[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6587736,"mediaKeyId","5558916-9fba45768ed748221bd3ee124270affa","parentId",5558916,"title","Austin Energy budget plan draws split vote after debate over raising monthly customer charge","audioSeconds",3180,"startMs",943000,"endMs",4123000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5558916-9fba45768ed748221bd3ee124270affa&start=943&end=4123","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5558916-9fba45768ed748221bd3ee124270affa/thumbnail_943000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6587736/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Austin-Energy-budget-plan-draws-split-vote-after-debate-over-raising-monthly-customer-charge","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587736-3330d245d8de3ddebf1c772cd423f0bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770511599&Signature=P1EDOd29SmrofwJubGovBSnlvFWgiNIKR4mDGFH-vF8crzBxviCdzcpcBtgx-L0o1vdV2tFx5bKK-5uyZ-yXVjb15lmL~W-dcSsA2pGs3vvG9MkrSIwqqqykboUMCKoiRIRceedBBXE92X5DAztPzWBFgXid1dDhzQltHUEEuKkNWm3n1diUuzZdxyeXcgNrfiqERPs9MT0bCIxRUOzhRpaXLtxmG9nbmoVGH7EH974OiDHr9X9IjUySYIIlRyNOfqpTnmC4I8FbT7vmvR63~cZVDZ9WjDPxBZZXMMJgi523QljD~UONinJWz4~bgruuvtXs9UWfqdP55SOjJ5QpHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-08-11T00:00:00Z","article","The Electric Utility Commission failed to adopt a recommendation to City Council that would have shifted part of Austin Energy’s proposed 5% base-rate increase into a higher fixed monthly customer charge, voting 3–7 against the motion on July 15, 2025. The commission continued a broader review of the utility’s fiscal 2025–26 budget as Austin Energy staff described a shortfall and a multi-year recovery plan.

Austin Energy acting Deputy General Manager Rusty Manas told the commission the utility is proposing a $2 billion budget for fiscal 2026 that would include a 5% base-rate increase in 2026 and a proposal to repeat 5% increases each year for five years. Manas said the utility’s recommendation pairs that base-rate increase with a projected 23% reduction in the power supply adjustment (PSA), producing a net average residential-bill change of about −$4.89 per month compared with a year earlier. \"Our five-year plan starts in '26, requests a 5% base rate increase… By 2027, we break even,\" Manas said.

Manas and finance staff described the drivers behind the request: a prolonged period of revenue shortfall beginning in 2020, inflation in capital and spare-part costs, and higher debt service and transfers to the city general fund. Manas said the utility projects it will remain approximately $43 million short of expenses in 2026 even after the proposed rate package and that recurring annual steps are intended to recover that deficit by 2028.

Commissioners debating the budget focused on rate design rather than the total amount requested. Commissioners Cyrus, Reid and Alvarez supported the commission motion — moved by Commissioner Reid and seconded by Commissioner White — asking City Council to obtain the same revenue through volumetric charges rather than raising the monthly customer charge. Proponents said moving funds into volumetric (per-kilowatt-hour) rates preserves conservation incentives and adheres to trade-offs made in the prior rate case. Commissioner Reid said the commission’s recommendation would deliver the same total revenue while keeping the fixed customer charge at prior levels.

Opponents, including Commissioners Rhodes, Braden, Blackburn and Bellamy, said raising the fixed charge provides revenue stability and better aligns cost recovery with the utility’s largely fixed obligations, such as debt service and certain contractual payments. Rusty Manas and other staff reiterated that many of Austin Energy’s largest costs do not vary with customers’ hourly usage and that a fixed charge raises that revenue predictably. \"There are fixed costs — debt service, payroll, poles and wires — that don't change with kilowatt-hours used,\" Manas said.

The vote: Commissioners Alvarez, Reid and White voted in favor. Commissioners Rhodes, Braden, Blackburn and Bellamy voted against, joined by two other commissioners who identified themselves as Chris and Cyrus in the meeting record, producing a failed motion. The commission did not adopt a formal alternative rate design package; staff will proceed with budget materials for City Council review. Manas and staff said City Council could accept, reject or modify any recommendation.

Staff and commissioners also reviewed supporting materials presented earlier in the meeting. Stephanie Koudelka, director of finance, summarized third-quarter financial results and said a one-time $30 million reserve transfer tightened the utility’s operating position for the quarter but that the transfer is nonrecurring. Koudelka reported the utility was carrying about $109 million of power-supply over-recovery that will be returned to customers through the PSA and that days cash on hand, debt-service coverage and operating-margin metrics remain under scrutiny for a bond-rating objective.

Lisa Martin, chief operating officer, presented operations metrics, saying Q3 (April–June 2025) generation was 68% carbon-free and that distribution reliability remains better than Texas averages but showed pressure from increased storm restoration. Martin said planned generator outages had prepared units for summer demand and that staff is preparing a distribution resilience plan for later this year.

