Meeting Summary - 05/13/2025 RMS Meeting

▶️1 - Antitrust Admonition

▶️2 - Agenda Review

▶️3 - Approval of RMS Meeting Minutes (Possible Vote)

• Motion to approve April 1, 2025 Meeting Minutes as presented added to the combo ballot. 
• Minutes were posted one day prior to the meeting.
• No comments were received from the attendees regarding the minutes.
• Redline edits were noted but were nonsubstantive.
• The revision involved a date change related to the CenterPoint competitive retailer workshop.
• With no objections, the minutes will move to the combo ballot for voting.

▶️4 - Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Update

• The TAC meeting included lengthy discussions, particularly on the objective of firm fuel supply service (FFSS), which was brought up by Vistra.
• All technical meetings are recorded and available for viewing for those seeking in-depth updates.
• The RMS report had no voting items but provided updates on working groups and strategic objectives.
• The large flexible load task force has been renamed to the large load working group and will report directly to TAC.
• There was a change to the charter, and Julie Snitman provided an update on the large load interconnection status.

▶️5 - RMS Goals/Strategic Objectives (Vote)

05.-2025-RMS-Strategic-Objectives-REVISED-DRAFT.v.2.pdf

• Motion to endorse RMS Goals/Strategic Objectives.V2 as submitted added to the Combo Ballot.
• TAC proposed moving from goals to strategic objectives for itself and all subcommittees in February.
• ROS, WMS, and PRS have adopted strategic objectives. PRS initially planned to go with goals but later changed.
• Reviewed six RMS goals for 2025; a draft prepared by Kathy was sent to working groups.
• Texas SET made one change to the goals. Goal number six was initially left out due to a communication issue.
• Goal six involves facilitating summer and winter preparedness efforts and possibly supporting Mass Transition drills.
• A wording change was discussed for goal number four to include collaboration with market participants on retail process improvement and data transparency.
• Acknowledgment of the omission in the email due to copy-paste error, and explanation of context for wording changes.
• No objections were raised to the draft for 2025 RMS strategic objectives, moving to the combo ballot.

▶️6 - ERCOT Updates - 9:50 a.m.

▶️6.1 - Flight Update

06.-Flight-Testing-Update-to-RMS20250513.pdf

• An update on Flight 0625 was presented.
• Initial notice for flight sent on March 19.
• First market reminder notice sent on April 9, with final reminder on April 30.
• The application deadline was April 16.
• The sign up deadline was April 7.
• Connectivity testing starts today, May 13.
• Transactions begin June 9.
• Flight concludes on June 20, with a contingency period ending on June 27.
• 9 new CRs registered for testing in flight, including 8 DUNS+4 CRs.
• 9 existing CRs registered, 7 testing for service provider changes, and 3 adding territories.

▶️6.2 - Retail Projects Update

• Upcoming retail projects include the MarkeTrak and Siebel system upgrades.
• Initial installs in iTest identified extended processing times for database updates.
• Potential request for an extended outage in July to accommodate the upgrades is likely.
• Preferred upgrade timeline: Start earlier at 2PM on July 26 and conclude by midnight on July 27.
• If earlier start time is not approved, SLA might be exceeded but in a planned manner.
• Urgency in notification: Decision on the extended outage will be communicated by the end of the week via listserv.
• Feedback and vote on the extended outage to be discussed in the June or July meeting.
• Request to consider starting later, as automated processes for moves run on Saturdays.
• Importance of keeping stakeholders informed on any changes or impacts related to the upgrade.

Q&A:

• What time will we be notified about the outage decision?
• By the end of the week via listserv or direct communication.
• When will the extended outage start?
• Saturday, July 26 at 2PM, concluding through Sunday, potentially until midnight.
• Can the start time be later?
• Will be considered, but not preferred due to risk of exceeding the timeline late into Sunday night.
• What if approval for early start isn't granted?
• SLA might be exceeded in a planned manner, rather than extending late.

Next Steps:

• Decide on the extended outage plan and communicate by week's end.
• Discuss and vote on outage timings in June or early July meetings.

