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[CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
I WILL CALL TO ORDER THIS VIRTUAL MEETING OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION.IT'S APRIL 19TH, 2021 AT 5:34 PM.
AND FIRST I'D JUST LIKE TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST COMMISSIONER.
WHO'S BEEN APPOINTED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
UM, RANDY, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE JUST FIVE SECONDS, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SAY HELLO TO THE GROUP.
AND, UH, IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK BEFORE THE COMMISSION, UH, SPOKEN THERE THREE OR FOUR TIMES, SORRY, WORKED ON THE LOW-INCOME TASKFORCE YEARS AGO THAT, UH, HELPED, UH, ESTABLISH THE DISCOUNT PROGRAM.
UH, 43 YEARS, UH, WORKING FOR CIVIL LAKE OF WHITE FOR THE, FOR, UH, RECENTLY RETIRED AND, UH, IN MY SPARE TIME, OTHER SPARE TIME I'M, UH, I SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR, THE NATIONAL CENTER ON APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY THAT WORKS ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND, UM, OPERATES THE LOCKHEED CLEARING HOUSE ANYWAY, THAT SUIT.
GOOD TO BE PART OF THE, UH, COMMISSION.
WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU AND YOUR EXPERTISE ON OUR BOARD.
OH, GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL JUST QUICKLY FOR QUORUM PURPOSES AND RECORD KEEPING.
I SEE A COMMISSIONER FOR CHIL COMMISSIONER FUNKHOUSER, COMMISSIONER, TRO COMMISSIONER CHAPMAN, AND COMMISSIONER THAT ALREADY SAY FUNKHOUSER AND COMMISSIONER HOPKINS.
UH, I THINK I GOT, I THINK I GOT EVERYBODY THERE.
COMMISSIONER STONE LOOKS LIKE COMMISSIONER STONE JUST JOINED US AS WELL.
UM, BUT I'M OH, AND COMMISSIONER WELDON.
UH, DID I MISS ANYBODY ON THE ROLL CALL THERE? OKAY.
THAT'S THE SEVEN THAT WE HAVE PRESENT.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
THEN MOVING ON TO OUR FIRST ITEM HERE, UH, CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION.UH, DID WE HAVE ANY CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? SIGN-UPS MR. VICE? YES, WE DO.
WE HAVE PAUL ROBBINS, PAUL, UH, YOU KNOW THE DRILL YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'M PAUL ROBBINS, AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE.
I'M FOLLOWING UP ON THE LAST MEETING ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? YES, YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
I WAS BLINDSIDED BY A MEMO THAT AUSTIN ENERGY WROTE FOR YOUR MARCH MEETING, ATTEMPTING TO DEFEND THE PROGRAM'S PROBLEMS. THIS MEMO WAS NOT SENT TO ME, WAS NOT EVEN MADE PUBLIC UNTIL THE DAY OF THE MEETING AND DID NOT EVEN DEAL WITH MOST OF THE POINTS IN MY COMPLAINT THAT WERE SENT TO THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO SAY THAT THIS IS BAD FORM IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
SECOND, SOME OF THIS MEMO WAS NOT ACCURATE.
IT STATES THAT SINCE THERE WERE ALREADY AUDITS DONE TO ANALYZE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, EFFECTIVENESS, THERE WAS NOT A NEED FOR ANOTHER.
I HAVE SENT COMMISSIONERS A LETTER WITH A WEB LINK SHOWING THAT THERE WERE NO SUCH AUDITS POSTED ON THE AUDITOR'S WEBSITE.
IF AUSTIN ENERGY HAS OUTSIDE AUDIT AUDITS CONDUCTED BY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL DEPARTMENTS OR PRIVATE COMPANIES, I ASKED THAT THEY BE MADE PUBLIC.
ANOTHER POINT I NEED TO ADDRESS IS A MEME THAT AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF HAS, UH, SUGGESTED THAT SINCE THERE WERE ONLY A FEW PARTICIPANTS SUSPECTED OF BEING TOO WEALTHY TO RECEIVE MONEY MEANT FOR THE POOR, IT'S NOT WORTH THE TIME AND COST TO DEAL WITH THEM.
THE FACT IS SINCE MOST PARTICIPANTS IN CAP ARE NOT INCOME QUALIFIED, THERE COULD LITERALLY BE THOUSANDS OF PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE UNJUSTIFIED, MOREOVER WITH CURRENT INSUFFICIENT SCREENS FOR HIGH REAL ESTATE WEALTH, AUSTIN ENERGY IS LARGELY UNTRANSPARENT IN ITS INFORMATION.
I AM NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO SEE WHO MORE THAN HALF OF CAP PARTICIPANTS ARE, AND I'M NOT ALLOWED TO SEE WHY PARTICIPANTS WITH HIGH REAL ESTATE ASSETS MIGHT BE INCOME QUALIFIED.
ANOTHER UNDISCUSSED POINT IS WHY PROPERTY RICH PARTICIPANTS CANNOT BE EASILY ELIMINATED VIA COMPUTERS.
HOW HARD CAN IT BE TO PROGRAM A COMPUTER
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TO REJECT PARTICIPANTS WHO OWN SWIMMING POOLS AND TENNIS COURTS AT THE LAST MEETING COMMISSIONER STONE SUGGESTED THAT INSTEAD OF AN OUTSIDE AUDIT, IT WOULD BE MORE CONSTRUCTIVE FOR THE COMMISSION ITSELF TO PURSUE ITS OWN INVESTIGATIONS FOR A BETTER FUNCTIONING PROGRAM.AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THIS COMMISSION, IF THAT IS YOUR PREFERENCE.
BUT I ASKED HOW THIS WILL WORK WHEN SUCH MEETINGS OR SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS MIGHT BE HELD AND HOW I CAN PARTICIPATE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS.
YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS CARRIE ERIC.
I JUST WANTED TO WELCOME YOU BACK AS WELL AND SHOW YOU IN LIGHT OF MR. UM, UH, ROBBINS, UH, STATEMENTS.
YOU CAN SEE, WE DIDN'T MOVE ALONG VERY FAR ON THIS ISSUE WHILE YOU WERE GONE.
I SEEM TO RECALL THIS WAS THE LAST THING THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING YOU ATTENDED.
[NEW BUSINESS – CONSENT (Part 1 of 2)]
MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS, WE, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION HEARING? NONE.I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS TWO THROUGH ACTUALLY, NO, I DON'T NEED A MOTION.
UM, ITEMS TWO THROUGH NINE ARE CONSENTED.
UM, MOVING ON TO STAFF BRIEFINGS AND REPORTS.
THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 10 IS NEXT UP.
THIS IS THE AUSTIN ENERGY FISCAL YEAR 22 FORECAST AND BUDGET PLANNING DISCUSSION.
YES MA'AM AS WE, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THAT PRESENTATION GETS PULLED UP.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Approve minutes of the March 8, 2021 regular meeting.]
COULD I ASK THE CHAIR TO ALSO TAKE A VOTE ON THE MARCH MINUTES? OKAY.MY LIKE, TO, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MARCH MEETING MINUTES THAT WERE CIRCULATED WITH OUR MATERIALS PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
AND COULD I GET A VERBAL VOTE FROM COMMISSIONER WELDON? OKAY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? THERE WE GO.
OH, I, SO THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT PREVENTED ME FROM SPEAKING UNTIL YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.
I HAD LOST CONTROL OF THE MICROPHONE.
I ACTUALLY WAS INTERESTED IN REVIEWING ITEM FOUR JUST FOR SCOPE.
I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT COMMISSIONER WELDON.
I DIDN'T ASK FOR, UM, YOUR PARTICIPATION SPECIFICALLY ON THAT.
UM, SO, UH, YOUR VOTE ON THE MEETING APPROVAL AND WE'LL GO BACK TO ITEM FOUR.
AND COMMISSIONER STONE ON MEETING MINUTES, SHE'S INDICATING A THUMBS UP CHAIR.
I THINK THAT'S EVERYBODY THE MEETING, THE MARCH MEETING MINUTES PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
[NEW BUSINESS – CONSENT (Part 2 of 2)]
TO OUR, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.I DON'T KNOW HOW TO, WE NEED TO DO THIS PROCEDURALLY JEFF, BUT I'D LIKE TO TAKE OFF ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
CAN WE STILL MOVE FORWARD WITH TWO, THREE, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT AND NINE AS CONSENTED? YES, LET'S DO THAT.
AND WE'LL JUST ADDRESS THE QUESTION ON NUMBER FOUR AND THEN TAKE A VOTE.
[4. (4/22) [Purchasing] Authorize an amendment to an existing contract with Pike Enterprises Inc, to provide continued transmission and distribution electrical services, for an increase in the amount of $4,000,000, for a revised contract amount not to exceed $93,000,000.]
ITEM NUMBER FOUR.I WAS JUST HOPING THAT SOMEBODY WAS PRESENT WITH STAFF TOO, TO COMMENT ON THE EXPANSION AND WHAT THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT IS.
UH, MY QUESTION IS MORE ON THE CONTEXT OF, UH, AMBITIONS IN DISTRIBUTION, GIVEN THE TOPICAL NATURE AND THE ISSUES THAT WE EXPERIENCED IN FEBRUARY.
AND IF SOMEONE ISN'T PRESENT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN TELL ME THAT WE HAVE ELTON, THIS IS ELTON RICHARD.
ELTON RICHARD VICE PRESIDENT OF FIELD OPERATIONS.
UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY A CONTINUATION OF THE FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT, UH, PIKE ENTERPRISES DOES, UH, UH, JUST ABOUT ANY CONTRACT WORK ON BOTH THE TRANSMISSION AND THE DISTRIBUTION
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SIDE.THIS CONTRACT WAS ACTUALLY DUE TO COME TO AN END IN THIS MONTH, BUT THERE'S A LARGER CONTRACT THAT THEY'RE PUSHING IN JULY.
SO THE PROCUREMENT WANTED TO DO IT IN ONE LARGE CONTRACT.
SO THIS IS JUST A CONTINUATION OF THE NORMAL SERVICES THAT PIPE DOES FOR US IN A CONTRACTING ON BOTH THE TRANSMISSION DISTRIBUTION.
AND THIS GOES FROM NEW INSTALLATION TO REPAIR OR CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE ITEM AND A MERCHANT REPAIR.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SIR? UH, IT DOES TO A LARGE EXTENT, CAUSE I HEARD YOU SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REVISITING THIS AS A LARGER CONTRACT, UH, IN THE SUMMER.
AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF, UH, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EVENTS OF FEBRUARY, AT WHAT POINT IN TIME, WE MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE THAT THE ISSUE OF CHANGING THE CAPABILITIES, UH, FOR, UH, LOAD SHED IN CHANGING THE GEOGRAPHY AND THE CAPACITY OF THAT SYSTEM.
I PRESUME THAT THAT'S GOING TO BECOME AN URGENT MATTER.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE KIND OF A CONTRACT, WHEN THAT DISCUSSION MIGHT OCCUR, THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS DISCUSSION.
THAT WOULD JUST BE JUST WORK THAT WOULD BE, UH, PROVIDED THROUGH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IF THEY SO CHOSE TO CHANGE THE CONFIGURATION.
BUT IT WOULD BE WITHIN THE NORMAL CONTRACT OF THE HYPE ENTERPRISE ON PERFORMING WORK EITHER A DISTRIBUTION OR TRANSMISSION LEVEL.
SO THE FEBRUARY WOULDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING ON THIS CONTRACT, SIR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ITEM, NUMBER FOUR, HEARING NONE.
MR. CHAPMAN, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND RAISING YOUR HAND, IT'S A LITTLE EASIER FOR ME TO SEE ON THAT.
UH, AND THEN I WILL CALL ON COMMISSIONER WELDON.
COULD I GET A VERBAL FROM YOU? GREAT.
UH, THAT MEANS ITEM NUMBER FOUR PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[10. Austin Energy FY22 Forecast and Budget Planning.]
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 10.UM, THE
SO, UM, PRESENTING OUR DECEIT, UH, THE SAME THING, THE FYI 22, THAT OUR FIVE-YEAR FORECAST IN OUR PRELIMINARY BUDGET PLANNING TO YOU WHILE I DO IT, I'M GOING TO TURN OFF MY VIDEO.
UM, LET'S SAY YOU DON'T SEE A SIDE OF MY FACE ALL EVENING WHILE I READ.
UM, BUT I DID WANT TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
UH, CAN'T INTRODUCE HIM HERE RIGHT NOW, THE WAY, UH, WE'RE WE'RE CONFIGURED, BUT, UM, UH, UH, JOHN DAVIS HAS JOINED US.
HE IS THE NEW AUSTIN ENERGY FINANCE DIRECTOR AND RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR BUDGET.
UH, JOHN BRINGS SOME SIGNIFICANT UNTIL YOU EXPERIENCE.
HE'S A FORMER CFO OF PRONOUNCED ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE.
UM, AS WELL AS ASSISTANT CONTROLLER AT LCRA, WE HAVE A LONG, UM, UH, LONG STINT AT SOUTHERN NEWTON AS A CONTROLLER THERE, UM, NATURAL GAS PROVIDER, NOT AS A CPA AND HAS BOTH AN UNDERGRADUATE AND ACCOUNTING AND AN MBA FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
SO WE'RE EXCITED FOR HIM TO BE JOINING US AND HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE, YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM HIM ON THE BUDGET.
IS, IS, DID YOU SAY HE WAS ON THE CALL OR NO.
I BELIEVE HE'S LISTENING IN, WE, UM, JUST THE PRESENTERS ARE ON THE CALL.
AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD MR. DAVIS.
UM, SO I WILL BE SAYING NEXT, UH, TO ADVANCE THE SLIDE.
SO, UM, SO TONIGHT I'M GOING TO BE COVERING OUR, OUR BUDGET SCHEDULE OF THE FORECAST INPUTS, ASSUMPTIONS AND PROCESS, AS WELL AS THE SUMMARY OF THAT FORECAST AND OUR BUDGET PLANNING, UH, WHICH INCLUDES THE SUMMARY OF THE F Y UH, 21 BUDGET.
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SO, UM, THE TIMELINE HERE LAYS OUT SOME KEY DATES FOR US IN THE COMING BUDGET CYCLE.UM, SO WE COMPLETED OUR FORECAST, UH, LATE FEBRUARY, EARLY MARCH, AND SUBMITTED THAT TO, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN FINANCE FOR THEIR INITIAL UPCOMING PLANNING.
AND TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO COVER THAT FIVE-YEAR FORECAST AND HOW THAT PLAYS INTO THE FYI 22 BUDGET.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY KICKED OFF OUR TERM PLANNING FOR THAT BUDGET AND THAT PROCESS WILL CONTINUE.
UM, THE BEGINNING OF MAY, WHEN WE SUBMIT OUR BUDGET TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION, AND THEN IN EARLY JUNE, FOR THE END OF JULY, THE CITY WORKS ON THAT BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN CITY MANAGERS EXPECTED TO DELIVER THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON JULY 9TH, SUMMER THAT I AM.
THE OTHER EXECUTIVES WILL BE JOINING YOU ON JULY 12TH, PRESENT THAT BUDGET TO THE EUC, UH, FOR THE FY 22 YEAR, THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU CAN SEE AS A NUMBER OF, UH, WORKSHOPS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WHY IN AUGUST.
AND, UM, THIS YEAR YOU WILL HAVE A SECOND EUC MEETING ON AUGUST NIGHT PRIOR TO THE VOTE BY THE CITY COUNCIL THAT ADOPTS IT, UH, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE 11TH AND 13TH OF AUGUST THERE.
AND THEN FINALLY WE'LL BE UPDATING THE POWER SUPPLY JUDGMENT REGULATORY CHARGE, OR A COMMUNITY BENEFITS CHARGE IN SEPTEMBER.
AND WE'LL PRESENT THOSE TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THEIR CONSIDERATION PRIOR TO THE FISCAL YEAR.
THEN OF COURSE, OUR FISCAL YEAR, FY 22 BEGINS ON OCTOBER 1ST.
THOSE PASS-THROUGH CHARGES WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE ONE.
UH, IN ATLANTA, YOU KNOW,
THE CITY PRODUCES, UM, UH, A LOT OF INFORMATION REGARDING OUR FINANCES, AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE STATE'S FINANCES AND PERFORMANCE.
UM, AND THAT CAN BE A FINDING THAT CAN, CAN BE A CHALLENGE.
SO I'VE PROVIDED A COUPLE OF LOCATIONS FOR SOME USEFUL SITES THAT THE PUBLIC CAN ACQUIRE THAT INFORMATION.
IT'S OF THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THESE ARE SITES THAT YOU CAN GET, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY INFORMATION THAT THE PUBLIC HAS HAS ACCESS TO THERE.
UM, AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY IMPROVING THIS DATA OVER TIME.
SO YOU MAKE PERIODIC CHECKS BACK.
YOU MAY SEE THAT DATA CHANGE AND HOPEFULLY ACCESS.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY DOWNLOAD, DOWNLOAD MAJORITY OF THAT DATA.
WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE FOCUS TONIGHT, UM, IS ON OUR FORECAST AND, UM, AND HOW THAT'S DEVELOPED AND HOW IT'S USED.
SO THE FORECAST WHERE IT KICKS OFF OUR BUDGET SEASON.
AND SO WE HAVE SORT OF VICE STEP PROCESS IN THAT.
THE FIRST STEP IS THIS FORECAST, WHICH IS A TOP-DOWN ANALYSIS USED TO ESTABLISH THE THRESHOLDS FOR THE, UH, FURTHER BUDGET AND TO GAUGE FUTURE FINANCIAL COMPLIANCE AND RATE IMPACTS.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE THESE AND GIVE THEM TO OUR BUSINESS UNITS AS TARGETS, AND THEN THEY USE THOSE TO HELP PREPARE THEIR BUDGET.
AND WE USE A BOTTOM UP APPROACH TO DEVELOP THE ORGANIZATIONAL BUDGET ACROSS THE UTILITY, UM, USING SOME PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE THERE IN POWER PLAN.
UM, AND THEN, UM, PRIOR TO SUBMISSION TO THE CITY, WE'LL REVISE THAT FORECAST AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON THIS YEAR, PLANS AND PROGRAMS, AS SOME OF THOSE ASSUMPTIONS BECOME BACKS, ADJUST OUR FORECAST.
AND THEN FINALLY WE'LL SUBMIT THAT OVER TO THE CITY, UH, SENIOR MANAGERS CONSIDERATION, OR THEY WILL COMPILE IT, REVIEW IT.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY THE SAME MANAGER WILL PRESENT THAT TO THE CITY COUNCIL EXCEPT NEXT PAGE.
SO NEXT I WANT TO COVER A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT INPUTS ASSUMPTION PROCESS.
YES, IT EARLIER THE FORECAST IS REALLY A TOP-DOWN ANALYSIS.
SO USE INPUTS FROM A MULTIPLE SOURCES.
THIS IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE LIST, BUT INCLUDE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SOURCES AND USED THE CURRENT BUDGET ESTIMATE, EXISTING FINANCIAL POLICIES, ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS AND PLANS LIKE THE RESOURCE PLAN, UM, LATEST MARKET FORECAST ALONG WITH OUR APPROVED RATES AND FEEDS REALLY, UH, FORM THIS SPORT CAST NEXT PAGE.
SO AS IN ANY FORECASTING MODEL, YOU HAVE TO MAKE CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
SO HERE'S SOME KEY ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE'VE MADE AND SOME OF THESE HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON OUR FORECAST.
SO WE KNOW THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION
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AND PLANNING FOR POTENTIAL GROWTH OF SOME KEY INDUSTRIAL SITES WITHIN OUR SERVICE TERRITORY.WE DO NOT MAKE PROVISIONS FOR DISCRETE PROJECTS, BUT WE USE A PYRAMID REGIONAL FORECASTING MODEL THAT DOES FORECAST THAT EXPECTED GROWTH.
WE ARE FORECASTING THAT THE COVID PANDEMIC SEASONS STOPS JANUARY, JANUARY, 2022.
UM, SO WE'RE ASSUMING THOSE ENERGY SALES WILL CONTINUE FORWARD WITH A 0.8%, UH, RATE OF GROWTH ANNUALLY, UM, AS IT HAS IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
HOWEVER, THE FORECAST FOR
SO THAT FUTURE GROWTH CAN BE STARTING FROM A LOWER BASE AND PREVIOUS FORECAST LABOR ESCALATIONS, AND ABOUT 3% PER YEAR IN 0.7, 5% FOR NON LABOR COSTS.
SO IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY LOW INFLATION WITH FORECASTING.
UM, WE'VE ALSO ASSUMED A BASE RATE CHANGE AT
AND THE IMPACT OF THE WINTER STORM URI IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS FORECAST BECAUSE IT WAS ACTUALLY DONE ABOUT THE TIME OF THE STORM HIT, BUT THAT IS PRIMARILY CONTAINED WITHIN THE PSA.
AND SO WHEN WE SET THAT PSA THE SUMMER, WE WILL HAVE ALL THOSE IMPACTS KNOWN AT THAT TIME NEXT PAGE.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR FORECASTING PROCESS.
SO, UM, WE START WITH A LOAD FORECAST AND WE USE, I TRONS STATISTICALLY ADJUSTED END-USE MODEL FOR BOTH RESIDENTIAL WORLDS OR COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL.
UM, IT'S A WELL-DEVELOPED NATIONAL MODEL THAT WE ADJUST USING LOCAL ECONOMIC DRIVERS, HISTORICAL WEATHER PATTERNS IN OUR SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS.
WE TAKE THAT AND WE PRODUCE A REVENUE FORECAST BASED UPON OUR LOAD OR EXISTING TARIFFS AND RATE CLASSES.
AND FINALLY, WE USE THAT REVENUE FORECAST TO DEVELOP THE FINANCIAL FORECAST, WHICH INCLUDES THE INPUTS AND ASSUMPTIONS I JUST DISCUSSED WITH YOU WE'LL COVER THOSE OUTPUTS OF THAT FINANCIAL FORECAST FOR THE PERIOD 2022 THROUGH 2026, NEXT PAGE.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT SUMMARY.
THIS SCHEDULE PRESENTS THE SUMMARY OF OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST IN THE FUND SUMMARY FORMAT ON THIS, THE NEXT FEW SLIDES I'VE CIRCLED SOME ITEMS I'D LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
SO FYI 22 TO 23 CHANGES IN OPERATING AND POWER SUPPLY EXPENSES REALLY REFLECT THE CHANGES PROGRAMMED INTO OUR RESOURCE PLAN.
SO YOU'LL SEE THE EXIT OF A FE POWER PLANT IN DECEMBER OF 22 PAIRED WITH A RETIREMENT OF DECKER UNIT NUMBER TWO IN DECEMBER OF 22 OR 21, EXCUSE ME.
UM, AND WE'RE ALSO MOVING NACADOCIOUS DEBT SERVICE ON THE POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT OVER TO OP EX IN 2023 WITH A REDUCTION IN ITS OP EX.
SO WE'RE ALSO FORECASTING ADDITIONAL TRANSMISSION REVENUE AT $1 MILLION IN
AND THAT'S REALLY BASED UPON OUR EXPECTED INTERIM T COST FILINGS THAT WE WILL BE DOING THE TEXAS PVC IN 2022 WE'RE FORECASTING, A BASE RATE CHANGE IN FY 24 AT WILL IMPROVE OUR MARGINS AND ENSURE WE ARE MEETING OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES AND SOME LONGER TERM TRENDS.
WE'RE STILL LOOKING IN ANALYZING, WHICH IS INCREASE IN OUR POWER SUPPLY COSTS AND OUR DEBT SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THOSE COSTS BEFORE NEXT PAGE, OUR FORECAST USES THE ADOPTED FIVE-YEAR CIP PLAN FROM FYI 22 WITH A FEW ADJUSTMENTS.
SO THIS PLAN WAS APPROVED IN 21.
UM, AND WE DID UPDATE BOTH STP AND FPP BASED UPON THOSE BUSINESS PLANS, CIP FUNDING IS 36% DEBT, 64% CASH.
WE EXPECT TO SEE DECREASES IN OUR POWER PRODUCTION AND JOINT PROJECTS.
AS OUR RESOURCE PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED.
DISTRICT COOLING IS SEEING AN INCREASE IN SPENDING FOR 21 AND 22, AND THAT'S REALLY A RESULT OF SOME NEW PLANT CONSTRUCTION GOING ON THERE.
AND FINALLY, OUR GENERAL CIP THAT YOU SEE THERE AND, UM, UH, FLIGHT 21, THAT'S OUR NEW HEADQUARTERS.
UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE A NEW WAREHOUSE UNDER, UM, UNDER CONSIDERATION THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IN 22 AND 23, BUT WE DID TAKE POSSESSION OF OUR NEW CORPORATE OFFICE ON APRIL 8TH.
UH, IT WAS ON SCHEDULE AND SLIGHTLY BELOW BUDGET PENDING THE COMMISSIONING
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ON THAT BUILDING.AND WE'LL BE MOVING OUR OPERATIONS OVER THE SUMMER, OBVIOUSLY DEPENDENT UPON OUR COVID POSTURE AND WORKPLACE SAFETY PROTOCOLS.
FINALLY, WE'RE WATCHING A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL CUSTOMER DRIVEN PROJECTS IN BOTH THE TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION, WHICH IF THEY BECOME REALITY WILL REQUIRE US TO MODIFY THIS FORECAST NEXT PAGE.
SO AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR FINANCIAL FORECAST, OBVIOUSLY AS THE TRENDS REGARDING OUR KEY METRICS AND SOME OF THE POLICIES OF AUSTIN ENERGY.
SO THESE METRICS ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE MODEL AND THE ASSUMPTIONS, BUT THEY DO PROVIDE US WITH A USEFUL GUIDE.
OUR FORECAST SEES A SIGNIFICANT LOSS IN PROJECTED NET INCOME IN FYI 2023.
THIS IS DUE TO THE RECOGNITION OF THE IMPAIRMENT OF THE ASSETS THAT A POWER PLANT AND ITS EXIT.
AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THERE ARE DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE, AND OUR DEBT TO CAPITAL ARE SLIGHTLY OFF OF OUR TARGETS.
AND THAT'S REALLY DUE TO THE ACQUISITION OF
NEXT PAGE, OUR FORECAST UTILIZED OUR EXISTING TARIFFS AND RETAIL RATES.
THOSE RATES DO CHANGE PERIODICALLY, BUT HAVE BEEN TRENDING DOWNWARD THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SO THIS CHART SUMMARIZES OUR CURRENT RETAIL RATES, OTHER REVENUES COLLECTED ARE USED AND HOW WE ESTABLISH THOSE RATES WITH THE LAST, WHAT THE LAST CHANGE WAS IN TERMS OF A PERCENTAGE OF A RESIDENTIAL TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL BILL IN AUSTIN.
ALL THOSE COMPONENTS OF THE RATES HAVE DECREASED EXCEPT FOR THE REGULATORY CHARGE IN APRIL OF 2020, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A BILL RELIEF PACKAGE FOR CUSTOMERS, UM, AS A RESULT OF THE COVID PANDEMIC.
AND THAT REGULATORY CHARGE WAS REDUCED TO RETURN $25 MILLION TO THE CUSTOMERS THAT OVERCOLLECTION WAS RETURNED.
UM, AND THEN WE MOVED THAT REGULATORY CHARGE CLOSER TO ITS COST OF SERVICE.
IN NOVEMBER OF 2020, WE ARE FORECASTING AN INCREASE IN THAT REGULATORY COSTS FROM ERCOT, BUT WE EXPECT TO OFFSET POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON OUR CUSTOMER'S BILLS WITH REDUCTIONS IN THE PSA AS WELL.
THOSE PASS THROUGH RATES, WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO REGULATORY.
ACCOUNTING IS ONE WAY WE HELP PROVIDE BETTER STABILITY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS RATES OVER THE LONGTERM X SLIDE.
THIS IS FAMILIAR CHART TO YOU.
SO IT SHOWS THE HISTORY FROM 1995 THROUGH 2020, ALONG WITH OUR FORECAST PERIOD OF 21 THROUGH 26, THE FART IS INDEX COMPARING OUR AVERAGE SYSTEM RATES TO THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR URBAN ELECTRICITY AND THE 2% AFFORDABILITY LINE THAT WE, UH, WE TRY TO MEET THAT METRIC BEGAN IN 2013.
IT WAS BASED UPON THAT TREND FROM 95 TO 2009.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE WELL BELOW BOTH INFLATION, AS WELL AS OUR 2% GROWTH.
THIS CHART SHOWS THE RESULTS OF OUR ANALYSIS FOR AFFORDABILITY METRIC AND ACTUAL COST.
UM, WITH THE COMPONENTS OF THOSE RETAIL RATES, BOTH HISTORICALLY AS WELL AS OUR FORECASTED PERIOD, WE EXPECT TO REMAIN COMPLIANT WITH THIS METRIC YOU'LL BENSON, WINTER STORM ARRAY WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE CHART IN THAT WE HAVE AN OVERCOLLECTION TO THAT PSA AS A RESULT OF OUR STATUS, THAT NET GENERATOR BRAINSTORM.
IT SHOULD ALLOW US TO REDUCE FUTURE COSTS, BUT WE'RE CAREFULLY WATCHING REGULATORY AND LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS, WHICH COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THAT PSA BALANCE.
SO WE EXPECT TO HAVE SOME GREATER CLARITY, UH, LATER IN THE SUMMER, UM, AS WE EVALUATE BSA AND BRING FORWARD A PSA RATE CHANGE IN NEPAL.
YOU MAY REMEMBER THIS FROM OUR FOURTH QUARTER REPORT, BUT WE OFTEN COMPARE OUR RATES TO OTHER TEXAS UTILITIES.
IT'S CALLED OUR COMPETITIVENESS METRIC, WHICH WE SEEK TO KEEP OUR RATES BELOW 50% OF THE TEXAS ELECTRIC UTILITY AVERAGE.
SO THIS GRAPH SHOWS THAT AUSTIN ENERGY'S RATES AVERAGE RATE IS ABOUT 97.5% OF THE TEXAS AVERAGE OR SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE.
AND THIS IS AN IMPROVEMENT FROM CALORIE YEAR 2018 WITH AUSTRALIA ENERGY.
IT WAS JUST SLIGHTLY HIGHER, RIGHT? THE AVERAGE, YEAH.
IN 61 DATA, WE USE TO COMPILE THIS.
UM, WE DO FILTER IT FOR UTILITIES THAT SERVE
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RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS, AND IT'S ABOUT A ONE-YEAR LAG.IT USUALLY COMES OUT IN OCTOBER OF THE PRECEDING YEAR FOR THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR.
I'VE ALSO EDITED THE AVERAGE FOR THE PROVIDERS WITHIN ERCOT, THE COMPETITIVE ELECTRIC MARKET IN TEXAS THERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE AS COMPARED TO ERCOT, UH, WE'RE DOING A LITTLE BIT BETTER, EVEN BETTER THAN, THAN THE ERCOT AVERAGE THERE.
AND WE'VE CALCULATED SINCE 2001 AUSTIN ENERGY CUSTOMERS HAVE RECEIVED A NET BENEFIT OF ABOUT 1.7, 6 BILLION COMPARED TO THE TEXAS AVERAGE RATE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE ALWAYS WATCHING HERE IN AUSTIN IS THE WEATHER AND IT HAS THE LARGEST IMPACT ON OUR, UM, WE TELL REVENUES.
AND SO AUSTIN ENERGY'S BASE REVENUES RECOVERED PRIMARILY FIXED COSTS, BUT IT USES A VARIABLE UNIT, A KILOWATT HOUR TO RECOVER.
SO AS A RESULT AND UNDER RECOVERY OF BASE REVENUES RESULTS, WHEN THE WEATHER IS MILDER THAN EXPECTED AN OVER RECOVERY RESULTS, WHEN THE WEATHER IS MORE EXTREME, OUR FORECAST USES A NORMAL WEATHER HERE, WHICH IS BASED UPON A 20 YEAR HISTORY ON THE NUMBER OF COOLING DEGREE DAYS AND HEATING DEGREE DAYS.
BUT WE KNOW WHETHER IT CAN BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
AND THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MILE AND EXTREME YEAR IS ABOUT $80 MILLION IN ANY SINGLE YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHERE OUR, OUR ACTUAL RESULTS MIGHT ACTUALLY FALL.
ANOTHER TREND WE LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE DECLINE OF CONSUMPTION, WHICH HAS CONTINUED HERE AT AUSTIN ENERGY.
SO THIS IS A TREND WE'RE SEEING INDUSTRY-WIDE IN FOLLOWS ADVANCES IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY, BUILDING CODES, HOUSING STOCK, DISTRIBUTED GENERATION, JUST OVERALL AWARENESS, ENERGY CONSERVATION CUSTOMERS.
SO EACH CUSTOMER USING LESS AND LESS ENERGY, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
UM, BUT IT DOES HAVE IMPACT ON THE UTILITY AND ITS REVENUES.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT IS OUR FIVE TIERED RATES.
SO ABOUT 76% OF OUR SALES, THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE IS BELOW THE COST OF SERVICE.
SO OUR FIVE TIERED STRUCTURE IN CONCERT WITH THAT ENERGY EFFICIENCY BUILDING CODES AND THE SMALLER HOUSING, ALL COMBINED TO DRIVE CONSUMPTION DOWN INTO THOSE LOWER TIERS.
SINCE 2012, WE'VE CREATED THE FIVE TIERS.
WE'VE SEEN A 14% REDUCTION IN TEARS FORM FIVE.
OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE FIVES YEARS OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON BOTH CUSTOMER BILL STABILITY, AS WELL AS OUR REVENUES.
SO FOR THE CUSTOMER HIGHER THAN NORMAL SUMMER CAN CAUSE HIGHER THAN NORMAL BILLS.