What the vote means: The commission’s rejection of the rate-design recommendation does not change Austin Energy’s budget request to City Council. It leaves the question of how to allocate any approved revenue increase — between fixed and volumetric charges — to be decided by council during its budget and rate-review process.

Next steps: Austin Energy staff said they will provide additional detail on the PSA components and volatility, a breakdown of plant dispatch economics on request, and follow-up analysis on how different customer classes may be affected by rate-design choices. The matter will move to City Council as part of the FY 2025–26 budget process; the EUC’s recommendation (which failed) will be included in the record of commission action sent to council.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - Electric Utility Commission","oneSentenceSummary","The Electric Utility Commission failed to adopt a recommendation to City Council that would have shifted part of Austin Energy’s requested increase into the fixed monthly customer charge, voting 3–7 on July 15, 2025, after a lengthy discussion of revenue stability and rate design.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6587721,"Votes at a glance: EUC approves routine items; 2 contested rate-design measures fail",72,213000,285000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5558916-9fba45768ed748221bd3ee124270affa&start=213&end=285","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5558916-9fba45768ed748221bd3ee124270affa/thumbnail_213000.jpg","/articles/6587721/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-EUC-approves-routine-items-2-contested-rate-design-measures-fail","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587721-55da59aeba1104ce287d5aa4d5e98829/orig.mp4?Expires=1770511599&Signature=YoFXXoNLjMYXnPsuCsxw-izrvXm4p74k2D60vaSIvnEAjB8jKgG6UsjyLYxZ6gLT0krFdxBAUeFJYv8xMJVwOK~Sc2hzBpX7rBZP0WzB5rlcE9WaS9Q1h-3sw-BGpekURunapn4OCwXaLUkBT7jv4M4mTblyTA7N4MMijy~hBP-wUdPt1g1Ik3FvE1aNceEtaC-YX~s7r1X~ughQ4dLIHu8Q3JHKnadWhRv5NQN9fbaSbcW4ygpWXWz~yXtpn6F3KR3jxGJVwaH~XSnOSkuhN21ioGbnNhBQ1lX4EyLpmgjki1JVQgUa6XdzAValsGfZNSwwRc9JZzPX30wbOA~drw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Electric Utility Commission on July 15 approved a package of consent and routine items and recorded separate votes on three substantive agenda items. Key outcomes:

- Items 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13: Approved as a block by voice vote. A commissioner moved approval and other commissioners seconded; the chair called the ayes, and the motion carried with no dissent recorded.

- Item 4 (UPlan contract amendment): Approved unanimously. Motion carried; staff will issue an RFP in August 2025 and use the contract extension as an interim bridge to a competitive procurement.

- Item 5 (Evaluation, measurement, verification and reporting contract): Approved unanimously to hire a third party to evaluate program impacts and to help Austin Energy add greenhouse-gas reductions to program metrics starting in 2027.

- Item 14 (FY2025–26 budget recommendation to City Council on rate design): Motion to recommend City Council secure the same revenue increase through volumetric rates rather than raising the monthly customer charge failed by a roll-call vote (3 in favor, 7 opposed). The commission did not adopt an alternative recommendation on rate design.

The approvals for items 2, 3 and 6–13 were taken together after commissioners identified items 4, 5 and 14 for separate discussion. The meeting record shows the votes for the block approval were taken by voice; no individual nay votes were recorded in the transcript for the consent block.","The Electric Utility Commission approved consent and routine items, and separately approved individual contracts for UPlan extension and an EMV&R contractor. A separate commission motion on rate-design for the FY2025–26 budget failed 3–7.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6587726,"EUC approves third‑party evaluation contract to measure energy‑efficiency portfolio and greenhouse‑gas impacts",368,572000,940000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5558916-9fba45768ed748221bd3ee124270affa&start=572&end=940","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5558916-9fba45768ed748221bd3ee124270affa/thumbnail_572000.jpg","/articles/6587726/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/EUC-approves-thirdparty-evaluation-contract-to-measure-energyefficiency-portfolio-and-greenhousegas-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587726-905699d46b8a29786a2fd4b90f65143c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770511599&Signature=R1UTrki3B6~abEey41HkgCLaYc5ex2pKrRVpBycZCYt1AYyI5uuA7F5CopdtMuJbMLI-hTkz6apUNvahw3ziW0YZnyWvj1yHkAxO8y7m02n9QS4nkQIMlJpBSWMSxAilyIgGxF2qErNlFnIbttVgaUGbKuwuCAdrV3dAvMt0aA5sTg2ximX-yn55qkuxjqjk5832wPf53FdeKm69iioqmKX53QCwU9izmVorfJctCf0VUmSWEisRm8eis0Ug-rxpEF6Ay4XVvv0wEUskljofYptHoq89-~FeXeZ~7QwJqF58KA6XRG~JFIR7xW9EJwEnzurDbAtyOYG3YTPu1RCdSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Electric Utility Commission unanimously approved July 15 a contract to provide evaluation, measurement, verification and reporting (EMV&R) services for Austin Energy’s energy-efficiency and demand‑management portfolio.

