For the second year in a row, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is the only North American Electric Reliability (NERC) planning region with a reserve margin below its reference margin level. ERCOT's summer reserve margin fell from 2018 to 2019, as forecasted peak demand increased and demand response availability fell. According to ERCOT's Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy report, any of four studied contingencies could trigger Energy Emergency Alert status at peak load or extreme peak load. This NRECA advisory explains this situation and the potential impact on cooperatives.
