AUSTIN, Texas — Texas, especially in the Houston area, is dealing with exponential growth as more and more people move to the Lone Star State.
A major concern is if the state's power grid can accommodate the population boom.
On Tuesday morning, Electric Reliability Council of Texas CEO Pablo Vegas talked about the long-term expectations for Texas' power grid.
"Here in Texas, we are seeing the industrial electrification of oil and gas industries presenting tremendous demand growth in the planning horizon," Vegas said. "While the growth picture is significant, and it will present some challenges, (it) is also a tremendous opportunity for us to further energy investments. In Texas, it's a great opportunity for the flexibility and the agility of the ERCOT market designed to be able to evolve and adapt to enable this growth."
Vegas went on to cite an "insatiable" demand for electricity to fuel the growth of artificial intelligence and data centers both locally and globally.
There's also a significant increase in the amount of large loads forecasted in the next five years, specifically because of increases in crypto-mining and hydrogen-related manufacturing.
So, will the grid be able to handle it all?
Vegas said ERCOT is changing transmission planning processes to adapt to the changing grid. It's also exploring new opportunities to stay ahead of the growth curve. Vegas said it will take time to implement the new tools that have been enabled by prior legislative sessions, but he's confident they'll get it done.
Ultimately, the Public Utility Commission will make the final decision on approving the projects recommended to accommodate future power needs, including the costs and impact on consumers.