AND AS A CLIENT INTO THOSE HIGHER TIERS IN THE SUMMER, AND FOR THE UTILITY, ONCE WE SEE WHEN WE SEE A MILD OR SUMMER OR A MILD WINTER, IT CAUSES A REDUCTION IN REVENUE WHICH CAN REPRESENTED UNDER RECOVERY OF OUR OPERATING EXPENSES FOR US, WE'RE GOING TO BE ANALYZING THE IMPACT ON THESE TIERED RATES OR THE IMPACT PRICING LING AS WELL AS ENERGY CONSERVATION IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE OUR BILLS, STABILITY AND COST RECOVERY IN THE FUTURE.
SO THE ALSO METROPLEX, AS YOU KNOW, CONTINUES TO SEE AGGRESSIVE GROWTH, THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS JOINING OUR SERVICE TERRITORY, THAT GROWTH TO NEW CUSTOMERS, PARTIALLY OFFSETS THE DECLINE IN CONSUMPTION PER CUSTOMER.
AND THE NET RESULT IS ABOUT RELATIVELY FLAT FORECASTED 0.8% LOW GROWTH.
THE REAL CHALLENGE FOR US AT AUSTIN ENERGY IS MEETING THAT GROWTH IN CUSTOMERS, FIXED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ALL THOSE NEW CUSTOMERS.
SO THE USE OF CONTRIBUTIONS AND NATIVE CONSTRUCTION OR THE LINE EXTENSION POLICY CERTAINLY HELPS THE FRAY, THE COST OF THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT NEEDED, BUT IT'S OUR BASE RATES THAT ARE STRAYING TO RECOVER THE INCREASE IN FIXED OPERATING COSTS FOR THOSE NEW CUSTOMERS.
SO HISTORICALLY LOW GROWTH OR UTILITY LAUDER TO RECOVER ESCALATING COSTS.
AND THAT WAS TRUE FOR AUSTIN ENERGY AND ALLOWED US TO GO NEARLY 18 YEARS WITHOUT JUSTIN BASE RATES.
AND IN 2012, WE BEGAN TO EVALUATE RATES ON A REGULAR BASIS.
EVERY FIVE YEARS WE IMPLEMENTED THE PAST RECHARGES AND BOTH OF THOSE HAVE HELPED US TO BETTER ALIGN OUR REVENUES WITH OUR COST.
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT WAYS TO ADDRESS THIS NEW NORMAL SORT OF A FLAT ENERGY SALES X-RAYED REVIEW.
SO IN SUMMARY FOR OUR FORECAST, UH, I WOULD HIGHLIGHT
[00:35:01]
IT AS AREN'T POSITIONED TO STABLE BUT VULNERABLE.SO WE'RE IN YEAR FIVE OF OUR CURRENT BASE RATES, WHICH WERE LOWERED 6.7% BACK IN JANUARY OF 2017.
AND WE'VE REDUCED MOST OF OUR PASS THROUGH RATES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AS I SHOWED YOU EARLIER, INFLATION HAS BEEN LOW AND OUR CUSTOMER GROWTH HAS PROVIDED A FLAT, PREDICTABLE CONSUMPTION PATTERN FOR US.
THIS HAS PUT AUSTIN ENERGY IN A STABLE FINANCIAL POSITION.
HOWEVER, WE DO SEE A NUMBER OF MAJOR DECISIONS, STILL A PLAY, WHICH CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, OPERATIONALLY EXITING FPP DECKER.
THE FUTURE OF NACODOCHES WILL IMPACT US LEGISLATIVELY.
THERE'S A HOST OF BILLS REGARDING BOTH AUSTIN ENERGY PARTICULAR, AS WELL AS THE INDUSTRY IN GENERAL THAT'S BEFORE OUR STATE LEGISLATURES, I COULD HAVE AN IMPACT REGULATORY THERE'S CHANGES GOING ON AT THE PUC AND ERCOT THAT MAY HAVE A RESULT.
AND THIS IS REALLY AS A FALLOUT FROM WINTER STORM URI.
THERE'S LOTS OF PLANS FOR EXPANSION AND GROWTH, ESPECIALLY IN OUR COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL AREAS, UH, THAT WE WILL HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE FUTURE.
AS A RESULT, ALL OF THIS UNCERTAINTY COMES INTO PLAY AS WE WORK TO MAINTAIN OUR SUPERIOR CREDIT RATINGS, ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK FOR OUR NEXT RATE REVIEW, NEXT SLIDE.
BUT I WANT TO COVER A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR BUDGET PLANNING HERE.
UM, SO WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THAT
UM, AS A RESULT, I CAN'T COVER, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT EXACTLY WILL IT LOOK LIKE TONIGHT? UH, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT MUCH OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET IS COMPRISED OF THE COSTS THAT CANNOT BE SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED IN THE SHORT RUN.
AND OUR EXPECTED REVENUES ARE RELATIVELY FLAT.
MEANING OUR FYI 22 BUDGET IS GOING TO LOOK PRETTY SIMILAR TO HER FYI 21 BUDGET.
SO THEY GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT TO EXPECT.
I THOUGHT I'D QUICKLY REVIEW WHAT'S IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET.
EACH OF YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN OUR PACKAGE, A COUPLE OF HANDOUTS.
AND SO I ALWAYS LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WE ROUTINELY REPORT OUR FINANCIAL REFORM USING TWO VERY DIFFERENT FORMATS.
UM, THOSE ARE THOSE HANDOUTS I'VE GIVEN YOU TONIGHT.
SO, UM, BOTH OF THOSE REFLECT OUR AUDITED FYI 20 RESULTS IN FIRST IS THE FUND SUMMARY.
UM, IT'S BUDGET BASED AND IT USES A MODIFIED CASH BASIS.
MOST OF WHAT WE PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT, IT'S BASED UPON A FUND SUMMARY POWER.
SOME OF THE METRICS USE DATA DEVELOP FROM OUR GAP GAP, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
YOU USE A FULL MEAL CRUEL BASIS, AND THOSE APPEAR IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT.
THOSE ARE ALL OUR AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
SHE'S SORT OF GOTTEN IN YOUR HANDOUT AS WELL.
SO MOST OF THE ENERGY'S REVENUES COME FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SOURCES, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM COME FROM OUR RETAIL ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS, TOTAL REVENUES FOR FYI 21 INCREASED BY 0.09% OR ABOUT 1.3 MILLION, OR
BUT WE DID SEE SOME INCREASES IN POWER SUPPLY, TRANSMISSION AND DISTRICT COOLING AND INTEREST REVENUES.
AND THOSE WERE PARTIALLY OFFSET BY REDUCTIONS IN BASE RATE REVENUE, COMMUNITY BENEFITS OR REGULATORY REVENUES FROM LOWER.
SO THIS DONUT CHART IDENTIFIES ALL THOSE SOURCES OF REVENUE FOR US NEXT PAGE.
AND OUR, OUR BUDGET OF 1.4 BILLION IS USED TO MEET MANY DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS.
SOME OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE NON-DISCRETIONARY DISCRETIONARY, SUCH AS DEBT SERVICE OR GENERAL FUND TRANSFER, AND OTHERS HAVE SLEPT ME MORE DISCRETIONARY OVER A LONGER PERIOD, SUCH AS A JOINT PROJECTS OR A POWER SUPPLY.
AND THE PORTION THAT HAS THE HIGHEST DISCRETIONARY IS IN OUR OWN M WHICH IS ABOUT 434.5 MILLION IN FYI 21.
AND THAT'S COMPRISED OF LABOR BENEFITS, CONTRACTUALS, AND THE PURCHASE OF COMMODITIES.
THE NEXT FEW SIDES ON I'M GONNA SHOW YOU, UM, THOSE ELEMENTS OF OUR OVERALL BUDGET DEVELOPMENT AND HOW YOU'RE USED EXCI.
SO OUR BUDGET INCLUDES ABOUT $620 MILLION IN SPENDING, WHICH IS REALLY NON-DISCRETIONARY IN NATURE.
AUSTIN ENERGY HAS LITTLE OR NO CONTROL OVER THE REQUIRED SPENDING LEVELS.
THE SHORTER MID RANGE TO THIS OVER THE HORIZON.
MOST OF THESE COSTS ARE RECOVERING OUR BASE RATES AND INCREASES IN THESE COST.
DRIVERS HAVE TO BE OFFSET WITH EITHER LOAD GROWTH REDUCTION.
IN OTHER COST CATEGORIES, YOU CAN HIGHLIGHT THEM TRANSMISSION OR CAUGHT AT SERVICE GFT
[00:40:01]
OR TRANSFERS, JOINT PROJECTS, CITY SERVICES, WHICH ARE ALLOCATED TO US BASED UPON HOW WE USE SERVICES FROM THE CITY, APPLY OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND TRANSFER.NEXT PAGE, OUR BUDGET INCLUDES THE RECOVERY OF POWER SUPPLY COSTS.
THESE PRESENT THE NET COST OF ELECTRICITY NEEDED TO SERVE OUR RETAIL CUSTOMERS.
AND THESE COSTS ARE LARGELY NON-DISCRETIONARY IS THAT THEY ARE DRIVEN BY MARKET PRICING RESPONSE TO CUSTOMER LOAD AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR RESOURCE PLAN POSITIVE WHOLESALE REVENUE REDUCES RETAIL, CUSTOMER RATES PROPERLY MANAGED GENERATION ACTS AS A PHYSICAL HEDGE FOR SERVING OUR CUSTOMERS LOAD.
THESE COSTS AND REVENUES ARE RECOVERED IN OUR POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT RATE, WHICH IS CALCULATED DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST FOR THE PROCEEDING YEAR.
THESE COSTS REPRESENTED MOST VARIABILITY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY AT AUSTIN ENERGY IS TO MINIMIZE THAT VOLATILITY WITH EFFECTIVE HEDGING AND PROPER PLANNING.
THOSE TOTAL ABOUT 360 MILLION EXCHANGE.
SO OUR BUDGET EXPENDITURE INCLUDES OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS.
HE'S REPRESENTED CONTRACTUALS, COMMODITIES AND PERSONNEL, AND A PORTION OF HIS BUDGETS ARE CONTROLLABLE OR DISCRETIONARY, BUT MOST OF IT IS NECESSARY FOR US TO OPERATE IN EFFICIENT AND SAFE UTILITY REDUCTIONS AND PROPER MAINTENANCE OFTEN LEADS TO INCREASE FUTURE CAPITAL COSTS.
EAST COSTS, ALSO RECOVERY, MOSTLY BASE RATES, BUT SOME ARE RECOVERED THE TRANSMISSION RATES AND OUR DISTRICT LOADING CHARGES AS WELL.
OUR PERSONNEL COSTS REPRESENT THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH AUSTIN ENERGY'S EMPLOYEES OR AUTHORIZED 1,813 FTES OR FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS.
AND WE HAVE 112 TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES THAT WORK AT AUSTIN ENERGY.
THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION IN OUR FORECAST AT 6% OF OUR POSITIONS WILL BE VACANT AT ANY ONE TIME TO THE TUITION AND TURNOVER.
SO THE TOTAL OR OUR BUDGET REPRESENTS 94% OF THE COST OF SALARIES, PAYROLL TAXES, BENEFITS.
HOWEVER, WE DO ASSUME A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE COST OF OUR HEALTH INSURANCE AS REQUIRED BY ADULT INSURANCE, THOSE TOTAL, UM, $246 MILLION OF THE $434 MILLION OF OUR OVER THEIR BUDGET.
NEXT SLIDE OR CONTRACTUALS, OKAY.
OR 2021 WAS 266 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THAT IS OFFSET WITH $93.2 MILLION INTERDEPARTMENTAL REIMBURSEMENTS AND REFUNDS.
MOSTLY FROM OUR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
WE ARE THE BILLING AND CUSTOMER CARE ENTITY FOR ALL OF CITY OF AUSTIN UTILITIES.
SO THAT'S THE OTHER UTILITIES REFUNDING US THAT THE COST OF THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOP TONIGHT IS FOR THE CONTRACTUAL REPRESENT 135 MILLION ABOUT 51% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET.
SO THAT GIVES YOU A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT IS IT, THOSE, THOSE CONTRACTUAL BUDGET ITEMS, EVERYTHING FROM OUR CONSERVATION AND SOLAR REBATES, THE COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, A LOT OF IT COSTS OR BAD DEBT EXPENSE AS WELL AS LIABILITY AND WE'LL STATE BASIS.
NEXT SLIDE MARTY'S BUDGET 21 WAS ABOUT 15.1 MILLION, THE TOP 10 ITEMS WHERE THE COMMODITIES REPRESENTS 10 LATER, ABOUT 67% OF THE TOTAL.
AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S A LOT OF PURCHASE OF, UH, MINOR EQUIPMENT TOOLS, UM, CHEMICALS, UH, FOR OUR PLANTS, LEARNING MATERIALS, UH, HARDWARE, EDUCATION MATERIALS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE IT, THE BUCKETS GET PRETTY SMALL AFTER YOU GET BELOW THAT, THAT TOP 10% THERE.
SO THIS REALLY CONCLUDES MY FIVE-YEAR FORECAST AND SUN RIVER 21 BUDGET, UH, LEADING INTO OUR BUDGET SEASON.
AND OF COURSE, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH OUR ACTUAL 21 BUDGET IN MUCH MORE DETAIL, OUR JULY MEETING WITH YOU.
SO THAT POINT I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY, THANK YOU, MR. DOMBROWSKI.
I JUST WANT TO, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT SOMETHING.
I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY, I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM, CLARIFY, UH, DID YOU SAY THAT WE HAVE A SURPLUS OR OVERCOLLECTION FROM THE PSA CURRENTLY AND THAT WE'RE HANGING ON TO IT UNTIL WE HAVE MORE CERTAINTY AROUND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE WINTER STORM YURI REPRICING? IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT I HEARD YOU CORRECT? THAT'S THAT'S ONE OF THE, UH, UH, REGULATORY AND LEGISLATIVE ISSUES WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF BILLS COMING THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE REGARDING SECURITIZATION HAS SOME COMPONENTS, UM, THE CORE C UPLIFTS, UH, THROUGH ERCOT, UH,
[00:45:01]
WHAT PERIOD THOSE MIGHT OCCUR, ALL THAT IMPACTS THAT PSA BALANCE.SO AS A RESULT, WE THINK IT'S PRUDENT THAT WE LET THOSE, UM, MY OUT BEFORE WE ADJUST OUR PSA.
UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPMAN, YOU CAN, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS FOR MARK OR SOMEONE ELSE, BUT IT'S, TO ME, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.
THERE'S A LOT LOT IN HERE AND Y'ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, UH, BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE CONCERNS.
AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THE BUDGET REPRESENTS CUSTOMER VALUES, OUR INPUT, UH, AND INPUT TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, I HAVE TWO QUICK, JUST TWO QUESTION QUESTIONS, UH, FIRST HAS TO DO WITH, UH, THE ASSUMPTION, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS WAS GENERATED, BUT THE ASSUMPTION ON PAGE CAN, UH, WE ARE AT A POINT RIGHT NOW WHERE UNEMPLOYMENT IS ALMOST DOUBLE ITS LAST YEAR BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
IT WAS, UH, ABOUT 3%, RIGHT? WHICH WAS GREAT NEWS.
IT'S NOW A FIVE AND A HALF, 6%.
AND, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED RECEIVING WORK, WORKFORCE COMMISSION BENEFITS.
UH, THIS SHOWS THAT INSTEAD OF MAINTAINING THE CURRENT, UH, APP PROGRAM AT ITS ENHANCED LEVELS, UH, THERE'S AN INTENT TO SLASH IT BACK TO, UH, BACK TO ITS HISTORICAL BASIS.
UH, HOW WAS THIS POSITION MADE AND, AND IS THERE ANY WAY TO RECONSIDER RECONSIDER I'M I DON'T KNOW, UH, AGAIN, BECAUSE I'M NEW AT THE UC, I, I THINK, I THINK THIS IS A POLICY MATTER AND NOT, YOU KNOW, SIMPLY NUMBER CRUTCHING, RIGHT? WELL, YOUR, YOUR EXECUTIVE WIFE IS CHAPMAN.
AND SO, UM, HISTORICALLY WE KEPT THOSE DISCOUNTS AT 10%.
UM, AND WHEN WE, UM, BRING IN THE, THE, UM, THE BILL REDUCTION PROGRAM LAST MARCH IN 20, AS A RESULT OF THE COVID, WE INCREASED, WE INCREASED THAT, UM, THAT DISCOUNT FROM 10 TO 15%, UM, IT, IT HAD BEEN SET TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, WE, UH, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL ARE DIRECTED US TO EXTEND THAT 15% DISCOUNT THROUGH
HOWEVER, AGAIN, IT'S AN ASSUMPTION AND THAT, THAT MAY CHANGE UP BEFORE WE IMPLEMENT THAT.
UM,
THANK YOU FOR THAT BACKGROUND.
