What's the difference between NRG, Reliant and CenterPoint? How the Texas power grid works.

Claire Hao | Source: Houston Chronicle | Posted 03/15/2025

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The power grid is a network of power plants that generate electricity and power lines that deliver it. Texas’ unique grid has been under heavy scrutiny since the February 2021 winter storm, when millions lost power for days and hundreds died.

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The Texas power grid operates through a network of power plants and transmission lines, with key players including NRG Energy, Reliant Energy, and CenterPoint Energy. Retail electric providers (REPs) like Reliant compete to offer electricity plans to consumers, purchasing power from generators on the wholesale market managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). CenterPoint, as the primary transmission and distribution utility in Houston, is responsible for maintaining the power lines that deliver electricity to homes and businesses.

ERCOT plays a crucial role in balancing electricity supply and demand, ensuring that the grid operates smoothly. Following the 2021 winter storm that caused widespread outages, the grid's reliability has come under scrutiny, especially with the increasing demand from new artificial intelligence data centers. The deregulation of Texas's electricity market in the late 1990s aimed to foster competition among providers, but it also complicated the structure of the industry, separating generation, distribution, and retail functions.

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Source Link: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/texas-power-grid-market-explained-20184641.php

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What's the difference between NRG, Reliant and CenterPoint? How the Texas power grid works.

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