FAQ: ERCOT ERS 10 Demand Response Program

Program Rules

Dispatch Sessions: 
Spring: February – May
Summer: June – September
Fall: October – January

Dispatch Hours: 
Time Period 1: 5:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m., Monday – Friday
Time Period 2: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Monday – Friday
Time Period 3: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday – Friday
Time Period 4: 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Monday – Friday
Time Period 5: 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Monday – Friday
Time Period 6: 5:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m., weekends & holidays 
Time Period 7: 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., weekends & holidays 
Time Period 8: all other hours 

Lead Time: 
10 minutes

How is my enrollment value calculated?

Our team of analysts determines your enrollment value based upon your site’s electrical load patterns, performance in your demand response test, and information regarding your site’s operations. This value may be adjusted based upon dispatch performance history or your feedback. Our goal is to ensure that each site meets its performance and availability obligations in a season.

When can I change my enrollment level?

You can change your enrollment seasonally, up to about 15 business days before the start of the program period (June 1, October 1, or February 1). Once you are enrolled, your enrollment level is fixed for the remainder of that four-month season.

How is my baseline calculated?

ERCOT assigns you one of the following four baseline types, based on an analysis of your usage.

Firm Service Level:
A Firm Service Level (FSL) baseline is calculated based on your average hourly load during the correlated business hour. If you have an FSL baseline, you must drop to your nominated “Drop to kW” value to perform, regardless of your current demand.

Regression:
A Regression baseline uses ERCOT’s statistical regression model to calculate your “business-as-usual” usage taking into account weather, time of day, and prior usage data.

Matching Day Pair:
The Matching Day Pair baseline is calculated by matching usage for day-of and day-before dispatches with a similar pair of days in the previous year.

Middle 8 of 10:
The Middle 8 of 10 baseline is calculated using ten prior like days immediately preceding any dispatch, excluding the highest usage day and lowest usage day.

How is my performance calculated?

ERCOT calculates performance with respect to your baseline as adjusted by your availability factor. The calculation will typically be a comparison of your dispatch average usage against your baseline, plus an analysis of your first interval performance to make sure curtailment was met within the required 30-minute ramp period.

When am I required to perform?

In addition to responding to any ERCOT-issued emergency dispatches (when the grid reaches EEA Level 2), ERCOT requires that all sites demonstrate themselves as a viable resource by passing an unannounced ERCOT-issued test once every 365 days. You will be required to perform once a year to keep your payments intact and your nomination at your desired level. If you are unable to perform in a test during a season, consequences may be a payment reduction, a reduced future nomination, or removal from the program.

What do I do with a high alert? How can I prepare for a dispatch?

Review your energy reduction plan (ERP) and plan ahead. During winter, dispatches will most likely occur in the early morning, between 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. During summer, dispatches will most likely occur in the afternoon, between 2:00 – 7:00 p.m. The best way to be prepared is to make sure your contact information is up to date, and you are familiar with your ERP, as emergency dispatches can happen at any time. Do not shut down early in anticipation of a dispatch, as it may impact your performance calculation.

Where is my ERP? How can I see how I am performing?

You can view your ERP and your dispatch performance by logging into Enel X at apps.enelx.com.

How will I be notified of a dispatch?

You will be notified of a dispatch via our automated system. You may receive email, phone, and SMS messages based upon your preferences, which you can view in the Enel X application. To add or change your site’s contact information, please contact Enel X Support at +1 888 363 7662 or support.EnelXNorthAmerica@enelx.com.

What if I cannot respond?

If your site is unable to respond to a demand response dispatch, please contact Enel X Support as soon as you can at support.EnelXNorthAmerica@enelx.com or +1 888 363 7662. Non-performance may affect your earnings and your site’s future enrollment levels (and therefore, future payments).

How will I be compensated?

If there is no dispatch or test during a season, you will earn a monthly capacity payment, capped at your enrollment level, according to your availability factor.

If your site’s usage is above its enrollment level for more than 95% of your enrolled hours, you will be paid in full, based upon your site’s enrollment value.

If you are tested or there is an emergency dispatch in a season, your site will be paid according to a combination of your ERCOT-determined performance and enrollment value.

If your site performs below 50%, you will not be compensated.

Please alert us if you anticipate a significant change in your load availability during a season.

What is the financial impact if I do not hit my target?

If you are up for testing during a season, and your site falls below 95% during the first ERCOT-issued test, you will be re-tested within the same season. If your site then passes, you will be paid in full for that season. If your site does not pass, you will be paid either 75% of your performance or the average percentage of your performance, whichever is lower.

Effective February 1, 2018, ERCOT is enacting stricter performance criteria on test dispatches in order to gain greater assurance that enrolled resources are able to meet their performance obligation when dispatched. If your site fails more than two consecutive tests in a 365-day period, you will earn significantly less, possibly 0%, for your seasonal performance. ERCOT calculates your test performance against your registered baseline, and the baseline they deem most statistically accurate, to generate your final performance for each test.

This table summarizes how your test performance impacts your payments over a 365-day period.

If there is an emergency dispatch during a season, payments will be determined based on your performance in that emergency dispatch.

What is the minimum performance required to earn payments?

In the ERS 10 program, you must curtail to at least 95% of your enrollment level within the first ten minutes of a dispatch to earn payments, and you must remain curtailed an average of 95% or greater across all dispatch hours to earn payments.