Richard Genesee, vice president of Customer Energy Solutions, described the contract as a \"big contract\" that will evaluate program performance, identify additional opportunities to claim energy savings, and help transition measurement methods when Austin Energy adds greenhouse‑gas reductions to program measurement in 2027. \"Another important aspect of this is in 2027, when we… add greenhouse gas reduction to the mix… that is also incumbent upon this contractor to help us to aid us in that transition,\" Genesee said.

Genesee said the contract is distinct from the market‑potential study completed by DNV (a consultant referenced during the meeting), which estimated the maximum market potential for solar, efficiency and demand response. The EMV&R contract will focus on program impact, measurement methods, reconfiguring the portfolio and identifying underserved customer segments.

Commissioners asked how the EMV&R work will relate to DNV’s market study and whether the contractor will coordinate with state utility evaluations; Genesee said staff expects the contractor to review prior studies and coordinate with other evaluations used in Texas. Commissioner Al Bridal and Commissioner Reed voiced support for hiring an experienced third party; Commissioner Gillette moved approval and Commissioner Bellamy seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Next steps: Staff will finalize the vendor engagement and the contractor will begin program-level impact evaluations, measurement-method updates and an initial scope for greenhouse‑gas accounting support ahead of the 2027 change in metrics.","The commission unanimously approved a contract to provide evaluation, measurement, verification and reporting services for Austin Energy’s customer energy programs, including work to support greenhouse‑gas accounting when the utility adds GHG reductions to program metrics in 2027.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6587731,"EUC approves short extension to UPlan modeling contract while staff issues market solicitation",345,240000,585000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5558916-9fba45768ed748221bd3ee124270affa&start=240&end=585","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5558916-9fba45768ed748221bd3ee124270affa/thumbnail_240000.jpg","/articles/6587731/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/EUC-approves-short-extension-to-UPlan-modeling-contract-while-staff-issues-market-solicitation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587731-5bfdb3d4a1c467dfe17baca22d1da20a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770511599&Signature=GdJReb~RxcoYMyyRaVemPIjhLUI5EqJVGiddGU3lxKt7zncyDnO1QbL7bqu31z4YSrO7bmjEqmh2iKpwwiClAzg7XD8d6wRZecTocEUHaVtPiZ6pgdbLyMPPcXBWwDCxC58O-0PwoSR~uQ8mSlXzxZfAY7VfUdnjUDhpGANZYi7tadBO2-WDLxv9xFN3P2UkSR3BoPYr2zculSBXv9Pa6fNO9CHAxv6EP98McdMOGEJPofuVcOQhlXUwGvDmFNBmnKecEvv6nsnWWGJMGHFLSFksWAuTXU3nzC9FfbuzmWg3h-Ibk4HIn~-mFt~d6FCUo5ae8shGCcbiqG2n6AFSiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Electric Utility Commission on July 15 approved an amendment to extend Austin Energy’s contract for continued service and support of its UPlan production-cost modeling software while the utility issues a solicitation to review other modeling tools.

Michael Enger, vice president of EnergyMark Operations Resource Planning, told commissioners Austin Energy has used UPlan for about 15 years and that the utility will issue a request for proposals in August to \"recanvass the market and see what other tools might be available.\" He said the requested contract amendment would extend the existing contract for up to two years while the solicitation proceeds and staff evaluates proposals. \"We were intending about a year ago to issue an RFP ... we are actually going to be releasing that I believe in August,\" Enger said.

Enger said UPlan is the utility’s principal production-cost model and that staff also uses a stochastic model for price and correlation analysis and a power-flow tool for transmission studies. He added UPlan is well established for utility-scale resources but noted limitations in how models handle uncertainty in weather and distributed energy resources. \"UPlan is a very good production cost model. It's a little bit more on the utility scale side than DERs, but you can model DERs in it as well,\" Enger said.

Commissioners asked whether UPlan would be replaced; Enger said the August solicitation could produce awards for other tools or for UPlan with additional modules. Commissioner Gillette moved approval; Commissioner Braden seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

Next steps: Staff will issue the RFP, evaluate proposals, and return to council for approval of any new award. The contract extension is a bridge while the competitive process concludes.","The Electric Utility Commission unanimously approved a contract amendment extending Austin Energy’s UPlan production-cost modeling contract for up to two years while staff issues a market solicitation (RFP) expected in August 2025 to reassess modeling tools.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Austin Energy budget plan draws split vote after debate over raising monthly customer charge

Votes at a glance: EUC approves routine items; 2 contested rate-design measures fail

EUC approves third‑party evaluation contract to measure energy‑efficiency portfolio and greenhouse‑gas impacts

EUC approves short extension to UPlan modeling contract while staff issues market solicitation