▶️6.3 - IT Report

06.-ERCOT_IT_Report_May_2025_-_RMS.pdf

• All SLA targets for retail and market data transparency were met.
• Site failover occurred for retail and listserv on April 6.
• First weekday release happened on April 24, successfully maintaining a one-hour outage window.
• No tickets or questions about the downtime were reported after the release.
• A Sunday outage was avoided due to the weekday release.
• An outage impacting retail services happened on April 23 due to a database issue, affecting "find ESI ID" and "find transaction" services.
• The issue was resolved with a workaround and a bug fix was implemented.
• Non-retail events included a site failover on April 3 and an application release on April 24.
• Volumes and performance for MarkeTrak remained consistent with the previous month.
• A new document on notifying ERCOT of issues was discussed, expected to be covered by Sheri in a future session.

▶️6.4 - Residential Demand Response Program

• Ryan King provided a status update on the residential demand response program.
• A high-level proposal was presented last month to RMS.
• The first residential demand response workshop occurred on May 2.
• Feedback from stakeholders is requested by May 23.
• A second workshop is planned for June 16.
• Focused discussion with non opt-in entity municipal coop utilities scheduled for this Friday.
• Workshop materials are available online.
• Feedback can be emailed to Ryan King or Mohamed El-Madhoun by Friday May 23 (ryan.king@ercot.com and mohamed.el-Madhoun@ercot.com).
• Responses to feedback could be provided via email or summarized in the next meeting.
• A market notice may be issued before the next workshop.

▶️7 - Revision Requests Tabled at PRS and Referred to RMS (Possible Vote)

▶️7.1 - NPRR1266, Opt-Out Status Held by a Transmission-Voltage Customer Cannot be Transferred

• Katherine Gross with ERCOT led the discussion on the NPRR aimed to identify and remove customers from exempt lists based on PUC's declaratory order if the ESI ID has a new customer.
• Data was shared at previous meetings regarding different information held by TDSPs, reps, and ERCOT about customers.
• Comments filed addressed discrepancies such as minor customer name changes (e.g., formatting differences) and proposed ERCOT's discretion over notifying PUC.
• Proposals by Vistra suggested keeping reps informed about ESI ID status when notifying PUC.
• A date certain was added for TDSPs to compare their old records to identify changes.
• Oncor's input requested ERCOT to take responsibility for name change discretion.
• Concerns were raised about legal responsibilities in name changes and list comparisons.
• Some parties suggested sending lists periodically to ERCOT for them to determine matches with original exempt lists.
• A request was accepted for a template of the automated report to be reviewed for compliance and understanding.
• TNMP and other entities expressed agreement with the process, whereas some expressed preference for ensuring privacy and security of customer data.
• It was decided to table the vote for another month to allow internal review and avoid liability issues, since timeline wouldn't be impacted.
• Discussion on possible actions by PRS if RMS does not move forward.

▶️8 - RMS Revision Requests (Vote)

▶️8.1 - OBDRR054, TDSP(s) Pre-Production Verification Testing

• Motion to endorse and forward to TAC the 4/1/25 RMS report and the 4/16/25 impact analysis for OBDRR054.
• No IA to ERCOT, no budget or personnel impact.

▶️9 - Revision Requests Tabled at RMS (Possible Vote))

▶️9.1 - RMGRR182, Related to NPRR1264, Creation of a New Energy Attribute Certificate Program

• RMS has not changed its handling of RMGRR182 and NPRR1264, opting to wait for PRS's decision before taking further action.
• No new information or action has been made this month compared to the last meeting.
• Plan to continue tabling the item until further developments from PRS are available.
• Next update to RMS will depend on PRS's actions.
• Discussion transitioned to the approval of April 1, 2025 RMS meeting minutes version two and RMS goals and strategic objectives version two.
• Meeting minutes were set to be approved as presented.
• RMS goals and strategic objectives were set to be endorsed as submitted.

▶️10 - NPRR1264, Creation of a New Energy Attribute Certificate Program (Possible Vote)

• Mention of upcoming consideration at the May 14th PRS meeting
• Uncertainty about expected action at PRS for NPRR1264.
• Previous month’s meeting left the item tabled with no action taken.

▶️11 - Combo Ballot (Vote)

• Motion to approve the combined ballot as presented passed unanimously with no abstentions.