AND TO THE EXTENT, UH, THE AUC HAS, UH, UH, INPUT WITH THE COUNCIL, I'D CERTAINLY MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION BE OTHER A QUESTION I HAD, UH, UH, DEALS WITH, UH, AGE 16, WHICH IF I READ IT RIGHT, UH, WE ARE DOING SO MUCH GOOD, GOOD ON SAVING ENERGY.
OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, UH, HAVE BEEN SPECTACULAR WITH, WITH AT LEAST AS I'VE READ HISTORICAL DATA.
THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE LOW INCOME WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM, UH, SPENDING ITS MONEY, UH, AND, UH, ALL OF WHICH IS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT, UH, THEY THEY'VE HAD DIFFICULTIES.
AND IT SAYS HERE LAST ADJUSTMENT IN THE, UH, COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGE IS THAT THAT HAS BEEN DECREASED, UH, BY EIGHT BY 11%.
UH, ALL OF WHICH IS I CERTAINLY COMMEND AWSP AND ENERGY OR FOR IT'S, UH, GREAT WORK THAT HAS SHOWN ON THAT SLIDE, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE USING LESS, LESS ENERGY.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THE, UH, PROBLEMS WITH THE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT HELPS SUPPORT US TO THE POOR HAVE BEEN, UH, REALLY MIXED, UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC.
UM, PEOPLE SOMETIMES DON'T WANT FOLKS COMING IN THEIR HOUSE, BUT, UH, BUT TO THE EXTENT, AGAIN, TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE INPUT, OR IF THERE ARE EXPLANATIONS
[00:50:01]
FOR SLASHING THAT FUNDING, I'D LIKE TO KNOW NOW WHAT THE BACKGROUND IS.SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE AN OVERCOLLECTION MEAN WE'VE COLLECTED, UH, UH, MORE CASH FOR THAT PROGRAM.
THEN THE PROGRAM IS EXPANDING.
I CAN'T ADDRESS PROGRAMMATIC ISSUES AS BEST ADDRESS FOR CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS GROUPS THAT THE EXECUTE THOSE PROGRAMS. IT CAN TALK MORE ABOUT, UH, THOSE PROGRAM OPERATIONS.
UM, BUT BECAUSE WE HAD THAT OVER REFLECTION, UM, WE DID, UH, DAMON RESPONSIBLE TO RETURN THOSE OVER COLLECTIONS TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
THAT'S NORMALLY WHAT WE DO WITH THE PASSENGER CHARGES, THE POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT, THE REGULATORY CHARGE AND THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS CHARGE.
SO WE BALANCED THOSE, UM, BUT PERHAPS, UH, ELAINE TO SELL QUITE A FUTURE PRESENTATION.
AND CERTAINLY DURING THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, SHE WILL TALK ABOUT THOSE, THOSE, UH, UH, PROGRAMMATIC ISSUES WITHIN THE WEATHERIZATION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR LOW INCOME WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM.
AND THEN APPRECIATE IT, MARK COMMISSIONER TRUSSELL.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UH, STARTING ON YOUR SLIDE, 22, ABOUT YOUR INCLINING BLOCK RATES.
UM, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE, UM, THE, UH, THE, UM, I'M A PROPONENT OF INCLINING BLOCK RATES.
UM, AND, UH, SO IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THEY, UM, THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED, UH, THE PURPOSE OF REDUCING CONSUMPTION, WHICH I ASSUME WAS THE GOAL.
ONE OF THE GOALS, UM, OF, UH, UH, CHARGING MORE FOR THE HIGHER CONSUMPTION.
BUT, UM, TH THAT SHE SEEMS TO ME IS JEOPARDIZING AUSTIN ENERGY'S ABILITY TO RECOVER ITS COST.
WELL, I'M NOT PROPOSING A SOLUTION RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE'RE ANALYZING THIS.
AND SO WE'RE STAYING TO THE EXTENT, WHAT DO THE TIERS TELL US ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION THAT IT SENDS PRICE SIGNALS TO CUSTOMERS, AND WE HAVE SOME WAYS OF LOOKING AT SAYING, DOES THAT, IS THAT REALLY WHAT THEY'RE RESPONDING TO? UM, AND CERTAINLY FIVE TIERS, UM, IS A LOT BECAUSE HAVING FIVE, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO HAVE A REALLY UNDER PRICED FIRST TIER IN ORDER TO HAVE A FIFTH TIER.
AND SO PERHAPS, UM, LOOKING AT FOUR OR THREE OR TWO TIERS AND SEEING HOW THAT MIGHT DRIVE, UM, AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION AS WELL.
BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
UM, WE HAVE A GREAT DATA SET WITH AN AUSTIN ENERGY.
WE HAVE A MIX OF CUSTOMERS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CITY MULTI-FAMILY HOMES.
WE HAVE LARGE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, OLDER HOMES, A LOT OF NEWER STOCK.
SO WE'RE USING ALL OF THAT DATA AT THIS TIME TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW, UH, TIERS AND PRICING PRICING SIGNALS ARE USED BY OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO, UM, I ASSUME THAT, UH, WEATHER, UH, ESPECIALLY WINTER, I MEAN, SORRY, SUMMER WEATHER HAS A LOT TO DO WITH, UM, THE REVENUES THAT ARE GENERATED.
IN OTHER WORDS, MILD, MILD SUMMERS.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET AS MUCH OF THAT TIER FIVE REVENUE.
YOU KNOW, I POINTED OUT THAT OUR AVERAGE CUSTOMER ON AVERAGE, MONTHLY BASIS USES ABOUT 840 KILOWATT HOURS.
AND SO THAT TOPS OUT THEY'RE A TIER TWO.
AND SO THE MAJORITY OF THE YEAR, OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS ARE TIER ONES AND TWOS, UM, WHICH IS A LOW COST OF SERVICE THERE.
AND SO, UM, USING A NORMALIZED WEATHER YEAR, UH, IF THEY HAVE MORE MILD SUMMER, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, BUT UNDER COLLECT REVENUES TO PAY OUR COSTS, AND IT WAS A REALLY HOT YEAR, IT'LL PUSH MORE CUSTOMERS IN THOSE MUCH HIGHER PRICE TIERS, AND THAT CAUSES THE BILL INSTABILITY FOR THEM AS WELL.
UM, I, UH, SO I WAS INTERESTED IN YOUR, UH, SLIDE 31 ABOUT THE PSA REVENUES, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE GOT TO WAIT FOR THE FINAL SETTLEMENT WITH ERCOT, UM, TO ANALYZE THAT, BUT I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, ONE I'M A S WHAT, HOW DID THE ACTUAL REVENUES, UM, OF 40 443 MILLION, UH, ROUNDED COMPARE WITH WHAT YOU HAD FORECASTED? AND, AND I S I'M ASSUMING IT WAS HIGHER, AND I'M ASSUMING IT'S ATTRIBUTABLE TO REVENUES GENERATED AS A RESULT OF THE WINTER STORM, IS THAT CORRECT? SO THESE WERE WHAT WE HAD FORECASTED FOR FYI 21.
SO IT, IT ASSUMED A NORMAL WEATHER YEAR.
[00:55:01]
UM, OBVIOUSLY BOTH THAT LINE, THE REVENUE THAT WE GENERATED OUR CLOCK, UM, IS PROBABLY CLOSER TO 1.4 BILLION.UM, AND OF COURSE OUR COST OF SERVICE BUYING THE ENERGY FROM OUR COCK WAS MUCH HIGHER, CLOSER TO THE 1.4 BILLION.
SO THE NET DIFFERENCE IS STILL IN LINE WITH HIS BUDGET, BUT THE COST, THE REVENUE THAT WE PRODUCED THROUGH ARE CAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM OR CLOUD WHERE MULTITUDE HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THIS CHART.
THAT'S UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M AWARE THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME PRESS IN WHICH CUSTOMERS FEEL LIKE, UH, WHILE THEY WERE WITHOUT, UH, HOW OR THAT AUSTIN ENERGY WAS MAKING MONEY.
CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? I MEAN, THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE NOT A WELL THOUGHT OUT, UM, ANALYSIS OF, OF WHAT THE RESULT IS, IF YOU, UM, WERE ABLE TO SELL MORE GENERATION, UM, DURING THE BLACKOUTS.
AND COULD YOU JUST ADDRESS THAT, THAT, UH, POTENTIAL COMPLIANCE? YEAH, SO WE, WE PRODUCED, UM, IN TERMS OF REVENUE, ABOUT 105%, NOT FOR REVENUE TO COVER OUR COSTS.
SO THERE'S ABOUT A 5% MARGIN, SO IT'S NOT A HUGE AMOUNT, BUT, UM, AS ALWAYS, WE PRODUCE ENERGY, UM, AND THAT ENERGY GOES TO FEED THE ERCOT GRID, UH, SERVING ALL OF TEXAS, UM, AND ALL LOAD SERVING ENTITIES WAS WE WERE ALSO A LOAD SERVING ENTITY, PULLS THE POWER OFF OF THE GRID.
AND SO WE DON'T DIRECTLY PRODUCE THE ENERGY THAT OUR CUSTOMERS DEMAND THAT BALANCING AUTHORITIES, THE REST WITH ERCOT.
UM, AND THAT'S TRUE, WHETHER WE'RE, UM, IN AN OUTAGE OCCURRENCE LIKE YOUR WINTER STORM MARRIED, OR JUST ON A NORMAL DAY LIKE TODAY.
AND SO THERE ARE TIMES WHEN PRICES GET SO LOW IN HER COT THAT WE TURN OUR GENERATION OFF, AND WE JUST ENJOY THAT, THAT LOW MARKET PRICE, USUALLY AS A BENEFIT OF WIND IN TEXAS.
SO OUR ERCOT BALANCES OF THAT AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PRODUCE POWER WITH OUR GENERATIONAL ERCOT CALLS ON IT.
WE DO BID THOSE PRICES IN THE ERCOT THEY'RE ACCEPTED.
OF COURSE, WE BUY THAT ENERGY FROM ERCOT OFF THE GRID AS WELL.
AND SO DURING THAT STORM WHERE WE HAD THE OUTAGES, WE WERE RESPONDING TO ERCOT DEMAND FOR MORE POWER, AND WE WERE PRODUCING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN, THAT WE COULD FROM OUR GENERATORS TO HELP TEXAS OUT.
UM, SO ON THE, UM, UH, POWER SUPPLY REVENUE THAT NET, THAT AUSTIN RECEIVES THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE GENERAL FUND TRANSFER, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
NOTHING IN, UM, POWER SUPPLY OR DISTRICT COOLING IS SUBJECT TO, UM, GENERAL FUND TRANSFER.
THEN I JUST HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECT ON SLIDE 33, WHERE YOU'RE SHOWING YOUR TOP 10 CONTRACTUAL, UH, BUDGET ITEMS. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE THIRD LINE, THE LINE CLEARANCE SERVICES FOR DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSMISSION.
I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT IS THAT THAT COVERS THE CONTRACTS, UH, THAT WE REVIEWED FOR, UM, UH, VEGETATION MANAGEMENT FOR BOTH DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSMISSION.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT IS VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, AND THAT WAS, WE INCREASED IT BY $10 MILLION FROM 20 TO 21.
AND SO, UM, I, THAT, THAT IS FROM 20 TO 21.
HAVE YOU INCREASED IT FURTHER FOR, ARE YOU ANTICIPATING IT WILL BE INCREASED FURTHER FOR 2022? AND THE REASON I ASK IS THAT I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT, UH, WE NEED TO GET, UM, MORE, MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE AND ON TOP OF VEGETATION MANAGEMENT TO AVOID THE KIND OF OUTAGES, NOT THE, NOT THE MANDATED LOAD SHED, THAT THE OUTAGES THAT WERE EXPERIENCED LEADING INTO THE, UM, THE, UH, OUTAGES MANDATED BY ERCOT.
AND SO D CAN YOU TALK, TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT PLEASE.
SO I DON'T YET KNOW WHERE OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT BUDGET WILL REST ONCE WE FINISHED THE 22, I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS ARE USUALLY WORKING ON BOTH VEGETATION MANAGEMENT IN TERMS OF RELIABILITY, BUT ALSO WILDFIRE MITIGATION.
AND SO WE'RE KIND OF A CITY-WIDE TEAM TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND SO I'M SURE THAT BUDGET WILL REFLECT OUR BEST EFFORTS TO, TO MANAGE THAT.
I JUST THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE, THAT THE BUDGET FOR 2020 TO REFLECT THE REALITY, THAT SOME PORTION OF THE, UM, OUTAGES THAT OCCURRED LEADING INTO, UM, UH, FEBRUARY THE FEBRUARY 15TH, UH, EVENT, UM, IS MADE PRETTY
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PUBLIC SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT PART OF THE PROBLEM IS YOU GOTTA, WE HAVE TO DO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT TO AVOID THIS KIND OF OUTAGES GOING FORWARD.IT DOES ICE WEIGHS A LOT MORE.
IT GETS ON TREE LIMBS AND THEY FALL ON HER CONDUCTORS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TRUSSELL.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS OR MR. DOMBROWSKI? I'LL CALL ON COMMISSIONER WELDON SPECIFICALLY, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, WE'RE FINE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE NO MORE QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU, MR. DOMBROVSKIS FOR THE PRESENTATION, ALWAYS EDUCATIONAL.
[11. Energy Market Economics, the Texas Regulatory Framework, Customer Costs for Power Supply and Circuit Segmentation.]
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 11.UH, THIS IS ENERGY MARKET ECONOMICS, ET CETERA.
UM, I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE PACKED WITH A LOT OF INTERESTING, GOOD INFORMATION LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
WHO DO WE HAVE FROM AMY? THAT'S PRESENTING THIS.
WE'LL START OFF WITH, UH, UH, ERICA BEER SPOCK, OUR VICE-PRESIDENT FOR MARKET OPERATIONS, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TWO OTHER PRESENTERS AND THEY'LL INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AS THE PRESENTATION GOES ALONG.
IT HELPS WITH BANDWIDTH, SO THINGS DON'T GET, UH, KIND OF CHOPPY, UH, AND THEN JUMP BACK ON FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
SO IN 2002, THE STATE DEREGULATED THE ELECTRIC INDUSTRY IN TEXAS, EXCEPT FOR TRANSMISSION PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION, OR A PC FOR SHORT, UH, OVERSEES THE ELECTRIC MARKET STRUCTURE.
IT ADOPTS RULES ADDRESSING THE MARKET AND CAN REVERSE RULES ADOPTED BY THE ERCOT BOARD.
THE PUC HAS AUTHORITY OVER OR CUTS, FINANCES, BUDGET, AND OPERATIONS WITH TEXAS LEGISLATURE OVERSIGHT.
YOUR CUP BOARD IS COMPRISED OF 16 MEMBERS ESTABLISHED BY LAW, AND THIS COMPOSITION IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? THANK YOU.
UH, SO WHAT ABOUT ERCOT? IT'S UH, THE ELECTRIC RELIABILITY COUNCIL OF TEXAS.
IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1970 WITH THE LEGISLATURE ENACTING LAWS GOVERNING OR CUT ACTIVITIES, OR COD IS A NONPROFIT WITH MEMBERS FROM SEVEN MARKET SEGMENTS.
THEY ARE LISTED HERE BEFORE YOU CONSUMERS.
CO-OPS INDEPENDENT GENERATORS, INDEPENDENT REPS, IOUS, AND THEN OUR SEGMENT, WHICH IS THE MUNICIPALS OR THE MOU.
SO PURPOSE REALLY COMES DOWN TO FOUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS RELIABILITY SYSTEM RELIABILITY OR BALANCING SUPPLY AND DEMAND OR GENERATION AND LOAD IS DONE.
UM, BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, MAINTAINING THE GRID AT 60 HERTZ CONTINUOUSLY EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY IN ADDITION OR ERCOT IS THE FINANCIAL CONDUIT THAT SETTLES ALL WHOLESALE MARKET ACTIVITY FOR ALL MARKET PARTICIPANTS AND FOR ALL WHOLESALE PRODUCTS, SETTLING PRICES FOR THOUSANDS OF NODES ACROSS THE STATE, IN ORDER TO PRICE, SUPPLY, AND DEMAND ON THE SYSTEM EVERY FIVE MINUTES OR CARTS RESPONSIBLE FOR, OR FACILITATING THE RETAIL SWITCHING PROCESS THAT GIVES CUSTOMER CHOICE IN DEREGULATED RETAIL MARKETS.
AND THEY ALSO PROVIDE OPEN ACCESS TO TRANSMISSION FOR DEVELOPMENT.
ERCOT MECHANICS, AUSTIN ENERGY'S CUSTOMERS HAVE INVESTED IN GENERATION AUSTIN ENERGY MUST OFFER THAT GENERATION INTO THE ERCOT MARKET FOR IT TO DISPATCH THE CITY'S GENERATION COMPETES WITH ALL THE OTHER GENERATION IN THE WHOLESALE MARKET.
OUR GENERATION DOES NOT SUPPLY OUR LOAD.
