Texas Retail Market Testing

Texas Retail Market Testing is an end-to-end test of the retail commercial processes that occur in the Texas market. Any competitive retailer (CR) or transmission/distribution service provider (TDSP) intending to participate in the Texas retail market must successfully certify its commercial applications through a market test flight.

You may find current Retail Market Test Flight Information, including registration information, on this website and on the ERCOT Retail Testing Website. A minimum of four testing periods are held each year; a test flight is scheduled approximately every three months.

The Texas Test Plan Team (TTPT) develops the market test plan and schedules each testing flight. Testing is facilitated by the ERCOT flight administrator to ensure that it is conducted fairly and objectively for all participants. The flight administrator notifies ERCOT Retail Client Services of the market participants that have successfully completed the testing process; their trading partner relationships; and the functionality tested.

Pre-Flight Activities

To enter a retail market test flight, the market participant must accomplish the following:

• Apply for a Dun and Bradstreet number
• Submit the appropriate registration form (see below) to ERCOT
• If registering as a CR, submit the ERCOT application fee with the registration form
• If registering as a retail electric provider (REP), apply for REP certification with the Public Utility Commission of Texas
• Submit the Testing Worksheet (TW) found on the ERCOT Retail Testing Website
• Send an e-mail of intent to participate in the next retail test flight to RetailMarketTesting@ercot.com 

The North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) Electronic Delivery Mechanism (EDM) 1.6 must be established before beginning a testing flight. The NAESB EDM connectivity testing schedule can be found on the testing timeline on the ERCOT Retail Testing Website.