▶️12 - Project to Upgrade SMT from FTP to SFTP & Disaster Recovery Exercise Update

SMT-API_FTP-upgrade-RMS-May-13-2025-v7.pdf

• Upgrade from FTP to SFTP for Smart Meter Texas (SMT) is being proposed by IBM and agreed upon by security teams.
• The upgrade includes enhancing security protocols around FTPS and API, and adding JWT token to API integration.
• Benefits include improved security and elimination of SSL certificate needs.
• The upgrade does not affect the SMT portal website and is specifically for reps and competitive service providers.
• A timeline over five months from May to September outlines development, testing, and go-live phases.
• Go live is set for August 23 with parallel operations of the new and old systems until decommission on September 12.
• Support includes web conferences, help desk assistance, and a dedicated support team during the transition.
• Reference materials are provided for high-level guidance but details will be covered in web conferences.

▶️13 - Texas Standard Electronic Transaction (Texas SET) Working Group

13.-Texas-SET-update_May-RMS_050725.pdf

• Reviewed feedback for Flight 0225 with Paul and ERCOT; it was a successful flight with everything completed.
• Reviewed test script updates; these are available on ERCOT.com, with guidance on locating them for market participants.
• Discussed attack objectives with a minor suggested edit to enhance data transparency and availability.
• Started the process for reviewing the Texas market test plan, which will continue in the next meeting.
• In-person meeting scheduled for May 20 to further explore the Texas market test plan, with a Webex option available.

▶️14 - Profiling Working Group (PWG)

14.-PWG_update_to_RMS_20250513.pdf

• Transition of TNMP's BUS IDRRQs to BUS LRG accounts expected to complete by end of Q2.
• Update on current annual validation process which began in March; reviewed account numbers and discussed future enhancements.
• Suspended previous year's annual validation, causing an increase in validation volumes this year.
• Validation changes across weather zones mostly aligned with previous years; coastal and Far West zones' default ratios considered accurate.
• Business profile changes in line with prior years; significant activity noted with Oncor.
• Explorations include setting a bandwidth for thresholds and analyzing concentration data for effective load factor categorization.
• Upcoming in-person meeting on the 21st, discussing profile revisions, annual validation enhancements, and updates.
• Concerns raised about costs and workload of the annual validation process, particularly for residential accounts.
• Discussion on the importance of annual validation for maintaining a competitive market, with suggestions for process improvement.
• CenterPoint's process costs significantly higher; call for coordination with other TDSPs to streamline processes.
• Need to reassess and update load profiles that haven’t been evaluated since 2018 highlighted.
• Differences in TDSP processes discussed, with some automating feedback while others manually review.

▶️15 - Retail Market Training Task Force (RMTTF)

15.-2025-05-13-RMTTF-update-to-RMS.pdf

• Recent training held in Houston on April 30, hosted by CenterPoint, with over 50 participants.
• Participants included market participants, TDSP, service providers, representatives, PUCT, and ERCOT.
• Positive feedback on the trainers who were knowledgeable and engaging.
• Upcoming training called Texas5.0 will be held in Dallas at the Vistra Building with 18 seats still available.
• Retail market training also available as Webex on June 18.
• Future training for MarkeTrak planned for the fourth quarter of 2025, dates yet to be set.
• On-demand training modules available on the LMS website: MarkeTrak, Retail 101, Texas Set, and mass transition.
• Upcoming meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 26 at 09:30, available in person and via Webex at the Oncor Building.
• Participants planning to attend in person are requested to email Debbie McKeever for security arrangements.
• Encouragement for participants to reach out via email for any questions or training ideas.

▶️16 - Texas Data Transport and MarkeTrak Systems (TDTMS)

16.-tdtms_update_5_13_2025.pdf

• Discussion of issues with concurrent licenses for MarkeTrak and steps taken to address them.
• Sheri Wiegand mentioned that ERCOT made changes to the system to resolve issues that occurred in February.
• Graph presented showed daily user engagement with noticeable drops during lunch breaks.
• Sheri emphasized the importance of reporting errors to ERCOT's service desk.
• Updates were provided on the MIS rewrite as a technical refresh without being an SCR.
• Participants encouraged to make suggestions about MIS aesthetics to TDTMS.
• Specific suggestions included making Find ESI' and Find Transactions more compact, and re-evaluating key dates presentation in transaction information.
• Future projects like the NAESB project and API upgrade expected in late 2025 were mentioned.
• SMT upgrade also being tracked by TDTMS.
• Sam Pak’s analysis showed inadvertent losses were 42% higher than inadvertent gains with detailed observations highlighted in blue on the report.
• Importance of resolving errors within 7 days reiterated, with the statistic of 85-93% resolution within 21 days emphasized as positive.
• A major improvement in the resolution time post Texas Set 5.0 was highlighted as a market success.
• Continued improvement in resolving inadvertent gain/loss data since the Texas Set 5.0 implementation noted.
• Sheri encouraged adaptation to process changes post Texas Set 5.0 to avoid delaying issue resolutions.
• Participants expressed positive feedback about the improvements and the importance of updated processing in the shops since November 15.
• Sheri concluded by appreciating the attention and the collaboration throughout the processes.