THE POWER OUR CUSTOMERS USE IS PURCHASED FROM ERCOT AT OUR AUSTIN LOAD ZONE.
SO HOW DO MARKET PARTICIPANTS LIKE AEI TAKE PART IN ERCOT? AAE DOES NOT SELF-SUPPLY ITS GENERATION TO ITS CUSTOMERS.
ERCOT MARKET IS A NODAL MARKET WHICH REQUIRES SUPPLY OR GENERATION AND DEMAND OR LOAD TO BE EITHER INJECTED OR PULLED FROM THE GRID AT SPECIFIC NODES FOR THAT ENERGY TO BE VALUED OR PRICED ACCORDINGLY.
AES PER PARTICIPATION IN THE ERCOT MARKET IS NOT OPTIONAL TO SERVE OUR LOAD AND UTILIZE OUR GENERATION ASSETS.
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WE MUST ENGAGE IN ARCATA INFRASTRUCTURE.OUR CUSTOMERS GENERATION COMPETES IN ARCATA DEREGULATED WHOLESALE MARKET, ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER GENERATION IN THE MARKET AUSTIN'S MARKET SEGMENT IS THE MUNICIPAL SEGMENT.
WE ARE A NON-OPTION ENTITY OR A NOEY, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE NOT OPTED INTO RETAIL COMPETITION.
WE COMPETE IN THE WHOLESALE MARKET, BUT NOT IN THE RETAIL MARKET.
WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND IN ORDER TO FULFILL THAT COMMITMENT, WE MUST PURCHASE ALL OUR CUSTOMERS POWER FROM THE GRID OR CO MARKET, WHICH IS THE ERCOT MARKET.
AND WE PURCHASE THAT POWER AT AUSTIN'S LOAD ZONE AT OUR LOAD ZONE PRICE, WHICH SETTLES EVERY 15 MINUTES AUSTIN'S CUSTOMERS HAVE INVESTED IN GENERATION.
THEREFORE AUSTIN ENERGY IS A GENERATOR IN ARCADA WHOLESALE MARKET.
WE OFFER OUR UNITS IN THESE UNITS, ALL TYPES, RENEWABLES, CONVENTIONAL GENERATION COMPETE AGAINST EACH OTHER AGAINST EACH OTHER, THROUGH A PROCESS OF OFFER CURVES AND ECONOMIC DISPATCH.
IF, AND WHEN WE ARE SELECTED, WE ARE TOLD HOW MUCH THE MARKET WILL BUY AND WHAT VALUE THE MARKET IS PLACING ON THAT ENERGY.
THROUGH THE SETTLEMENT PRICE, IT RECEIVES AT ITS LOCATION.
OUR GENERATION DOES NOT SERVE OUR LOAD, BUT IT DOES BENEFIT OUR LOAD BY PROVIDING A PHYSICAL HEDGE IN THE WHOLESALE MARKET.
SO HOW DID THIS, UH, SERVE US DURING THE WINTER EVENT AND HOW WAS OUR PORTFOLIO PREPARED FOR IT? NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO THIS GRAPH REPRESENTS ALL THE AVAILABLE GENERATION AUSTIN ENERGY HAD FOR THE MARKET FROM FEBRUARY 11TH TO FEBRUARY 19TH, AS WELL AS A FEW PURCHASES WE MADE IN THE COLOR BROWN FOR FURTHER PROTECTION.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SLIDE IS DIFFERENT THAN A PREVIOUS SLIDE SHOWN TO COUNCIL.
UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR, LAST MONTH, I THINK AT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, WHICH LOOKS SIMILAR TO THIS ONE, THE GRAPH SHOWN PREVIOUSLY ONLY DEPICTED THE AMOUNT OF GENERATION THAT WAS PRODUCED FROM AUSTIN.
THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF GENERATION WE HAD AVAILABLE DURING THE EVENT.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE GRAPH SHOWS YOU THE PORTFOLIO SUPPLY OR CAPACITY DURING THE EVENT, THE GRAPH SHOWS GENERATION IN EXCESS OF FORECASTED LOAD.
IT ALSO SHOWS THAT THE EXCESS GENERATION WAS NOT DUE TO LOAD SHED.
THERE WAS GENERATION IN OUR FLEET THAT DID NOT COMPLETELY DISPATCH, AND THAT WAS FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
AND I'LL WALK THROUGH THOSE REASONS BEFORE ERCOT ENTERED EEA ON MONDAY THE 15TH AND BEGAN TO SHED LOAD IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, GAS PRICES HAD ALREADY BEEN TRADING VERY HIGH OVER THE WEEKEND, DUE TO THE FREEZE OFFS AND SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS IN THE WEST.
ALTHOUGH PRICES AT NIGHT OVER THE WEEKEND WERE IN THE THOUSANDS.
WHEN NORMALLY THEY'RE IN THE TEAMS, THEY DID NOT GET HIGH ENOUGH TO BRING ON ALL OF OUR GENERATION.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST REASONS WE DID NOT DISPATCH TO THE TOP.
UM, SINCE THE, SINCE THE 11 SECOND REASON IS AS A LOAD SERVING ENTITY, WHO IS FOR, WE ARE 4% OF THE MARKET, WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF ANCILLARY SERVICES TO THE MARKET AND CILIARY SERVICES ARE THE RELIABILITY PRODUCTS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THE TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRIC POWER FROM GENERATORS TO CONSUMERS, AUSTIN ENERGY TYPICALLY CARRIES OR TIES UP.
MOST OF THOSE INSULARY SERVICES ON OUR OWN GENERATING UNITS, AS OPPOSED TO BUYING THEM FROM THE MARKET.
THIS SERVED OUR CUSTOMERS WELL DURING THIS EVENT BECAUSE THESE REQUIREMENTS WERE COSTING THE MARKET TWO AND A HALF TIMES.
THE PRICE OF ENERGY WHEN THE ENERGY WAS AT THE $9,000 CAP.
AND FINALLY, REASON NUMBER THREE, THERE WERE MANY HOURS WHILE ERCOT WAS TRYING TO MAINTAIN STABILITY ON THE NETWORK AND BRING LOAD BACK ONTO THE SYSTEM THAT A PORTION OF OUR GENERATION UNITS WERE SITTING AT THE BOTTOM WAITING FOR DIRECTION FROM ARCOT TO BRING OUR UNITS BACK UP TO MEET DEMAND.
SO IT WAS AUSTIN ENERGY'S GENERATION AND POSITIONS, UM, WERE WELL IN EXCESS OF OUR FORECASTED LOAD.
WE, ALONG WITH OTHER GENERATORS SURF SUFFERED TRIPS, BUT FOR MOST OF THE EVENT, IT WASN'T LOAD SHED THAT POSITIONED US FINANCIALLY.
IT WAS THAT WE HAD GENERATION FOR A MARKET THAT WAS IN SEVERE SHORT SUPPLY.
I E WELL IN EXCESS OF OUR FORECAST LOAD, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? SO AUSTIN ENERGY HAS BEEN MANAGING THE PRICE RISK IN OUR CUSTOMER'S PORTFOLIO FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
OUR HEDGING PROGRAM HAS OVERSIGHT A COMPETITIVE PROCESS FOR ACQUIRING ASSETS, A DIVERSIFIED PORTFOLIO, AND AN
[01:10:01]
ACTIVE PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY, WHICH HAS SERVED OUR COMMUNITY.WELL, YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF HOW OUR PORTFOLIO IS DIVERSIFIED THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
I THINK MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS MANY TIMES, UM, BUT JUST, UH, BRIEFLY BY SELECTING PROJECTS IN DIFFERENT REGIONS, WE DECREASE DEPENDENCE ON A SPECIFIC REGION, UM, WHICH AGAIN, SERVED US WELL WHEN THE POLAR VORTEX WAS GOING STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE STATE, UH, AND INCREASES PROBABILITY OF EXPECTED OUTPUT SLIDE NUMBER 10.
FINALLY, AUSTIN ENERGY'S HEDGING PROGRAM BEGAN MANAGING THE NATURAL GAS PRICE RISK IN THE FUEL CHARGE.
WHEN THE VOLATILITY IN THE MARKET CREATED MUCH UNCERTAINTY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, THIS WAS BACK IN 2001.
WHEN IT CAME ONLINE, OUR FUEL CHARGE IS NOW THE POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT, UM, OR THE PSA.
UH, WE MANAGED THE PRICE RISK INHERENT IN THIS CHARGE.
THE POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT IS PASSED THROUGH AND DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO GENERAL FUNDS TRANSFER.
I'M SORRY, I'M REPEATING SOME THINGS YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD.
UM, BUT UH, THIS, UH, PSA RPSA INCLUDES THE NODAL PRICE RISKS THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT AROUND OUR LOAD ZONE COSTS AND WHERE OUR CONSUMERS DEMAND POWER, AS WELL AS WHERE OUR RESOURCES INJECT POWER OR THE REVENUE THAT, UH, UH, MR. DOMBROWSKI SPOKE ABOUT.
UM, IT ALSO INCLUDES THE CONGESTION ON THE NETWORK, UM, OUR FUEL PRICE, RISK, NATURAL GAS, COAL, AS WELL AS THE TRANSPORTATION FOR THOSE FUELS.
UM, SO IF THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS, UM, I CAN, I WOULD LIKE TO PASS THE BATON ONTO AUSTIN ANGIE'S DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, ADAM MCINROY, WHO IS GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE PSA IN MORE DEPTH, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
MS.
SURE THING, IF ANYBODY PLEASURE AS ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER SPECIFICALLY.
IF, UH, ERICA, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO GO BACK TO THE, YOUR, UH, POWER SUPPLY SLIDE, THE GRAPHIC, UH, I'D BE INTERESTED IN HEARING ANY COMMENTS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE FAILURES THAT WE DID HAVE.
CAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE DROP-OFF IN WIND AND THE NUCLEAR UNIT.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DETAIL YOU CAN PROVIDE ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES, BUT OTHERWISE, UH, I KNOW THAT GENERATION, CERTAINLY YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB DURING THE STORM.
UH, SO I THINK MAYBE, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU SAID THE PARKS PLAY SIDE, BUT I THINK YOU NEED SLIDE NUMBER SEVEN.
UH, YEAH, THE GENERATION SLIDE.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO.
SO, UM, SO YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE ISSUES AROUND THE TRIPS ARE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, UH, OUT THERE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE PUT INFORMATION WITH REGARDS TO THE OUTAGES AND, AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE STP TRIP, YOU SEE THAT HAPPENING RIGHT THERE MONDAY MORNING.
UM, AND THAT'S THE BIG DROP-OFF THERE.
UM, UH, THE FIRST DARK GRAY LINE, UM, THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY VERY MASSIVE AND IT REALLY AFFECTED THE MARKET.
UM, WE ARE, AS FAR AS OUR NATURAL GAS PLANTS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE PERFORMED, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY WELL.
WE, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY FUEL ISSUES.
WE VERY HAD VERY HIGH COST FUEL, LIKE MANY, MANY, UH, MARKET PARTICIPANTS.
UM, LIKE I SAID, UH, WE WERE, UH, YOU KNOW, EXTREMELY RELIABLE GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, UM, WITH REGARDS TO WIND AND SOLAR, UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE WERE AN ICE STORM OR BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, UH, WE HAD VERY LOW SOLAR OUTPUT, BUT WE DID, UH, YOU KNOW, GET SOME DOWN TOWARDS THE VALLEY.
WE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD PERFORMANCE.
UM, THE WIND ON THE COAST PERFORMED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.
UM, UH, BUT WE DID HAVE SOME DERATES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, UH, UP NORTH THAT GOT HIT SO MUCH HARDER THAN IT DID DOWN SOUTH.
UM, SOME OF THOSE UNITS WERE HAVING SOME TROUBLE PERFORMING AS WELL.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL OF, I'M NOT SURE IF I'M GIVING YOU AS MUCH DETAIL AS YOU WERE INTERESTED IN, BUT MAYBE IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC QUESTION, NO, THAT WAS THAT THE LEVEL OF DETAIL IS AFTER, AND THEN MAYBE A COMMENT ON THE, THE A DAY AHEAD MARKET PURCHASE THAT OCCURRED LATE DRAFT.
UM, SO IF YOU SEE THERE'S A, THERE'S SOME BROWN THERE ACTUALLY RIGHT THERE AT THE PEAK, AND I'M GONNA, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THE CURSOR, BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING RIGHT IN BETWEEN, UH, THE 15TH AND 16TH, THERE'S SOME BROWN RIGHT AROUND THE SOLAR ESSENTIALLY.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS ACTUALLY ON MONDAY.
UM, WE DIDN'T REALLY NEED TO BUY ANYTHING BEFORE MONDAY, BUT, UH, COMING INTO MONDAY, WE SAW WHAT WAS INTERESTING WAS, IS, UM, SO AS YOU PROBABLY WELL KNOW, FORECASTS DURING EXTREME WEATHER
[01:15:01]
EVENTS, UH, HAVE A MUCH HIGHER PROBABILITY OF ERROR, RIGHT? SO WHEN I'M AT 110 MEGAWATTS, A HUNDRED OR 110, UM, DEGREES, 105 DEGREES, OR IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AT EIGHT OR 10, MY FORECAST ERROR IS GOING TO BE MUCH, MUCH MORE SKEWED THAN IF I'M IN A, YOU KNOW, IN THE MEAN NORMAL DISTRIBUTION.AND, UM, WHEN WE WERE COMING INTO THIS, UH, INTO, INTO MONDAY, SO SUNDAY, WE WERE LOOKING TO BUY BEFORE WE KNEW THAT ANYTHING WAS GOING TO TRIP AS BADLY AS IT DID.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE SAW THE FORECAST TRADING AT REALLY ASTRONOMICAL OR NOT TRADING, BUT COMING IN AT VERY ASTRONOMICAL LEVELS, UM, WE HAD TO MAKE SOME JUDGMENT DECISIONS BECAUSE IT, IT, IT WAS TELLING US THAT IF THESE LOAD LEVELS WERE ACTUALLY AS HIGH AS THEY WERE REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE, UM, THAT THE SYSTEM WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE IT.
AND SO THERE WERE SOME DECISIONS THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE AS FAR AS HOW MUCH, UH, HOW MUCH WE WOULD BUY, BECAUSE THE PRICE, BECAUSE THE PRICING WAS SO HIGH.
WE WERE ABLE TO PICK UP SOME POWER IN THE DAY AHEAD TO PROTECT OUR LOAD, WHICH WAS VERY GOOD THAT WE DID, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE UNITS WERE GOING TO TRIP AND, AND THAT WE WERE GOING TO SEE THIS LOW CHET.
SO IT ACTUALLY WORKED OUT IN OUR, IT, IT, THOSE DECISIONS WORKED WELL.
WE CONTINUED TO PURCHASE, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE BROWN ON THE 17TH, UM, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG THESE CONDITIONS WERE GOING TO LAST.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, IT WASN'T, YOU KNOW, WASN'T WARMING UP, IT KEPT ON IT, IT WOULD GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
WE WOULD SEE LOAD COMING BACK ONTO THE SYSTEM.
AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO START SHEDDING AGAIN.
SO WE WERE GOING, IT WAS A KIND OF, A BIT OF A SEESAW, UM, BACK AND FORTH, UM, DURING THE, DURING THE 16TH, DURING THE 17TH AND INTO THE 18TH.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY, UH, WE, WE, WE, WE KEPT ON PURCHASING, UM, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT PAST THAT MONDAY.
UM, AND THEN WE SAW THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T NEED TO BUY ANYMORE.
UM, AFTER THAT, UM, PRICES WERE SOMEWHAT HIGH IN THE DAYS AHEAD, BUT IT WAS WELL WORTH IT GIVING, GIVEN, GIVEN THE CONDITIONS THE PROTECTION CERTAINLY PAID OFF.
THAT ADDRESSES MY LEVEL OF QUESTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THIS SPEAR SPOT? OKAY.
LET'S MOVE ON TO MR. MACK AND ROY.
I'M AUSTIN, ENERGY'S FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR RISK AND SETTLEMENTS.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY TO PROVIDE SOME FURTHER DETAIL, UH, AFTER MR. DOBROSKY IS AND MS. FUSEBOX COMMENTS ON HOW THE ENERGY MARKETS THAT ERIC HAD DESCRIBED BECOME PART OF OUR CUSTOMER'S FINANCES THROUGH OUR BILLING AND THROUGH THAT POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING.
SO THE ENERGY MARKETS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, CREATE POWER SUPPLY COSTS AND REVENUES FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, AND THESE ARE PASSED THROUGH TO CUSTOMERS ON A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR BASIS THROUGH THE POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT CHARGE ON THEIR MONTHLY BILLS, PSA CASH FLOWS, ENCOMPASS COSTS AND REVENUES FROM OUR WHOLESALE POWER MARKET ACTIVITIES ON BEHALF OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND THE LARGEST COMPONENTS.
