This deep dive offers an in-depth overview of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), explaining its role as the independent system operator for most of Texas. It highlights ERCOT's three core purposes: ensuring grid reliability, managing the competitive wholesale market, and guaranteeing open access to transmission. A significant portion of the text focuses on ERCOT's unique "Energy-Only" market design, contrasting it with capacity markets and detailing how scarcity pricing incentivizes generation. Finally, the text explores ERCOT's complex governance structure and outlines its future challenges and goals, including the implementation of the Performance Credit Mechanism (PCM) to enhance resource adequacy.

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