Tesla approved to provide retail electricity in Texas

• Tesla will currently be able to market electricity to retail consumers in Texas after a request was approved by the state's Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

PUC revealed it has issued a retail electric provider (REP) certification to the company's Tesla Energy Ventures subsidiary to give retail electrical services throughout the area covered by the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which serves more than 80% of the state's electric load.

According to PUC, REPs get wholesale electricity, distribution service and also relevant services, price electricity for clients, as well as seek clients to acquire electricity at retail.

When the application was filed in August, sister site Energy-Storage. news reported that 2 Tesla Energy Ventures affiliates were noted as qualified to give electric service in Texas: Gambit Energy Storage as well as Giga Texas Energy. Reports suggest that Gambit Energy Storage is presently creating a 100MW energy storage project in Texas.

Tesla Energy Ventures' authorization to market electricity in Texas comes at a time when the state's grid is under examination following a winter storm earlier this year that left millions without power.

Speaking to investors following the magazine of Tesla's Q1 economic results in April, chief executive officer Elon Musk said: "We're seeing more extreme weather events. This is a recipe for calamity. So it is extremely essential to have solar and batteries at the regional degree, at the house. On top of that, it is essential to have big battery storage at the utility degree."

Publishing its Q3 results last month, Tesla exposed it set up 83MW of solar in the third quarter, a 46% boost year-on-year, but down on Q2's solar implementation figure of 85MW.