AS ERICA TOUCHED ON OUR PURCHASES FOR CUSTOMER USAGE, DRAWING FROM THE GRID SALES FROM OUR GENERATION FLEET, INJECTING INTO THE GRID, AND THEN PURCHASES FOR THE FUEL AND RENEWABLE ENERGY THAT SUPPLY THAT FLEET TO MAKE GENERATION NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO ON A DAILY BASIS, THESE PSA COST COMPONENTS ARE FAST MOVING AND DYNAMIC, A FEATURE HOURLY PRICE MOVEMENTS, AND 15 MINUTES SETTLEMENTS AS ERICA DESCRIBED A DAILY SETTLEMENTS.
SO ACTUAL CASHFLOWS IS MOVING BACK AND FORTH EVERY SINGLE DAY, A SEASONAL MARKET ENVIRONMENTS WITH DISTINCT DYNAMICS AND MULTIPLE RELATED MARKETS FROM ELECTRICITY TO RESERVES TO THE FUELS AND RENEWABLE RESOURCES THAT POWER THEM THROUGHOUT THE ENERGY MARKETS.
THERE'S A STRONG DEPENDENCE ON TEXAS HAS COMPLEX WEATHER.
SO A KEY FOCUS OF AUSTIN ENERGY'S OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL PROCEDURES IS TO MITIGATE THAT DYNAMISM AND VOLATILITY TO OFFER CUSTOMERS STABLE AND AFFORDABLE RATES TO DO THIS.
THE UTILITY USES A DIVERSIFIED PORTFOLIO OF PHYSICAL GENERATION RESOURCES, A THOROUGH SWEEP OF RISK MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AND FINANCIAL POLICIES AND CASH MANAGEMENT FROM ITS OWN BALANCE SHEET, UH, TO HELP CUSTOMERS TO HELP PROVIDE CUSTOMERS AN ANNUAL PSA RATE WITH MEASURED CHANGES FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
SO CUSTOMERS EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCED ENERGY MARKET COSTS AS MONTHLY PSA CHARGES THEY'RE COLLECTED AS A PASS THROUGH CHARGE LEVIED PER KILOWATT HOUR ON CUSTOMER BILLS.
THE RATE FOR THOSE CHARGES IS THAT ONCE PER YEAR, UH, IN THAT PROCESS, THAT'S COMING UP
[01:20:01]
AND IT'S DETERMINED SO THAT IT RECOVERS THE ENERGY MARKET COSTS NET OF REVENUES WHEN CONSIDERED ACROSS FULL SYSTEM.AND OVER THE 12 MONTHS OF THE RATE YEAR, THE PSA CHARGE IS A ONE-TO-ONE AND DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR PASS THROUGH OF THOSE NET ENERGY MARKET COSTS PER KILOWATT HOUR.
SO IN PARTICULAR WHERE OUR GENERATION, OUR CUSTOMERS GENERATION PORTFOLIO EARNS REVENUE FROM SALES, THAT REVENUE OFFSETS COSTS DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR AS WELL.
IN PARTICULAR, NO GENERAL FUND TRANSFER IS APPLIED TO PSA COSTS OR REVENUE.
PSA CHARGES ARE ONLY PART OF THE OVERALL ELECTRIC BILL AS MARK WAS LAYING OUT.
THEY CURRENTLY ACCOUNT FOR ROUGHLY 31% OF RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER BILLS.
AND THE OTHER KEY COMPONENTS ARE BASE RATES AND REGULATORY CHARGES, AS ON SOME OF THE PREVIOUS SLIDES.
SO THE PSA RATE IS ADJUSTED ONCE PER YEAR, AND IT'S DETERMINED SO THAT IT COLLECTS THE NET COST FOR MARKET ACTIVITY OVER ONE FULL YEAR, AS ESTIMATED AT THE TIME OF RATE SETTING, THE RATE IS ALSO SET AS WITH OTHER PASSENGERS THAT MARK DESCRIBED TO RETURN OR COLLECT ANY NON ZERO PSA BALANCE.
THAT'S HELD BY AUSTIN ENERGY IN OUR OWN FUNDS ON CUSTOMER'S BEHALF, UH, AT THE TIME OF RATE SETTING.
SO DAILY AND MONTHLY MOVEMENTS IN PSA SETTLEMENTS FROM THOSE ENERGY MARKETS ARE MANAGED BY AUSTIN ENERGY'S FUNDS AND SHORT-TERM CHANGES DO NOT IMMEDIATELY IMPACT CUSTOMER BILLS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, FROM THE STORM, UH, THERE IS A MECHANISM BY WHICH IF THE BALANCE HELD IN THE UTILITIES ACCOUNTS BECOMES LARGE.
AUSTIN ENERGY DOES WORK WITH COUNCIL TO ADJUST THE PSA RATE OFF CYCLE, TO BEGIN TO RETURN THE BALANCE OR COLLECT THE DEFICIT MORE QUICKLY.
UH, BUT WE STILL IN THAT CASE TARGET AND RETURN OVER 12 MONTHS FOLLOWING THE ADJUSTMENT.
SO EVERYTHING'S SORT OF, UH, DESIGNED TO BE STABLE AND TO HAPPEN OVER THE ANNUAL CYCLE.
SO AUSTIN ENERGY'S CASH AND LIQUIDITY BALANCES HELP MANAGE THE DAILY SETTLEMENTS IN THESE ENERGY MARKETS SO THAT AUSTIN ENERGY CAN TRANSACT IN THESE DAILY MARKETS WHILE OFFERING CUSTOMERS RATES THAT ARE COLLECTED MONTHLY SET ANNUALLY.
AND THAT EXPERIENCE MEASURE CHANGES, UH, UTILITIES ACROSS TEXAS USE THEIR OWN FINANCIAL RESOURCES SIMILARLY ON BEHALF OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.
AND ONE THING THAT OCCURRED AFTER THE WINTER EVENT WAS THAT THESE LIQUIDITY BALANCES AND GENERAL FINANCIAL HEALTH ACROSS THE INDUSTRY CAME TO BE ITEMS OF KEY CONCERN, UH, FOR BOND HOLDERS AND FOR RATING AGENCIES WHO EVALUATE THE ABILITY OF UTILITIES TO REMAIN FINANCIALLY SOUND AND TO MAKE TIMELY PAYMENTS ON THEIR BOND OBLIGATIONS IN PARTICULAR.
SO, UH, FOR US THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY'S WINTER EVENT, AUSTIN ENERGY'S CASH BALANCES DID REMAIN HEALTHY AND, UH, PAT GAVE SUPPORT TO THESE STABLE RATES THAT WE CAN OFFER TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
ONE THING YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, UH, IS THAT AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, DID MAKE A DISCLOSURE ABOUT ITS FINANCIAL STATE, UM, UH, AFTER THE EVENT.
SO BECAUSE AUSTIN ENERGY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARTICIPATE IN BOND MARKETS, THE UTILITY HAS TAKEN ON OBLIGATIONS, MAKE BOND HOLDERS AWARE OF SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL EVENTS AND RISKS TO MEET THAT OBLIGATION.
AFTER THE WINTER EVENT, AUSTIN ENERGY AND CITY OF AUSTIN TREASURY WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE A FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE TO THE BOND MARKETS.
AND THIS WAS AROUND MARCH 8TH, THE DISCLOSURE DESCRIBED THE WINTER EVENT AND UPDATED BOND HOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC ON AUSTIN ENERGY'S FINANCIAL POSITION DURING, AND AFTER THE EVENT, AS KEY POINTS OF THE DISCLOSURE, AUSTIN ENERGY AND TREASURY COMMUNICATED A FEW ITEMS, NOTABLY, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY'S CASH LIQUIDITY POSITION REMAINED STRONG THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, BUT DURING THE EVENT, AUSTIN ENERGY DID SUPPLY GENERATION IN EXCESS OF ITS LOAD TO THE ERCOT MARKET.
AND THAT BECAUSE OF THIS, WE ESTIMATE THAT WHOLESALE MARKET REVENUE WILL OFFSET ALL MARKET COSTS FROM THE EVENT WHEN ALL THOSE COSTS ARE SETTLED IN THEIR, IN THEIR FINAL FORM.
WE ALSO DISCLOSED THE IMPORTANT CAVEAT THAT SETTLEMENTS FOR ALL ACTIVITIES DURING THE WEEK ARE NOT YET COMPLETE AND MANY UNCERTAINTIES REMAIN.
AND WE NOTED THAT SOME OF THOSE UNCERTAINTIES ARE LARGE ENOUGH THAT THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CHANGE AUSTIN.
ENERGY'S CUSTOMERS, ECONOMICS FROM A NET REVENUE POSITION, WHICH WE ENJOY NOW TO A POTENTIAL NET COST POSITION FOR THE EVENT, DEPENDING ON, ON CERTAIN OUTCOMES.
SO TO CONCLUDE THAT A SHORT DISCUSSION OF THE PSA FOR TODAY, AUSTIN ENERGY MANAGES DYNAMIC ENERGY MARKETS TO PROVIDE STABLE, AFFORDABLE, AND ANNUALLY SET PSA RATES TO CUSTOMERS.
THOSE PSA CHARGES ARE PASSED THROUGH IN FULL TO CUSTOMERS WITH NO GENERAL FUND TRANSFER AND BY USING ITS OWN LIQUIDITY ON CUSTOMER'S BEHALF, THE UTILITY MUST OCCASIONALLY GIVE GUIDANCE IN PARTICULAR TO THE BOND MARKETS ON ITS FINANCIAL HEALTH.
AND AT THIS TIME AUSTIN ENERGY IS FINANCIALLY HEALTHY AFTER THE WINTER EVENT.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO OFFER STABLE RATES TO OUR CUSTOMERS GOING FORWARD WITH THAT.
I'LL PAUSE HERE, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR TURN TO TOM PUREPOINT FOR OUR NEXT ONE.
[01:25:01]
THANK YOU, MR. ROY, JUST, JUST A QUICK QUESTION FROM ME, UM, ON THE DEFAULT, UM, UPLIFT CHARGES FROM OUR COD, GIVEN THE RECENT COMMUNICATIONS FROM ARE CAUGHT ON, ON THEIR INITIAL, AT LEAST PLAN OF HOW THEY'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.UM, DO WE ANTICIPATE HAVING A PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF WHAT THAT OBLIGATION IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE BEFORE THE PSA, UM, ADJUSTMENT THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO, UM, COUNSEL AND I THINK IT WAS IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, I CAN'T REMEMBER FROM MR. DOMBROWSKI SLIDE, BUT BASICALLY DO YOU USE THE ANTICIPATE US KNOWING WITH SOME CERTAINTY WHAT WE'RE, WHAT OUR DEFAULT OUTLOOK CHARGES ARE GOING TO BE, UM, SUCH THAT WE'RE GOING TO REQUEST THAT PTSA TRANSFER, WHETHER IT BE, WHETHER WE'VE GOT ENOUGH TO COVER IT IN, IN THE BANK OR WHETHER WE NEED TO, UM, INCREASE IT TO ACCOUNT FOR THE DEFAULT UP WITH CHARGES? SURE.
UM, SO IT, THAT IS, UH, AN ITEM THAT IS AN ONGOING DISCUSSION, UH, IN MANY, UH, FOR US.
SO THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, UM, BANKRUPTCY COURTS AND OTHER, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS I THINK DISCUSSIONS WILL CONTINUE, WILL BE ONGOING.
UM, BUT I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE WHAT I'D CALL A CONSERVATIVE AND REALISTIC ESTIMATE.
THERE'S A SENSE IN WHICH, UM, A LOT OF THE PAIN, IF YOU LIKE, HAS BEEN REALIZED AND QUANTIFIED, UM, THE, THE FOLKS WHO HAVE SHORT PAID OR CAUGHT AND DID SO FOR THOSE OPERATING DAYS IN FEBRUARY.
AND SO, UM, I THINK WE HAVE A SENSE OF, UM, THE DOWNSIDE, IF YOU, LIKE, I THINK WHAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE A SENSE OF THAT IS, UH, HOW MUCH BENEFIT WE MIGHT GET FROM PARTS OF THIS PROCESS WORKING OUT WELL.
SO, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RESTITUTION BY COUNTERPARTIES WHO JUST WERE NOT ABLE TO PAY IN, UM, IN THE EXACT TIME THAT ERCOT INVOICED.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING REIMBURSEMENTS FOR SOME OF THE SHORT PAYMENTS THAT WERE MADE.
THE OTHER LARGE COMPONENT THAT I THINK WILL TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO PLAY OUT, BUT IS REAL, IS THAT ERCOT IS A CREDITOR TO THE BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS OF VARIOUS COUNTERPARTIES, INCLUDING THE LARGEST ONES.
AND SO I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE IN MIND, THE CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES FROM WHAT'S CURRENTLY SHORT PAID TO ERCOT, BUT I THINK THERE'S POTENTIALLY ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, UH, IN THOSE CASES.
THE OTHER THING I'D SAY IS THAT ERCOT DOES HAVE A WELL-ESTABLISHED MECHANISMS FOR GETTING THIS MONEY UPLIFTED, BUT I THINK THE TIMING IS WHAT'S VERY UNCERTAIN.
SO, UH, ERCOT COULD PROCEED WITH ITS NORMAL UPLIFTS CYCLE AND RETURN THESE FUNDS TO, UM, MARKET PARTICIPANTS, BUT AT CURRENT, UM, USING CURRENT PROTOCOL LANGUAGE, THAT WOULD TAKE A VERY LONG TIME.
SO AGAIN, AROUND RATE SETTING, I THINK WE'LL HAVE A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE THAT WE CAN GO FORWARD WITH.
AND I THINK THE UNCERTAINTIES WILL BE POTENTIALLY AROUND IMPROVEMENT FROM THERE, BUT IN LARGE PART DUE AROUND TIMING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM QUESTIONERS? UM, CHRISTIAN, UH, WELDON PARTICULAR QUESTIONS.
SO I'VE BEEN KIND OF RUNNING IN AND OUT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
MY QUESTION WAS, UM, I MEAN THIS MAY BE A HARD DANCE OR A GIVEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF A LEGISLATIVE QUESTION, BUT THERE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BILLS THAT ARE WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WOULD HAVE INVOLVED SECURITIZATION EITHER OF THE SHORT PAYS AND ERCOT OR OF, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING UTILITIES TO WINTERIZE POWER PLANTS.
IF THESE BILLS WERE TO PASS AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL GOT A MONTH OR SO LEFT, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT AUSTIN ENERGY WOULD, WOULD UTILIZE OR ARE WE THINKING BECAUSE WE'RE IN A RELATIVELY GOOD POSITION, WE WOULDN'T NEED TO USE THAT THOSE SECURITIZATION MECHANISMS. SO I'LL TAKE A STAB AT IT.
AND, UH, AND, UH, SOME FOLKS WHO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'LL GET FROM IT FOR US, LIKE JEFF MAY HAVE COMMENTS AS WELL.
UM, I THINK, UM, ONE OF THE MAJOR UNCERTAINTIES IS, IS, UM, AROUND SORT OF THE RECOVERY MECHANISMS FOR THE VARIOUS SECURITIZATIONS.
SO SECURITIZATION ITSELF, I THINK OF AS, AS SIMPLY A LIQUIDITY TOOL, UH, IT'S GOING IT'S ITS PURPOSE IS TO HELP PEOPLE BRIDGE A SHORT-TERM CASHFLOW PROBLEM AND CREATE A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
UM, AND SO IN THAT SENSE, AUSTIN ENERGY DOES NOT CURRENTLY PERCEIVE ITSELF, UH, TO HAVE A SHORT-TERM CASHFLOW PROBLEM.
UM, AND, UM, AND SO, UH, MAY, MAY THINK ABOUT ANY FINAL SOLUTION WITH THAT LENS THAT MIGHT, UH, AFFECTS THE OUTCOMES MUCH MORE IS THAT MANY OF THE BILLS THAT I'VE SEEN HAVE, NOT
[01:30:01]
JUST THAT SHORT-TERM LIQUIDITY PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO A CHANGE IN THE, UH, RECOVERY MECHANISM FOR COSTS.AND SO TO THAT, WE MAY BE MORE SENSITIVE.
UM, THE, THERE, THERE IS A LARGE HOLE IN THE FINANCES OF ERCOT IS AROUND 2.9 BILLION, AS YOU MAY KNOW, AND THERE ARE CURRENT MECHANISMS FOR HOW THAT, UH, COST IS ALLOCATED.
SOME OF THE SECURITIZATION BILLS, UH, HAVE NOT ONLY SECURITIZATION AS A FINANCING MECHANISM, BUT ALSO A CHANGE IN THE ACTUAL ALLOCATION OF THE COSTS.
AND SO FOR ME, A LOT OF AUSTIN ENERGY'S POSTURE AND RESPONSE AND POTENTIAL UTILIZATION WILL DEPEND ACTUALLY ON WHICH VERSION, IF ANY, UH, DO PASS BECAUSE THEY MAY CHANGE NOT ONLY THE TIMING OF CASH FLOWS, WHICH IS WHAT SECURITIZATION IS DESIGNED TO DO, BUT ALSO BE EVENTUAL ALLOCATION OF CASH FLOWS, WHICH IS MORE A MARKET STRUCTURE ISSUE.
