The new members, Alejandro Hernandez and Sigmund Cornelius, were selected Texas leaders aim to boost both natural gas and nuclear power generation.

The Texas power grid managed by ERCOT performed admirably during this week's major winter weather event which brought blizzard conditions to the Gulf Coast.

Following the winter storm of 2021 — which caused millions of Texans to lose power and also led to the deaths of more than 200 people statewide — the state changed the requirements for how ERCOT board members are selected.

Texas must build transmission largely to support oil and gas electrification and to host more power-intensive cryptocurrency mines and data centers, ERCOT says.

For months Texas developers have been watching bulldozers move back and forth across a sprawling industrial site north of Abilene, building a data center complex large enough to cover almost 70 football fields.

Areas around Houston could receive up to six inches of snow, which would rank among the heaviest snowfalls ever for the city. Winter Storm Warnings stretch as far south as the Rio Grande.

Alejandro “Alex” Hernandez and Sigmund “Sig” Cornelius started their three-year terms on Jan. 27, replacing Paul Foster and Bob Flexon, who announced last year they were stepping down from the 12-member board. All members of the board are required to reside in Texas.

HOUSTON — The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has issued a warning ahead of next week's extreme cold weather. ERCOT issued a Weather Watch for Jan. 20 through Jan. 23 due to the arctic blast that's expected to take over the state. The cold will cause a higher electrical demand as well as the potential for lower reserves.

ERCOT, the electrical grid operator for most of Texas, issued a weather watch for early next week when temperatures are expected to drop below freezing. The watch is scheduled to last Monday through Thursday and was issued “due to extreme cold weather across the ERCOT region, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves.”

According to Operations Messages on the ERCOT website, around 5 a.m. ERCOT issued a Transmission Emergency in South and Southeast Texas.

Below-freezing temperatures will return to Texas as soon as Jan. 18, according to the National Weather Service. Grid conditions are expected to be normal and officials do not anticipate an emergency,

ERCOT, Electric Reliability Council of Texas, issued a weather watch advisory ahead of the arctic blast hitting Texas this weekend. The weather watch advisory will be from Monday, January 20 to Thursday, January 23. The state grid warns Texans the cold weather could cause a higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves.