Key Takeaways from the ERCOT Market Summit 

OBM recently exhibited at the ERCOT Market Summit in Austin, TX to connect with key players in the industry and stay ahead of the market shifts reshaping how large loads connect, operate, and compete on the Texas grid. Here’s what stood out.

Not all Large Loads are Equal, and ERCOT is Starting to Notice

One of the most striking observations from the Summit: large loads are still primarily treated as interchangeable in planning conversations, but that’s starting to change. As ERCOT evolves its interconnection framework, projects that can clearly articulate and verify their controllability and demand response value are positioned to receive systematically better treatment than inflexible loads. 

Flexibility Is Now a Strategic Asset

The ability to ramp, curtail, and stage deployment doesn’t just satisfy grid operators. It strengthens the case for batch inclusion, improves planning value, and differentiates AI versus crypto load propositions to ERCOT and to other commercial partners. Projects that can demonstrate real, verifiable flexibility have a concrete competitive advantage.

Early & Thorough Planning is Being Rewarded 

ERCOT’s tightening Batch 0 readiness requirements and higher interconnection thresholds are forcing developers to make harder project choices upfront. The days of getting into a queue and figuring it out later are over. Developers who come prepared with clear site plans, firm POIs, and realistic timelines will move forward. Others won’t.

The question is no longer “will my study get done?” It’s “will the transmission ever get built, at what cost, and will it become my primary delay?” Developers are increasingly cautious about pre-funding upgrades. They’ll back clearly scoped projects that unlock durable operating capability, but not those where curtailment risk or residual uncertainty remains high.

Real-Time Co-optimization Plus Batteries (RTC+B)

ERCOT’s new market structure, Real-Time Co-optimization Plus Batteries (RTC+B) went live on December 5, 2025. It co-optimizes energy and ancillary services simultaneously in real time. For large loads already operating with direct, automated control capabilities RTC+B represents an opportunity to participate more effectively in real-time dispatch and capture value that slower demand response programs simply can’t access.

What This Means for OBM Customers

OBM has built its platform around precisely the capabilities the market is now demanding. Foreman delivers real-time, direct load control that meets ERCOT’s most stringent requirements. As ERCOT’s framework evolves, controllability isn’t just a compliance checkbox. It’s what separates projects that get built from those that stall.

Interested in how OBM can help you demonstrate grid flexibility and strengthen your interconnection position? Contact us.