WON'T WE SEE THE BILL AND SEE WHAT PASSES, WE WON'T KNOW WHETHER AUSTIN ENERGY WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
I THINK THAT'S FAIR THAT THE VARIOUS BILLS HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT.
THIS IS CARRIE, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M INTERPRETING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING CORRECTLY.
UH, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS RATHER THAN, UH, ALLOCATING COSTS BACK OUT, UH, YOU KNOW, DEFAULT COSTS BACK OUT PRORATED BASED ON, UH, PARTICIPATION IN THE MARKET.
UM, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, ALLOCATING IT IN A, UM, NON-MARKET DETERMINED FASHION.
UH, THERE ARE DIFFERENT PROPOSALS, CORRECT? YEAH.
SOME OF THEM DO, UH, MAINTAIN THE, UH, MARKET, UH, ALLOCATION METHOD, UM, AND SOME OF THEM PROPOSE A DIFFERENT ALLOCATION METHOD.
AND YOU, ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. MCINROY? OKAY.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO, I THINK IT WAS MR. PEERPOINT.
I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT LOAD SHED, UM, THIS EVENING.
UM, AND JACK, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND IT'S JUST ONE SLIDE, UH, KIND OF A LOT PACKED IN HERE, UM, FOR THE LOAD SHED, UM, APPROACH AT AUSTIN ENERGY, WHICH FALLS THE ERCOT, UH, TEMPLATE.
UM, WE HAVE ABOUT 25% OF OUR FEEDERS ON, UH, UNDER FREQUENCY LOAD SHED.
AND THESE ARE AUTOMATICALLY PROGRAMMED TO TRIP WHEN THE FREQUENCY HEADS, UH, 59.3 HERTZ, UH, WHICH IS A MISMATCH OF A GENERATION LOAD.
UM, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY, UH, WE DID NOT HIT 59.3.
SO WE DID NOT HAVE ANY UNDER FREQUENCY, UM, UH, TRIPPING, UH, THE PRIMARY, UH, LOAD SHED WAS DONE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ENERGY WAS DONE THROUGH, UH, UH, ROTATING OUTAGES.
AND THE WAY THIS WORKS IS IT'S A NUMBER OF FEEDERS THAT ARE SET UP, UM, IN THE EMS SCADA SYSTEM, WHICH IS OUR CONTROL CENTER COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CONTROLS AND MONITORS AND CONTROLS THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM.
AND, UM, WHEN WE HAVE TO DO LOAD SHED, WE GET AN AMOUNT FROM HER COT.
WE PLUGGED THE AMOUNT INTO THE COMPUTER AND THE COMPUTER AUTOMATICALLY STARTS, UM, UH, SELECTING THE FEEDERS, UM, AND GETTING TO THE, UH, NEEDED AMOUNT.
UM, THE KIND OF HIS, UH, UH, BACKDROP, UH, THE WAY THINGS WORKED, UH, FROM, WE HAD ERCOT CALLS FOR, UH, REDUCTIONS THROUGH LOAD SHED, UM, FROM MONDAY, UM, FEBRUARY 15TH AND THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH.
UM, AND THEY COME IN BLOCKS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ALL AT ONE TIME.
IT WAS MONDAY AT, AT 20, UH, AT 20,000, UM, MEGAWATTS OUR SHARE OF THAT, IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF 700 MEGAWATTS.
UM, SO WE WERE, WE ARE INCREMENTALLY REDUCING LOAD THROUGH THIS, UH, PROGRAM.
UM, THE, UH, THE, THE, I WILL SAY THAT THE PROGRAM AND OUR APPROACH AND OUR LISTS ARE DESIGNED TO HAVE ROTATING, UH, OUTAGES, THE CUTS MOST DAYS, OR THE REDUCTIONS REQUESTED FROM OUR COSTS WERE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH THAT IT LIMITED OUR ROTATING ABILITIES ON FEEDERS.
UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF AFTER ACTIONS, UH, FOR THE ROTATING, UH, UH, OUTAGE PROGRAM.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING IN THE W WAYS WHERE WE COULD, YOU KNOW, POWER CRITICAL LOADS WHILE I WAS THERE CYCLE CYCLE.
UM, THIS COULD INCLUDE SEGMENTING FEEDERS, AUTOMATIC SEXUALIZING, OR, UH, RECONFIGURING FEEDERS WHERE FEASIBLE.
[01:35:01]
SO WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES THERE THAT OLLIE, UH, THE AUTOMATED METERING HAS COME UP AS FAR AS USING METERS TO TURN ON AND TURN OFF, UM, INDIVIDUAL CUSTOMERS.WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT, UH, SERIOUSLY IN THE BENDER, UH, LANDIS AND GEAR IS, UM, ENGAGED AND EXCITED ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE ARE A LOT OF TECHNICAL RISKS, UH, AND LIMITATIONS THAT WE DO NEED TO WORK THROUGH.
UM, AND THEN ALSO AFTER ACTIONS, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, LEVERAGING RESOURCES FROM THE, UH, ELECTRICAL POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND ANYTHING THEY MIGHT OFFER FROM THE INDUSTRY.
UM, THE NEXT PART OF LOAD SHED IS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, LOAD SHEDDING THAT CAN'T BE DONE PROGRAM PROGRAMMATICALLY, OR, YOU KNOW, FROM A COMPUTER.
AND THIS IS REALLY THE LARGER CNI CUSTOMERS, THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL THAT CAN'T BE CYCLED.
YOU REALLY CAN'T TURN THEM ON AND OFF, LIKE YOU CAN WITH THE LOW T UH, ROTATING LOAD SHED FEEDERS, UM, FOR THE LARGE, UH, CNIS THE LOAD SHEDS NOT AUTOMATED, CLOSE COORDINATION IS REQUIRED.
WE NEED TO WORK WITH THEM TO, TO RAMP DOWN.
AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF, UH, LARGE CNIS THAT DID, UM, UH, SHUT DOWN AS A RESULT OF LOAD SHED REQUIREMENTS.
UM, KIND OF THE AFTER ACTIONS ON THE CNI LOAD SHED IS REALLY WANT TO WORK WITH, UH, ERCOT AND OUR CNI CUSTOMERS TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT'S MORE AUTOMATED, UM, AND REALLY BASED ON, UH, CUTTING BACK AS OPPOSED TO CUTTING OFF.
AND WE WANT TO DO THAT IN SUCH A WAY THAT AUSTIN ENERGY CAN MEET OUR LOAD SHED REQUIREMENTS, UM, THROUGH OUR COT, UH, AND THEN NOT HAVE OUR COQ KIND OF SWEEP THE SAVINGS INTO THE GETTY.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF A MOUTHFUL FOR LOAD SHED, UM, UH, KIND OF OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY MIGHT HAVE ON THIS.
IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT'S KIND OF HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO ON SEGMENTING AND, UM, AND CHANGING YOUR APPROACH TO LOAD SHED UNTIL YOU HAVE A HANDLE ON WHAT THE LEGISLATURE, THE PUC, ET CETERA ARE GONNA REQUIRE, UH, REALLY OF, OF THE GRID IN GENERAL.
UM, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE PROGRESS FOR THIS AFTER ACTION.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT MAKES ANY SENSE FOR US TO DECIDE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH A LONG-TERM PROBLEM THAT'S ALREADY BEING ADDRESSED BY THESE OTHER AGENCIES.
UM, COMMISSIONER, I, WE, YOU KNOW, THE LOAD SHED, THAT'S A REQUIREMENT FROM OUR COD, UM, YOU KNOW, SO, SO THERE, THERE ARE SOME INCREMENTAL CHANGES WE CAN MAKE.
UM, I THINK THE, UM, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE LEGISLATION, UM, JUST, AND, AND THEN THERE'S SOME OTHERS THAT PROBABLY NEED TO WAIT AND SEE, WE NEED TO WAIT AND SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE FOR INSTANCE IS THERE MIGHT BE CUSTOMERS LIKE, UM, THE WESTLAKE MEDICAL CENTER, THAT'S A CRITICAL CUSTOMER THAT COULD BE SEGMENTED OFF ONTO ITS OWN FEET, OR, UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, UM, THE OTHER CUSTOMERS ON THAT FEEDER WOULD BE PART OF THE LOAN SHED.
SO IT'S, UH, I THINK THERE COMMISSIONER, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IN THE INTERIM.
AND THEN TO YOUR POINT, THERE'S PROBABLY SOME THINGS WHERE WE NEED TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE.
UH, MR. PEERPOINT IS
AND MY BASIC QUESTION IS WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT THAT WAS COMPLETELY REVIEWED? I'M WONDERING, UM, I, I ASSUME THAT, UH, LOADS GET DESIGNATED AS CRITICAL AS THEY COME ONLINE, UH, HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES, ET CETERA.
AND I'M WONDERING WHEN THE LAST TIME WAS THAT AUSTIN ENERGY SAT DOWN AND LOOKED AT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AND, AND TRIED TO DETERMINE, UH, YOU KNOW, IS IT FEASIBLE TO HAVE AS MANY, UH, CRITICAL FEEDERS AS WE'VE GOT, UH, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE INABILITY TO ROTATE DURING THE FEBRUARY STORM? UM, COULD YOU SHARE, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE, UM, THE ACTUAL LIST OF THE, UH, CRITICAL LOAD CUSTOMERS IS PRETTY RIGOROUSLY, UM, REVIEWED AND, UM, EVERY YEAR, UM, AND THE, UM, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, SO THAT LIST HAS JUST BEEN REVIEWED, UM, A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE, UH, UM, MAYBE SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE, UM, FEBRUARY EVENTS.
THE, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT WE DO IS WE ACTUALLY HAVE EXERCISES, UH, TABLETOPS AND OTHER AND SIMULATION EXERCISES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SYSTEM WORKS.
UM, AND THEN KIND OF THE THIRD THING IS THE, THE COMPUTER AND THE SOFTWARE
[01:40:01]
ITSELF IS BRAND NEW, UM, FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, IT'S A LEADING SYSTEM IN THE INDUSTRY.UM, SO I THINK BETWEEN THE REVIEWING THE LIST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S ON THERE THAT NEEDS TO BE ON THERE AND THE COROLLARY THAT PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE ON THAT SHIT AND BIG, UM, AND THE EXERCISES, INCLUDING SIMULATION AND DESKTOP EXERCISES, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A BRAND NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART SYSTEM.
UM, I, I FELT THAT THINGS WORKED TO THE BEST THAT THEY COULD CONSIDER ANY SUCH A DROP COUNTING UNIT THAT OKAY.
MR. PEERPOINT, UH, SORT OF A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION ON, UM, CUSHION CONTROL SOULS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE PROBABLY ALL HEARD ANECDOTALLY OF ABOUT CERTAIN FACILITIES THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, HAD EXPERIENCED OUTAGES THAT WERE LIKELY ASSOCIATED WITH LOAD SHED, UM, DESPITE BEING WHAT YOU WOULD THINK OF AS A CRITICAL CARE FACILITY, LIKE A NURSING HOME OR SOMETHING.
UM, AND, AND SO MY, MY QUESTION IS IN THE REVIEW OF WHO SHOULD, WHO SHOULD, AND SHOULDN'T BE ON THE, UH, CRITICAL, UM, FEEDER LIST IS WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? I MEAN, ARE YOU ACTUALLY REVIEWING ALL CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS OR, UH, YOU KNOW, OF A CERTAIN TYPE, UH, IS THERE SOME WAY THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT IDENTIFY A FACILITY THAT HASN'T SELF IDENTIFIED BECAUSE MAYBE THEY JUST DON'T KNOW THEY SHOULD, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS WHAT DOES THAT REVIEW LOOK LIKE? TH THERE'S, THERE'S A SET OF CRITERIA FOR THAT, AND THAT THE FACILITY HAS TO BE ON A FEDERAL REPORT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE TOP, YOU KNOW, THE HOSPITALS, UM, AND SUCH NEED TO BE ON A FEDERAL REPORT.
WE DO WATCH FOR HOSPITALS THAT HAVE BEEN RECENTLY BUILT FOR INSTANCE, IN OUR OPENING UP THAT MAY NOT BE ON THE FEDERAL REPORT AT THIS POINT.
UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE A PRETTY RIGOROUS PROCESS TO VALIDATE CUSTOMERS THAT APPLY AND THEN TRY AND FIND CUSTOMERS THAT ARE NEW AND MAY NOT HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO DO.
AND A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THERE WAS A BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITE THAT OPENED UP ON TWO 90 AND SOUTH KIND OF THE SOUTH NEAR THE Y IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND THE FACILITY WAS NOT QUITE UP YET, BUT THAT'S ONE THAT WE WERE KIND OF WATCHING OUT FOR AND GOT THEM ON THE LIST, FOR INSTANCE.
SO JUST A QUESTION, HOW MANY FEEDERS DO WE HAVE AND, AND WHAT IS THE GOAL IN TERMS OF CREATING IN ESSENCE, SOME FEEDERS WHERE YOU CAN SHUT THINGS OFF HIGH I'VE SEEN IN SOUTH AUSTIN, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT YOU HAVE A MAJOR HOSPITAL ST.
DAVID'S, UH, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE LIST, BUT, UH, EVERYBODY WHO LIVED NEAR THE DOCK IN THE BOX, UH, GOT ELECTRICITY.
HOW ARE THOSE DECISIONS MADE? AND WHAT IS THE TIMING OF CREATING SUCH A IN ESSENCE SUB FEET OR, UH, ABILITIES IN THE SUB OR ABILITIES.
WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT IT HERE BY FEEDER TO SEE WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.
SO ST DAVID'S WAS DEFINITELY A CREDIT, YOU KNOW, TOP TIER OF CRITICAL LOVE.
UM, AND DEAR POINT, ANYBODY THAT I GET IS ON THAT FEEDER IS ALSO GONNA STAY ON.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, ST DAVID'S WESTLAKE SOME OF THESE OTHER FACILITIES WE'RE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO BREAK UP THEATERS A LITTLE BIT SO THAT THE CRITICAL CUSTOMERS ARE PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, ENERGY NONSTOP, BUT, UM, OTHERS THAT CAN BE ON THE ROTATING LIST CAN GO ON THE ROTATING LIST.
AND THE IDEA IS TO MAKE THE LIST AS BIG AS WE CAN, IF WE CAN ROTATE OUTAGES IT LESS, YOU KNOW, IT LESSENS THE IMPACT ON CUSTOMERS.
UM, YOU HAVE TO STAY BE OUT EVERY TENDON FOR 10 OR 15 MINUTES EVERY HOUR, IF YOU WILL.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT THIS TO ME DOES SEEM LIKE ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE OUR AUSTIN ENERGY AND THE CITY CAN, UH, WE HAVE SO MUCH DISCRETION TO MAKE THESE EVENTS OF THIS DIMENSION MORE BEARABLE IN THE FUTURE.
AND THE REAL CHALLENGE IS, IS ESTIMATING WHAT WE WANT TO USE AS AN ESTIMATE, BECAUSE THAT WILL HAVE COST IMPLICATIONS FOR HOW BIG, A TERRIBLE EVENT WE MIGHT SEE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS AND INVESTING IN THAT, TOWARDS THAT END.
BUT, UH, TO YOUR POINT, AS YOU JUST SAID, MR. POINT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NO ELECTRICITY AND SOME ELECTRICITY IS HUGE.
UH, I ACTUALLY LIVE OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, INSIDE THE CITY, BUT OUTSIDE THE SERVICE TERRITORY AND HAD POWER 30% OF THE TIME, AND IT COULD HAVE ENDURED IT ESSENTIALLY FOREVER.
IT WAS NOT, IT WASN'T REALLY A BURDEN.
AND, UH, SO THAT ACHIEVING THAT STATE FOR EVERYBODY IN THE CITY IS, IS PRESUMABLY OUR, OUR END GOAL.
[01:45:02]
AGREED, THANK YOU.OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, BASICALLY, PLEASE.
UM, AS PART OF THIS, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AUSTIN ENERGY LOOK, UM, TO THE FUTURE AT, UM, SOME CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
UM, ONE OF THEM WAS TO GET ELECTRIC BUSES AND CHARGE THEM UP AND SEND THEM OUT INTO COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HAD TO, UH, DO LOAD SHED AND HAVE THEM AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND CHARGE YOUR PHONE AND STAY WARM FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US HAVE SOME INNOVATIVE, LIKE TASKFORCE THAT REALLY LOOKS AT WHAT WE MIGHT DO, UM, BECAUSE THESE EVENTS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN, ONE REPORT SAID AS MANY AS FOUR TIMES IN 10 YEARS, WE COULD GET THE INTENSE WINTER STORM NOW.
SO I'M HOPING THAT WE'LL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THINK THROUGH SOME THINGS TO IMPROVE.
ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, I WILL CERTAINLY SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN ENERGY DID A LOT OF THINGS, RIGHT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SUFFERED AND STRUGGLED, BUT, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY ALSO DID A LOT OF THINGS.
