Since City Council adopted a set of goals last year that will shape Austin’s future energy portfolio, most discussion has focused on how to fill a 500-megawatt power gap in the plan. This week, the focus shifted to a goal that gets the city to shop for large solar investments. Responding to a request by […]
Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee
The Austin City Council committee on Austin Energy was created in May 2013 to provide oversight of the city’s electric utility. It’s creation was marked by political maneuvering that ultimately resulted in a committee comprised of every member of the Austin City Council.
Posted inAustin, City Hall, Energy, Local Politics
Council mulls future of Austin Energy Committee
City Council members and Austin Energy staff had a candid discussion about the future of the Council Committee on Austin Energy at its last meeting with current membership, with both parties agreeing that the meetings have been very beneficial to the city. Council Member Bill Spelman pointed out that an item on the topic was […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Energy, Environment, Resources
Austin Energy, activists agree on generation plan
After three months of intense negotiations, officials with the city’s electric utility and members of environmental groups — including, most prominently, the Sierra Club — have reached agreement on a proposed 2025 generation plan for Austin Energy. That plan includes ramping down use of the coal-fired Fayette Power Plant in 2020 with an eye to […]
Posted inElections, Energy, Travis County
Reporters Notebook: Last dance with Austin Energy
Current Council to get one more shot at Austin Energy . . . For those of you worried that the days of the current Council Committee on Austin Energy had ended: Fear not. The committee plans to have another meeting before the last Council meeting, set Dec. 11. Council Member Chris Riley pointed out that […]
Posted inResources
Skeptical Council hears new AE generation plan
Despite disagreements over exactly how much solar energy Austin Energy should purchase by 2020, both sides in a tug of war over the utility’s generation plan agreed Thursday that Austin Energy should move forward with a request for proposals for more solar power. City Council members, sitting as the Committee on Austin Energy, heard more […]
Posted inResources
AE offers new generation mix proposal
Austin Energy officials presented City Council members Tuesday with a new proposal for a generation mix that would approach the renewable energy numbers suggested by a July task force report. Though no solid generation plan has been presented — let alone approved — the utility’s latest suggestion would bring in 500 new megawatts of solar […]
Posted inResources
Austin Energy to cut planned 2015 fee increase
Austin City Council members are studying an Austin Energy plan to lower regulatory fees in 2015, which will cut the average monthly residential bill. Utility officials floated the plan Thursday at the Council Committee on Austin Energy. Austin Energy officials say the proposal would reduce a consumer’s portion of an Electric Reliability Council of Texas […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Resources, Uncategorized
Council punts decision on AE reserves
The Austin City Council decided with a 4-3 vote Thursday to postpone a decision to transfer $30 million from Austin Energy’s Operating Fund to its Strategic Reserve Contingency Fund as requested by staff in order to bring the utility closer to complying with its own financial reserve policies. Council Member Laura Morrison made the motion. Joining her […]
Posted inElections, Local Politics
Council meetings to consider utility fund, rail ballot, flood buyouts
The Austin City Council will hold two special called meetings this week, one Thursday following the Council Committee on Austin Energy, and one Friday at 1p.m. Thursday’s meeting includes consideration of whether to allow the utility to transfer $30 million from its operating fund to its strategic reserve fund. Staff has requested the action in […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics, Resources
Council presses Austin Energy for details of proposed new building
Austin Energy staff walked through their proposed plan to build a high-priced East Austin headquarters Monday morning. The proposed plan has come under criticism by City Council members and commercial real estate brokers, who are worried about the added burden to the taxpayers and the high cost of construction. The plan, budgeted at $58.9 […]
Posted inResources
Some Austin Energy commercial customers get surprise in their bill
A newly instituted and complex rate structure has led to headaches for Austin Energy executives as well as a number of the utility’s commercial customers. At Thursday’s Council Committee on Austin Energy,AE General Manager Larry Weis and Chief Financial Officer Ann Little explained that due to a recent oversight, about 400 commercial customers had […]
Posted inResources
Austin Energy backs retiring city’s share of Fayette plant in 2025
Shifting position on the Fayette Power Project, Austin Energy has recommended retiring, rather than selling, its share of the controversial coal-burning plant. The recommendation calls for the city to establish a shut-down date of 2025, nearly a decade later than environmentalists are seeking. The additional time would help avoid potentially difficult legal, regulatory and […]