The top executive in charge of the Texas power grid wants to create a special "gas desk" at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to monitor the supply of natural gas to power plants across the state.
ERCOT interim CEO Brad Jones talked about that plan Friday while speaking at an energy forum in Dallas.
He said ERCOT needs to get more advanced warnings of gas supply issues that might affect power plants.
In an interview with NBC 5 Investigates' senior investigative reporter Scott Friedman, Jones said in one case last fall, ERCOT was not notified of maintenance work on a pipeline connected to a power plant that was needed to supply extra power.
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From new records revealing the causes of the massive February power outages to new interviews revealing potential solutions, NBC 5 Investigates gets to the bottom of the state's power problems in the ongoing streaming series "Powerless," available here.
"Not having that information is a concern to me," Jones said. "ERCOT should have that information. And if we have a gas desk, a person that sits with the other operators of the electric grid 24 hours a day, seven days a week, that person could assist us by making sure everyone is informed of when maintenance is occurring, when their outages due to breakage and equipment."
The president of the Texas Oil and Gas Association, Todd Staples, also spoke at that event Friday. We asked him if he believes there is a need for more monitoring of the gas system.
Staples said the system is working well as it is and that the natural gas industry believes fuel problems were only a small part of what caused the massive power outages that crippled Texas last winter.
ERCOT told NBC 5 they are keeping a close eye on weather conditions for next Friday when temperatures are expected to drop.
The grid operator said it is coordinating with power companies and state emergency managers in an effort to avoid any problems.
