Gulf Coast Power Association’s Post

Barbara Sugg, CEO of Southwest Power Pool, keynotes our 10th Annual emPOWERing Women Leadership Conference 11/8, sharing her journey of overcoming imposter syndrome to achieve self-confidence and a career in executive leadership. She’ll offer tips for identifying imposter syndrome, maximizing its value and keeping it in check to achieve ultimate success. Early bird savings ends 10/21. Sign up today: https://bit.ly/3XChreb

LaShunda Patrick of Oncor Electric Delivery talks about how our emPOWERing Women Leadership Conference inspired her career growth. Attend our 10th annual event 11/8 to experience the professional value for yourself. Early bird savings ends 10/21. Register today: https://bit.ly/3XChreb

Closing sessions at our 39th Annual Fall Conference sustained an impressive level of content for over 800 attendees representing both the Gulf Coast region and beyond. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗱: • 𝗞𝗲𝘆𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨.𝗦. 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆: Leslie Biddle addressed the rising electricity demands and highlighted over $6 billion in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding recently invested in power industry projects in Texas and Louisiana. • 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗢𝗧: Featuring experts Carrie Collier-Brown (Husch Blackwell), Michael Enger (Austin Energy), Gary Franzen, MBA (CoServ), Krishnan Kasiviswanathan (Chariot Energy), and Sam Sen (Vistra Corp.). Kasiviswanathan emphasized the need to manage the significant fluctuations in energy use. • 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: John Hall of the HARC | Houston Advanced Research Center discussed this initiative, which received a $249.7 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to accelerate investments in solar and storage solutions for low-income communities, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. • 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀: This session featured insights from Warren Lasher (Lasher Energy Consulting), Michael McNamara (Lancium), Fernando Palma (U.S. Department of Energy), Dr. Mandhir Sahni (EE Plus), and Dan Woodfin (ERCOT). • 𝗞𝗲𝘆𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗨𝗖𝗧 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗺 𝗚𝗹𝗲𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗻: He focused on the Texas Energy Fund, upcoming transmission projects, and the expected load growth of 40,000 MW by 2030. • 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗢𝗧 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁: Panelists included Julie Davis (Public Utility Commission of Texas), Bryn Baker (Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA)), Lori Cobos (PUCT), Nate Murphy (Valero), and Jim Stanway (Samsung Semiconductor US). Stanway noted that new loads entering ERCOT are accompanied by strategic approaches in both technology and power generation, backed by significant funding. • 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗱: The wrap-up included insights from Pat Wood, III and former PUCT commissioners Paul Hudson (General Infrastructure LLC), Brandy Marquez (Marquez Public Affairs), Will McAdams (McAdams Energy Group LLC), and Julie Caruthers Parsley (Pedernales Electric Cooperative). Their discussion on "Future Policy Trajectory" explored past achievements, load growth, stakeholder processes, transmission, and resiliency. 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: • MISO/SPP Regional Conference: February 19-20, New Orleans • Spring Conference: April 14-16, Houston • Fall Conference: September 29-October 1, Austin We look forward to seeing you all there!

At our 39th Annual Fall Conference, Beth Garza, GCPA board president and R Street Institute senior fellow, welcomed more than 800 attendees. Along with event co-chairs Julia Harvey of Texas Electric Cooperatives, Lindsey Hughes of ENGIE and their committee, she thanked sponsors, the board of directors & 152 corporate members. Speakers included: As opening keynotes, Rep. Todd Hunter, State Affairs Committee, Texas House of Representatives and Pablo Vegas, CEO ERCOT, talked about the unique challenges and opportunities of managing a reliable electric grid with facilitator Barbara Clemenhagen, GCPA executive director. Among their remarks, Vegas said: We operate in the most competitive market in the world. We need to operate on our resources and reserves. Texas is the largest wind and solar operator and soon to also be the largest in storage. Hunter pointed out that he believed the Legislature will continue to support and grow the Texas Energy Fund. In her keynote Perspectives from an ERCOT Participant: Customer’s Version, Deborah Merril of bp Energy Retail Company looked back at her 28 years in deregulated markets. “I’ve seen a lot.” Her observations: ERCOT remains the best competitive power market; customers are feeling the impacts of the volatile energy environments; to remain the best we need to support customer needs in a rapidly changing environment. Tracie Tolle, PMP of Public Utility Commission of Texas delivered a Vignette on the Texas Energy Fund, a $10 billion program of grants & loans to finance the construction, maintenance, modernization & operation of electric facilities in Texas. The session AI Gets Real in ERCOT featured Theo F Piletski, EPAM Systems; Dr. Erin Boyd, AES; Scott Hublou, Splight; Michael Kirschner, Habitat Energy; Venkat Tirupati, P.E., ERCOT. Boyd point out: This may be controversial to say, but I think AI is going to get us to net zero. Dean Foreman, Ph.D., Texas Oil & Gas Association, reviewed Oil & Gas Perspective on the Permian Basin Load. Garza moderated a panel of energy reporters who explained how energy pros could be helpful in telling the industry’s story & how news outlets have evolved. In the session were Russell Gold, Texas Monthly; Claire Hao, Houston Chronicle; Jennifer Hiller, The Wall Street Journal; Tom Kleckner, RTO Insider LLC. John Padalino of Bandera Electric Cooperative chronicled the unique programs of its 29,000-member co-op, including being among the state’s first regions in the PUCT’s Aggregate Distributed Energy Resource Pilot Project. Keynote Glenn Hegar, Comptroller, State of Texas, described Texas’ economic growth: We know 1,000 to 1,200 people are moving to Texas everyday, businesses are moving to Texas and Texas is going to continue to grow. “Texas is the eighth largest economy in the world,” he said, adding that Texas has an expected $20 billion cash carry over balance for 2025. Fall Conference sessions conclude Tuesday. Join us at the ATT Conference Center, Austin.

We appreciate our 39th Annual Fall Conference Gold Sponsors. Thank you for your support. American Clean Power Association (ACP) 🔷Avantus 🔷Constellation 🔷Electric Power Engineers 🔷Essentia 🔷Husch Blackwell Jackson Walker LLP 🔷LCRA WSC Energy 🔷Locke Lord LLP 🔷Open Doors Public Relations (Est. 2019) 🔷RTO Insider LLC 🔷Sendero 🔷Shell Energy 🔷Texas Electric Cooperatives

Kudos to Werner Roth, our 2024 GCPA emPOWERing Young Professionals Award recipient. Roth is senior market economist in the Market Analysis Division of the Public Utility Commission of Texas. He is pictured here with award presenters Beth Garza, GCPA board president and R Street Institute senior fellow, and Barbara Clemenhagen, GCPA executive director. Read about Roth’s accomplishments: https://bit.ly/3T6pw8f

We are grateful to our Platinum Sponsors for your support of our 39th Annual Fall Conference. Baker Botts 🔹Customized Energy Solutions 🔹DNV 🔹Eversheds Sutherland 🔹Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP 🔹NRG Energy 🔹Spencer Fane LLP 🔹Texas Competitive Power Advocates 🔹WattBridge