Wading into the affordability debate with a new tactic, City Council Member Ellen Troxclair is proposing to cut transfers from the Austin Water utility to the city’s General Fund. On Wednesday, members of Council’s Public Utilities Committee unanimously approved forwarding Troxclair’s resolution – which seeks information on cutting or eliminating the transfer – to the […]
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 inBudget
Budget chiefs still see financial picture as rosy
A trio of city financial managers told the Austin Monitor this week that Austin is still doing well financially, and, due to conservative fiscal planning at the city, Austin Energy and Austin Water both closed out 2015 with greater than projected surpluses. Deputy Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo said that the city’s general fund […]
Posted inEnergy
AE to Council: Cut commercial customers’ rates
Mark Dreyfus, Austin Energy’s vice president of Regulatory Affairs & Corporate Communications, told City Council on Monday that the utility’s proposed new rates are a “good news story.” The utility’s proposal seeks to reduce base electric rates by $17.4 million – with commercial customers getting all of the reduction. The utility is also recommending adjustments […]
Posted inEnergy, Resources
Customers seek changes in AE rate case
An unusual coalition of consumers has written to City Council to request that it slow down the proposed schedule for Austin Energy’s upcoming rate case. In addition, the consumers – including semiconductor giants Samsung and NXP as well as the Sierra Club, Public Citizen, Texas Legal Services Center, a Barton Creek property owners association and […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Peacocks and loose lips
Wherever you go, there you are… Though it seems that former Austin Energy General Manager Larry Weis is eager to put Austin behind him, it looks as though he may be taking a bit of his history with him to Seattle. And that may not be a good thing. Last week, the Seattle Times reported that […]
Posted inEnergy
Prehearing held in Austin Energy rate review
Austin Energy stakeholders provided feedback Thursday in a prehearing on the rules of a legal proceeding that will kick off later this month as part of the utility’s ongoing rate review. Attorney Alfred Herrera, the impartial hearings examiner in the proceeding, said he would take into account the feedback he heard when providing his opinion […]
Posted inEnergy
Arguments made in consumer advocate hearing
A Thursday afternoon hearing likely brought the city one step closer to hiring an independent consumer advocate for the ongoing Austin Energy rate review. Attorney Stephen Webb, the independent hearings officer for the case, heard arguments from representatives of Oxford Advisors LLC and the city about whether the energy consultant firm violated the city’s Anti-Lobbying […]
Posted inEnergy
Consumer advocate hearing to take place today
As Austin Energy moves forward on a rate review, one puzzle piece remains missing – an independent consumer advocate for smaller customers. That piece may soon come closer to falling into place. On Dec. 14, the sole remaining bidder for the job brought a protest against the city for its disqualification after an alleged anti-lobbying […]
Posted inAustin
2015: An Austin Monitor review
In 2015 the shift to single-member districts was finally realized, leading to big changes at City Hall. Now, almost a year later, the Austin Monitor is taking a look back at the past 12 months from our admittedly selective point of view. 10-1 takes the dais In terms of local politics, there was no bigger […]
Posted inEnergy
Austin Energy reveals cost-of-service findings
As the city begins to re-examine its electric rate structure for the first time since 2012, Austin Energy staff revealed the preliminary results of its internal cost-of-service analysis at an Electric Utility Commission meeting on Dec. 14. In short, Austin Energy staff found that rates for its residential and small commercial classes of customers are […]
Posted inCity Council
Council rejects Austin Energy waste contract
Responding to environmental concerns, City Council on Thursday unanimously rejected staff’s recommendation that the city extend a contract with Republic Services to dispose of nonhazardous industrial waste generated by Austin Energy. Mayor Steve Adler was out of the city at the Harvard school for new mayors. Council members Ora Houston and Don Zimmerman championed the […]
Posted inEnergy
Committee backs low-income energy savings ideas
Low-income Austin Energy customers may receive some additional help in lowering their bills in coming years, based on a recommendation that a City Council committee made on Thursday. The Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee, which consists of the full Council but does not take official action, recommended directing city staff at a future Council meeting […]