▶️17 - Other Business - 12:25 p.m.

• Discussion moved to 'other business' on the agenda.
• Lubbock stabilization update was the first topic under other business.
• Michael was called upon to provide the update.
• Confirmation that Michael was audible before proceeding.

▶️17.1 - Lubbock Stabilization Update

• The final discretionary fee repayments are nearly complete, with the last few being settled soon.
• Other financial obligations, referred to as 'buckets', are to be addressed shortly after discretionary fee repayments.
• SmartBeater Texas timeline: June go live pushed back from the original mid-May date, files will start being sent to SMT's test environment soon.
• A five-day and a two or three-day notice will be provided to market participants about data file availability.
• Current operations are stable, with consistent daily MarkeTraks incoming.
• Ongoing issues with data fixes are being addressed and improvements are being made to prevent recurrence.
• Clarification on data timeline: Initial data files will include 30 days of history, with potential for more.
• LOAs (Letters of Authorization) will be accepted for historical data requests beyond 30 days.
• A full daily sync file is planned, aligning with LSE daily data schedules.
• A day lag in data availability should be expected due to batch processing timings.
• Preparation and communication strategies are suggested to market participants to manage the day lag in data processing effectively.

▶️17.2 - CNP 2025 Competitive Retailer Workshop Update

• Introduction of new leadership at CenterPoint Energy: Tony Bean replaces John Hudson as Director of Market Operations.
• Discussion of improving billing concerns with the leadership transition.
• Announcement of the workshop date: June 5th, with a social event including a pickleball tournament.
• Workshop location: Space Center Houston, scheduled for June 6th.
• Details on accommodations: Hotel rooms at NASA Hilton with a negotiated rate of $129 a night.
• Additional activities: Optional self-guided tour of Space Center Houston after the workshop.
• Encouragement to bring family members for a potential extended stay.
• Participants reminded to book hotel rooms early.

▶️17.3 - FTC Negative Option Rule aka Click to Cancel

• The FTC extended the compliance deadline for the negative option rule from May to July.
• The rule includes the 'click to cancel' feature, initially targeting online subscriptions.
• PUC staff is aware of the rule, and discussions have been ongoing.
• Two retail trade associations, RESA and REAL, are considering filing formal comments with the FTC.
• The competitive electric industry was not the target of the rule, which focuses on automatic rollovers.
• The 'click to cancel' component allows contracts to be canceled as easily as they are initiated.
• Concerns exist about the implications of canceling contracts in the electric industry, such as potential power loss.
• Texas regulatory agencies believe they already have adequate customer protection rules.
• Retailers in the electric industry need to monitor compliance steps as the July deadline approaches.

▶️17.4 - 2026 Block Calendar

17. 2026 Draft Block Meeting Schedule.v2.png

• Consideration to move RMS standard meeting from first to second Tuesday of the month to avoid holidays like Labor Day, January 1st, and July 4th.
• Impact of meeting schedule on the completion of necessary reports by ERCOT staff.
• Suggested keeping some meetings on the first Tuesday if conflicts arose on the second Tuesday.
• Discussion of potential challenges if meetings are back-to-back with PRS meetings.
• Consideration of conflicts with school spring breaks in March and impact on committee members.
• Acknowledgement of willingness to adapt meeting schedules to accommodate holidays and other conflicts.
• Review of constraints for ERCOT LSE file processing and SMT requirements.

Next Steps

• Revisit discussion during the June meeting after subcommittees have reviewed.
• Consider integrating feedback into potential calendar updates.

Other Comments

• Discussion about separating LSE files by retailer for SMT processes.
• Current challenge of recreating a year’s worth of LSE data due to system limitations.
• Clarification on ERCOT vs SMT LSE file requirements.

Next Meeting: June 12

▶️18 - Adjourn