Two years ago, after Austin’s lush urban tree canopy froze and downed power lines, leaving hundreds of thousands without power, the city resolved to look into a simple solution: burying the power lines. Now, a new city-commissioned study shows that would be damn near impossible. The draft study from consulting firm 1898 & Co. found […]
Texas Public Utility Commission
The state group that regulates public utilities.
Posted inEnergy
Legislators respond to winter storm with new requirements for energy providers
The Electric Utility Commission received an update last week on legislative action related to electric utilities, with Senate Bill 3 serving as the omnibus response bill to Winter Storm Uri in mid-February. SB 3, approved at the close of the regular session in May, enacts a number of new requirements for electric generation plants, transmission […]
Posted inWater
City to ask for rehearing in water rate case
The battle over water rates for more than 46,000 Austin Water customers is not over, it appears. Austin Water Assistant Director David Anders told the Austin Monitor on Tuesday that the city intends to adhere to an order – issued earlier this month by the Public Utility Commission of Texas – to reset rates for […]
Posted inWater
PUC resets rates for thousands of Austin Water customers
More than 46,000 Austin Water customers are getting their rates lowered, based on an order that the Public Utility Commission of Texas handed down to the city of Austin on Thursday. In addition, the city will have to request approval from the commission before setting future rates for the customers involved. The changes apply to […]
Posted inWater
PUC calls for order to reset certain water rates
The Public Utility Commission of Texas started a process Friday that could ultimately require Austin Water to reset water and wastewater rates for a group of customers that has challenged the city. The commission approved, with some exceptions, a proposal for decision that administrative law judges Pratibha Shenoy and Beth Bierman filed in July on […]
Posted inCourts
PUC hears arguments in water, wastewater case
The Public Utility Commission of Texas heard oral arguments Friday from attorneys representing the city of Austin as well as those representing a group of wholesale Austin Water utility customers who have challenged post-2012 water and wastewater rate increases. Rather than take action, the commissioners opted to take some additional time to digest the details […]
Posted inResources, Water
Judges propose rollback in water rate case
A pair of administrative law judges appears to have dealt a major blow to the city of Austin in an ongoing water and wastewater rate case brought by a group of wholesale customers in 2013. The judges, Pratibha Shenoy and Beth Bierman, filed a proposal for decision to the Texas Public Utility Commission on July […]
Posted inAustin, Texas State Legislature
Council discusses legislation that targets Austin
With the Texas Legislature’s March 13 filing deadline behind them, city staff are busy tracking the 6,400 or so bills that state legislators have filed this session. They joined City Council at a work session Tuesday for an update on the bills making their way through the 84th Legislature that could directly affect Austin. Karen […]
Posted inResources, Uncategorized
EUC backs plan to shift all franchise fees to suburban customers
For months, consumer watchdog Paul Robbins has been pushing a proposal to have suburban customers of Austin Energy pay the total cost of franchise fees that the utility pays to six suburban municipalities for use of public rights-of-way in those communities. Robbins received a modest measure of support in his quest this week thanks […]