By Gary McWilliams | Reuters
HOUSTON – Texas’s power grid operator on Friday canceled Griddy Energy LLC’s access to the state’s power network, and shifted all its customers to other utilities, according to a notice by the grid operator.
Griddy was the power marketer that sold consumers power at wholesale rates, which rose to $9,000 per megawatt hour for days as cold weather struck the state last week. A request for comment was not immediately returned. A phone number listed on its website was not connected Friday afternoon.
Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) said it had begun transferring about 10,100 of Griddy customers to one or more rival providers on Friday. Retail power providers who do not pay invoices within 72 hours can have all their customers reassigned to other electricity providers.
ERCOT has faced a firestorm of criticism from residents and state officials this week after being caught ill-prepared for severe cold. It called on utilities to cut power to protect the grid, leaving 4.3 million people without heat or light.
Seven of ERCOT’s 15 directors resigned this week and a nominee withdrew. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has said public anger was justified and blamed ERCOT for not acting faster to keep generators from going offline.
