Ircot CEO Bill Magnes will be replaced after the Texas power cut

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The board overseeing Texas’ Electric Reliability Council, an independent nonprofit organization that manages and operates a power grid covering most of Texas, fired Ericot CEO Bill Magnus on Wednesday night.

The move by the board to vote in favor of a “60-day termination notice” came after they called a private executive session for more than three hours. Once back in the public session, the board barely discussed its decision.

The decision is the latest in a series of departures announced by the Earkot board, including Magnus. Seven board members resigned after public criticism that many board members did not live in Texas.

The absence of Magnes will leave a 16-person earcoat board with a mix of vacancies and temporary members. Both the ERCOT and the Texas Public Utilities Commission oversee that the regulatory body has been embroiled in a failure to prepare for and respond to a winter storm in recent weeks, leaving millions in the dark and dozens dead. .

On Monday, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick called on both Magnus and the PUC chairman to resign. Former PUC chairperson DN Wal Wal resigned on the same day. She came under fire from legislators after blaming ERCOT largely for a power outage in Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday named Walker’s replacement.

Magnes was criticized by state senators for more than five hours of questioning Thursday for the organization’s readiness for winter storms. ERCOT underestimated the maximum power that would be demanded by homes, businesses and industry during severe winter storms in its fall forecast, and it overestimated the amount of power generation available for the grid during such storms.

As early as February 15, when massive power outages began, even more than expected, ERCOT grid operators ordered utility companies to start controlled outages so that the entire system would not be disrupted. MLAs complained that the grid manager did not do enough to warn state leaders or the public of impending disaster

In her testimony last week, Magnus defended handling the ERCOT outage, telling legislators that if ERCOT operators had not acted as they did, “the pain we saw last week would be compounded” and the Texans would probably be without power for weeks. Will remain. Magnus also defended Earkot as an entity that directs state legislators and the PUC directly.

“The commission approves the policy, we implement it,” Magnes said.

Magnus told legislators that he earns 80 3,803,000 annually, which he said Texans are paying their electric bills.

Magnus did not speak about the board’s decision, simply because he abstained from voting because it involved himself. Magnus also said he was not present for any relevant discussion in the private executive session.

Magnus testified after a hearing with lawmakers that he disagreed with the eligibility of the PUC over ERCOT, and said the commission had not been given the legal right by the legislature to require winter vetting. Concerns were raised by the Flying Tripping Power Plants after the power crisis. Not many power generators have been built in Texas to withstand extreme cold weather temperatures.

Magnus worked at ERCOT for more than a decade and became its CEO and President in 2016 after serving as its general advisor. Previously he held executive management positions in the public and private utility sectors. Lawyer, he also previously served as lead advisor in state and federal regulatory affairs.