Austin Energy could decide to shut off electricity to circuits that include critical infrastructure – such as fire stations, hospitals and 911 operations – to prevent the state’s power grid from collapsing, the municipal utility warned Tuesday. “Only as an absolute last resort. I cannot guarantee that we will not get to that stage,” Austin […]
Austin Energy
As a municipally-owned electric utility, Austin Energy is a rarity in the largely deregulated State of Texas. Its annual budget clocks in at over $1 billion. The utility’s annual direct transfer of a Council-determined percentage of its revenues offers the city a notable revenue stream.
Posted inEnergy
Storm deals heavy blow to Austin Energy, other utilities
With roughly 40 percent of its customers without power Monday, Austin Energy and other local officials worked to explain what happened when an unprecedented winter storm swept through the entire state, leaving roughly 2 million Texans without electricity. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, told Austin Energy and other utilities they were required […]
Posted inAustin
Winter weather shuts down the city
The storm that brought Austin to a standstill continues to impact city operations this week. Services are closed across the city due to extreme weather with an expectation that more winter is on the way. City officials announced Monday that all city operations, save essential services, would be shut down on Tuesday and Wednesday. All […]
Posted inEnergy
Consumer advocate seeks audit of Austin Energy program
Consumer advocate Paul Robbins, who has argued for years that Austin Energy is wasting money and inadequately screening participants in its Customer Assistance Program, is asking City Auditor Corrie Stokes to audit the program for wasted expenditures. The program, which serves low-income customers of Austin’s electric, water and drainage utilities, provided more than $15.3 million […]
Posted inEnergy
Austin Energy touts its weatherization program for limited-income customers
Sarah Chatterjee, the new director of energy efficiency services for Austin Energy, presented the utility’s new weatherization programs for low-income customers before the Electric Utility Commission on Jan. 11. The program is aimed at providing weatherproofing modifications, optimizing energy efficiencies and reducing energy use at little to no cost to customers. The program is available both to […]
Posted inCity Hall
Audit cites ethics violations by employee, supervisor
An investigation by the Office of the City Auditor has concluded that Alex Perez, a project coordinator at Austin Energy, violated city ethics regulations by making official decisions affecting a company owned by members of his family. In addition, auditors say his supervisor, Lora Teed, assigned Perez to a repair project where his family’s company […]
Posted inEnvironment
Residents may be able to reject herbicide
City Council approved contracts on Thursday with Asplundh Tree Expert, Davey Tree Surgery and Wright Tree Service to manage vegetation around Austin Energy lines after Council Member Ann Kitchen added some direction to staff about a previously unknown aspect of vegetation removal: the use of herbicides. Kitchen said she had learned about the herbicide use […]
Posted inPlanning
Plan for new Domain substation leaves Council, moves forward
City Council has approved a plan to construct a much-needed Austin Energy substation, hoping it will speed through the city’s zoning process with public input as quickly as possible. Mayor Steve Adler opened the discussion by stressing the urgency of the situation, and getting Austin Energy “out there just as quickly as possible.” In order […]
Posted inPlanning
Domain substation may compromise Red Line Trail
Austin Energy needs a new substation to serve the population growth around the Domain and the utility already owns a site in an ideal location for that purpose. However, the Public Works Department’s Urban Trails team has been eyeing that the same property for future development of the planned 32-mile Red Line Trail. A request […]
Posted inEnergy
Combating climate change in Austin to start at Austin Energy
As the Office of Sustainability’s newly revised Climate Equity Plan makes its way through boards and commissions for public comment, its latest stop was the Electric Utility Commission on Sept. 14. Zach Baumer, who is the program manager for the plan, told commissioners that while there are plenty of ways Austinites can help the city […]
Posted inEnergy
Austin Energy price on coal energy reduces emissions 20 percent since March
In a little over four months, Austin Energy’s carbon pricing program, REACH (Reduce Emissions Affordably for Climate Health) has cut the utility’s carbon emissions by roughly 20 percent, saving more than 480,000 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere since the end of March. Looking ahead to the end of 2020, Charles Dickerson, chief operating officer […]
Posted inEnergy
Electric Utility Commission won’t recommend Austin Energy technology contract
At its Monday meeting, the Electric Utility Commission took a hard look at a purchasing contract that would have authorized $62 million in contracts for computer, network and other technology hardware. Ultimately, none of the commissioners made a motion to approve and the item left without a recommendation. Item 13 provides $62 million for staff […]