market notices sent to help handle inadvertent gain workflows and manage market tracks.
• Notable improvements in Find ESI and Find Transaction views enhancing user experience.
• The inadvertent gain and switch holds remain significant market track categories.
• Discussions around reducing noise in market tracks to enhance efficiency.
• SCR817 introduced changes like AMS LSC Dispute and Meter Cycle Change Request market tracks, now seeing activity.
• Rescissions and market trends data indicated Rep #4 submitted over 50% of rescission market tracks.
• Focus on enhancing the market track tool to drive efficiencies and reduce noise.
• Discussion on aligning with PUCT rules and examining impacts of these changes on data trends and market efficiency.
• Next TDTMS meeting scheduled for January 4th with further discussions on subtypes and data analysis.

▶️ 10 - Texas Standard Electronic Transaction Texas SET Working Group Kyle Patrick

10-texas-set-update-12_24.pdf

• Reviewed Texas SET 5.0 test, prepared for upcoming 0225 flight.
• Focused discussion on addressing production issues related to Texas SET 5.0.
• Emphasized the importance of collecting all production-related issues in a common space.
• Highlighted need for education on EIA code usage.
• ERCOT led successful cutover calls, ensuring a smooth transition.
• Potential improvement areas include better communication and early provisioning of the test bed.
• Discussion on test scripts ensuring optional elements are also tested.
• Considered improving tracking systems like FlighTrak for future releases.
• Acknowledged team's efforts and successful execution in 2023, with plans for potential elections in 2025.

▶️ 11 - Market Coordination Team MCT Kathryn Thurman

The Market Coordination Team reported a successful release, which is now in production.

• No actual presentation was given as previous speakers, Sherry and Kyle, covered all necessary details.
• It is foreseen that the Market Coordination Team may be sunset in January.
• This potential sunsetting will be noted on the January RMS agenda.

▶️ 12 - Profiling Working Group PWG Steve Pliler

12-pwg_update_12_10_2024.pdf

• The conversion of profile types is ongoing, with most converted but some like EPS meters are not feasible for conversion.
• TNMP aims to complete their conversion by Q2.
• Annual validation is a significant topic, with discussions heading towards a face-to-face meeting for moving forward.
• Considerations include whether to tweak or completely overhaul the current approach and explore automation opportunities.
• A Word format recreation of the profile decision tree was presented for review.
• Concerns were raised about lost progress on annual validation and low profile updates, emphasizing the need for frequent meetings.
• The cost implications of annual validation for ERCOT and market participants were discussed.
• There's a push for more frequent and perhaps in-person meetings to facilitate progress.

▶️ 13 - Retail Market Training Task Force RMTTF Tomas Fernandez

• RMTTF is working on training programs for next year, aiming to complete them by January.
• Training packages will be finalized with ERCOT's assistance before release.
• Tentative release is planned for the second and third quarters of next year.
• Co-chairs for next year have been elected and are returning: Tomas Fernandez, Melinda, and Debbie.
• Next meeting scheduled for January 9th on WebEx.
• No specific questions were raised during the report.

▶️ 14 - Other Business John Schatz

• Highlight of achievements: Texas SET 5.0 project and Lubbock's integration into the retail market.
• Acknowledgment of challenges faced, such as overcoming hurdles and hiccups.
• Specific gratitude expressed to CenterPoint Energy and individuals like Jordan, Susie, and her team for their contributions.
• Mention of coping with natural events like Hurricane Burlap and maintaining market operations.
• Inquiry about the upcoming demand response report from ERCOT, expected by year's end.
• Request for clarification on demand response reports: number of participants and actual demand response volumes.
• Concluded with a closing of the 2024 edition of WMS.

▶️ 15 - Adjourn John Schatz