I APPRECIATE THAT COMMISSIONER.
AND I WOULD ADD TO COMMISSIONER HADDON'S ON CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
I, YOU MENTIONED IT IN YOUR AFTER-ACTION OF ONE OF THE AFTER ACTION PIECES, UH, BUT, BUT LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE POWER SUPPLY FOR CRITICAL LOADS SO THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY FREE UP SOME OF THE, UH, OTHER FEEDERS, UH, OR, YOU KNOW, NEAR SOME OF THOSE FEEDERS FOR RE ROTATING OUTAGES.
I, I, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, LIKE ALTERNATIVE TEMPORARY ALTERNATIVE POWER SOURCES FOR CRITICAL LOAD, UM, THAT, THAT WE COULD PROVIDE IN A PINCH SO THAT WE CAN ROTATE THE LARGER CIRCUIT, UM, AS I'M KEENLY INTERESTED IN.
WHICH GOES TO COMMISSIONER WELLINS POINT ABOUT OUR, UM, ESTIMATION ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD SOMETHING LIKE THAT COST, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, MAYBE IT'S WORTH WORTH THE EXPENSE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET FOLKS TO 30% POWER INSTEAD OF ZERO, UH, FOR FOUR DAYS.
I'D BE GLAD TO HAVE REGULAR TOUCH POINTS ON THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, AS NEEDED.
UM, I HAPPEN TO HAVE REPORT OUTS BACK TO THE, UH, BACK TO THE GROUP HERE.
YEAH, NOT TO BEAT THIS TO DEATH, BUT I'M SURE, HOPING THAT THE STATE IS GOING TO COME TO OUR AID TO A CERTAIN EXTENT HERE, UH, BY REVAMPING THE SYSTEM WHERE WE DON'T EXPECT ANOTHER 40%, UH, UH, DOWN IN LOAD.
I MEAN, I, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY EARLY ON, I READ THAT THERE, THEIR WORST CASE SCENARIO FORECAST WAS SOMETHING LIKE 15%.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT WENT FROM 15 TO 30 TO 40, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, I WISH I WANT TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SPENDING MONEY TO PREPARE FOR SOMETHING THAT IS OTHERWISE BEING ADDRESSED.
IT IF WE'D HAD A LOT OF GAS, UH, POURING THROUGH THE PIPELINES OF NORTH, WE WOULDN'T HAD A 40% TURN DOWN IN LOW.
UM, AND IF THEY COME UP WITH A PROCESS THAT'S GOING TO IMPROVE THAT AND REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD.
WE SHOULDN'T BE PLANNING FOR A 40% TURNDOWN.
WE SHOULD BE PLANNING FOR A, LET'S CALL IT A 20% TURN DOWN.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T, WE DON'T MAKE A, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY BEING ADDRESSED THROUGH SOMEBODY ELSE'S FINANCIAL COMMITMENT.
AND BEFORE WE HEAR BACK FROM YOU, THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF SOME OF THE PLANS THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS LOOKING AT, WHAT COSTS EVERYBODY.
UM, I MEAN, WE, WE WON'T BE HANDED THAT SOME OF THOSE SOLUTIONS FOR NOTHING AND ALL RATE PAYERS WILL BE PAYING FOR SOME OF THAT.
SO, BUT I AGREE WITH YOU, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO START PLANNING, BUT WE NEED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE LEGISLATURE'S GOING TO DO IN THE MEANTIME AS WELL.
I DON'T, I JUST, I DON'T KNOW.
I GUESS THIS ISN'T REALLY A QUESTION, BUT I JUST DO WONDER AS WE MOVE TO THIS, YOU KNOW, I THINK AUSTIN ENERGY IS, IS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE ELECTRICAL ONLY LIKE A LOT OF THE MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS THAT WE'RE BUILDING AT MY WORK.
THEY WANT US TO TRY AND MOVE AWAY FROM NATURAL GAS.
AND I WAS A PERSON THAT HAD NO POWER FOR FOUR DAYS AND WE DON'T HAVE
[01:50:01]
ANY GAS, SO WE LITERALLY HAD NOTHING.AND I JUST WONDER IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THESE EVENTS ARE GONNA HAPPEN, BUT IT DOES LIKE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, OCCUR TO ME THAT IF I HAD HAD, UM, SOME DIVERSITY AND ENERGY THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A DIFFERENT STATE, BECAUSE WE DID GO TO SOMEONE'S HOUSE AND JUST HAD GAS, SO THEY ADD HOT WATER.
AND SO I JUST WONDER IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT, LIKE, IS OUR ELECTRIC ONLY, OR GET, YOU KNOW, HOUSES MORE AT RISK IN SOME WAY.
AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE OFTEN, IF I COULD COMMENT ON THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIAL TO INDUSTRIAL AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S WAYS OF, TO YOUR POINT OF HAVING DIVERSITY OF FUELS IN A, IN A, IN A HOUSE FOR INSTANCE, BUT STILL GET CARBON REDUCTIONS TO, TO A LARGE EXTENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE EXAMPLE IS, AND WE COULD PROMOTE THIS ON REPLACEMENTS OF AIR CONDITIONERS, HEAT PUMPS, FOR INSTANCE, WILL HEAT A HOUSE DOWN TO THE, UH, DOWN INTO THE THIRTIES.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, A GAS FOR GAS, UH, CAN PICK UP BELOW THAT.
UM, SO IN THIS AREA, YOU'D GET THE BULK OF THE CARBON SAVINGS, BUT HAVE, YOU KNOW, DIVERSITY OF FUELS.
AND I THINK THAT, I THINK YOU RAISED A GOOD POINT.
I MEAN, THESE ARE THE TYPE OF DISCUSSIONS WE NEED TO HAVE, UM, THE ELECTRIC RESISTANCE HEAT, WHETHER IT'S IN THE DOCS OR IN THE ROOMS OR HEATERS IN THE ROOMS, MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO PICK FEEDERS BACK UP DURING THE ROTATING, ESPECIALLY WHEN HOUSES WERE WITHOUT POWER FOR QUITE A WHILE.
UM, UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE RESTORE THE FEEDER AND ALL THAT ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE COMES RIGHT ON, AND THAT'S A HUGE CONSUMPTION.
SO WE DID, WE DID HAVE SOME PROBLEMS ON THOSE TYPES OF FEEDERS.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU RAISING THAT POINT BECAUSE THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A GOOD DISCUSSION THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO HAVE.
AND IT JUST, I MEAN, I MENTIONED THIS ON THE LAST CALL, BUT JUST, I HAD FRIENDS IN, IN REALLY POORLY INSULATED MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES THAT THEY WERE DOWN TO 38 DEGREES.
AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT JUST WAS TOP OF MIND FOR ME.
VERY LITTLE PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS THAT WE'D SEEN AT 38 DEGREES INSIDE.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR. MR. PEERPOINT? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR, UH, FOR A GREAT DISCUSSION.
I THINK IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL AND EDUCATIONAL AND, AND, UM, I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT BEING AVAILABLE, UH, HONESTLY JUST, UH, ON ONLINE SO THAT FOLKS CAN, CAN TUNE IN.
AND REALLY, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED, REALLY UNDERSTAND THE WAY THAT THE MARKET WORKS ON HOW AUSTIN ENERGIES, UH, PARTICIPATES IN THE MARKET.
I THINK THAT WAS REALLY VALUABLE.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
[12. Discussion regarding REACH. (Weldon, Hopkins)]
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 12, THIS IS, UM, AN ITEM THAT COMMISSIONER WELDON ASKED US, UH, TO INCLUDE ON THE AGENDA.AND THIS IS JUST A DISCUSSION.
UM, TODAY WE CAN, WE CAN POST FRACTION AT A FUTURE MEETING IF WE WANT TO, BUT THIS REALLY WAS JUST FOR A DISCUSSION REGARDING, UH, THE REACH PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD LAST MONTH.
I BELIEVE, UM, COMMISSIONER WELDON, IF YOU'D LIKE TO JUST, UM, TELL US, I'LL DIVE IN, SORRY.
NO VISUALS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, OR MAYBE WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THAT, BUT, UH, I GUESS I'D ASK EVERYONE TO THINK BACK TO THE PRESENTATION THAT MS
SO THIS FALLS IN THE CATEGORY OF A NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY IT'S THE, THE VAST SUCCESS, UH, THAT WAS REALIZED IN 2020 THAT MAKE ME COME BACK TO THIS, UH, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE, MY SENSE IS, AND I'M HOPING THAT MAYBE SHE CAN, UH, PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
UH, MY SENSE IS THAT WE, AS THAT WE ALLOWED A LOT OF CHEAP EMISSIONS TO OCCUR.
SO, UH, AS A, AS A VERBAL REMINDER, UH, UH, THE REACH PROGRAM, UH, IS ESSENTIALLY MEANT TO ASSIGN A SMALL, UH, A VALUE, A NON-ZERO VALUE TO OUR EMISSIONS AND CHANGE THE FREQUENCY AT WHICH WE OFFER IN OUR MOST, UH, EMISSION INTENSIVE, UH, GENERATION ASSET.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY WHEN IT DOESN'T COST MUCH TO BUY FROM THE MARKET AND WE CAN BUY CLEANER POWER AND SUBSTITUTION TO USE OF THAT GENERATOR, WE DO.
AND OF COURSE, THIS HAS FANTASTIC TO DO WHILE WE HAVE FAYETTE IN OUR PORTFOLIO, JUST BECAUSE, UH, MUCH LIKE YOU DISCOUNT, UH, EARNINGS FROM THE FUTURE.
WE SHOULD DISCOUNT, UH, UH, EMISSION REDUCTION IN THE FUTURE AND FAVOR, UH,
[01:55:01]
REDUCTIONS THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE NOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE CHEAP.UM, SO MY CRITIQUE, UH, FANTASTIC.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT WAS CHEAPER THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
A LOT OF THAT WAS MARKET DRIVEN, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A OVER 30% REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS IN ONE YEAR, WELL, NINE MONTHS OF A REACH.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE SPENT MUCH LESS THAN WAS PERMITTED UNDER THE PROGRAM.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO READ THE SENTENCE, THE ENABLING SENTENCE THAT WAS PASSED AS PART OF THE, UH, THE CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN UPDATE.
AND THAT IS AUSTIN ENERGY WILL APPLY AN ANNUAL AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY TWO OF THE PRIOR YEAR'S PSA TO IMPLEMENT REACH AUSTIN ENERGY WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR THE CITY COUNCIL AFFORDABILITY METRICS THROUGH ACTIVE PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT.
SO, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO OFFICIALLY.
AND SO, UH, ESSENTIALLY BY MY TAKE, WE HAD $8 MILLION AVAILABLE TO US.
I LIKE APPLYING THE 50% DISCOUNT UPFRONT.
SO, EH, WE'LL TARGET SPENDING $4 MILLION.
WE SPENT, UH, 2.7 AND HIT OUR 30% REDUCTION.
BUT MY SENSE IS WE COULD HAVE REDUCED MUCH MORE BUT CHOSE NOT TO.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S NATURAL WHEN WE HAVE, UH, BUT WE, WE ACHIEVED THE TACIT TARGET OF A 30% REDUCTION AND KIND OF STOPPED, BUT NOT GOING AS DEEP AS WE COULD THAT MET OUR DEFINITION OF AFFORDABILITY.
SO WE WERE KIND OF TARGETING A COST OF A TON OF CO2 AVOIDED OF $4, BUT WE ACTUALLY SPENT THREE 31, UH, FOR WHAT WE ACHIEVED.
AND SO BY THAT, BY THOSE METRICS OF PERFORMANCE, WE HAD MONEY.
WE WERE BELOW OUR TARGET COSTS.
AND, UH, AS NEAR AS I CAN TELL AS MUCH AS 75% OF THE FE POWER PLANT, UH, PRODUCTION COULD HAVE BEEN, UH, AVOIDED, UH, WITH, UH, INSTILL WITHIN THAT $4 METRIC, MEANING THAT WE COULD HAVE GONE IN DEEPLY INTO THE BUDGET ALLOWED AND AVOIDED THOSE EMISSIONS.
AND AGAIN, IS THAT A GOOD INVESTMENT BY MY TAKE? IT IS BECAUSE WE'VE CITY COUNCIL PLUS THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY, UM, RESOLUTION AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS CURRENTLY WILLING TO SUBSIDIZE THE REMOVAL TO THE TUNE OF 35 TO $50 A TON.
AND WE CAN, AND WE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO AVOID THE CREATION OF THAT EMISSION AT UNDER $4 A TON.
SO WE, WE, TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, DIDN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE, IS THERE A BETTER WAY TO POSE THIS, OR WHAT'S OUR RISK OF, OF, OF NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED TO US THIS YEAR AND NEXT, BECAUSE AGAIN, THE FED EMISSIONS ARE LARGE COMPARED TO, UH, WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, WILL OCCUR AND WHAT WILL CONTROL AFTER ITS CLOSURE.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF MY STARTING POINT.
UM, SO, UH, I GUESS IN FAIRNESS, I, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONERS DID ANYTHING I SAY, NOT MAKE ANY SENSE, MR. CHAPMAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NEW.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAMILIAR YOU ARE WITH REACH, WHICH SPIRIT YOUR SPOCK DO YOU WANT TO JUMP IN AND CRITIQUE ANYTHING I SAID, OR I PLAN TO LEARN MORE THOUGH.
SO COMMISSIONER WALDEN, UM, WITHOUT HAVING, UH, PREPARED ANYTHING TO BRING TO THE DISCUSSION, UM, I WILL, UH, CHIME IN AND, AND, AND, AND COMMENT THAT THIS IS NOT A LINEAR, UM, APPLICATION OR STRATEGY.
UH, THERE ARE, UH, OPERATIONAL CONSTRAINTS, UH, THAT, UM, WE HAVE TO WORK AROUND.
THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, IT'S A POWER PLANT.
IT HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, A COAL PILE AND, UM, WE HAVE TO WORK AROUND THOSE OPERATIONAL CONSTRAINTS.
UM, AND THAT HA THAT THERE THERE'S MORE THAN ONE LIMITING FACTOR, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO APPLYING THE STRATEGY.
[02:00:01]
THAT KIND OF OBSERVATION THAT, UM, IT'S, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, UH, IF YOU SPENT 2.7 MILLION FOR 30%, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE SPENT, UM, YOU KNOW, 5.4 FOR 60% IS A, THAT'S A, THAT'S NOT A GOOD CON CONCLUSION TODAY, RIGHT.AND I'M NOT DRAWING THAT CONCLUSION AT ALL.
UH, THAT WAS NOT, NOT MY INTENT, UH, UH, BECAUSE YES, THE, THE UNIT PER UNIT COSTS ABSOLUTELY WOULD GO UP, YOU KNOW, AS YOU STARTED TO DIG DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO, UH, UH, UH, THAT POWER PRODUCTION FORFEITURE.
UM, BUT I GUESS MY POINT, MY, I GUESS MY POINT IS EVEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS, WHAT DEFINES CHEAP, WHAT DEFINES AFFORDABLE AND A DEFINITION HAD BEEN MADE AND SOME GUIDANCE, UH, A LOT OF, AND AGAIN, THIS ISN'T THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT MEANT IN ANY WAY TO CRITIQUE WHAT HAPPENED IN 2020.
WE WANT TO DISCUSS UNDERSTOOD.
I WILL ADD, I WILL ADD THAT THE REACH STRATEGY WAS BEING APPLIED.
THE ADDER WAS IN PLACE ALL THE WAY THROUGHOUT DECEMBER 31ST OF 2020.
SO I GUESS WHAT THAT MEANS THEN IS I, THERE'S SOMETHING I DON'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT, AND AGAIN, I CAN SEE IT BECAUSE I CHOSE TO PULL IT UP AND I KNOW IT'S NOT AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE IS, UH, UH, SLIDE FOUR OF A FEBRUARY PRESENTATION UPDATING US ON REACH, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE 20, 20 DISTRIBUTIONS OF PRICE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST BASED ON THAT DISTRIBUTION OF PRICING AND MY, UH, NOVICE, HIS UNDERSTANDING OF OUR TYPICAL OFFER PRICE ON FAYETTE, I GUESS I WAS JUST SURPRISED THAT IT DEPLOYED EVEN AS MUCH AS IT DID.
UH, BUT AGAIN, WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK OVER THAT CHART, THAT'S, THAT'S UNDERSTOOD, YOU KNOW, I, I ACKNOWLEDGE IT'S DIFFICULT TO HAVE A, UH, UH, A CONVERSATION THAT IS AS DEEP AS I MIGHT, UH, DESIRE.
UM, SO I GUESS I'LL JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE.
I DON'T WANT US TO MISS THE OPPORTUNITY, I GUESS THAT'S REALLY THE MESSAGE I'M TRYING TO DELIVER.
UM, CAUSE I THINK WE HAVE THE MANDATE.
WE HAVE THE MEANS WE HAVE THE MECHANISM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE INTENTIONALLY LEFT IT LOOSE CAUSE OUR MARKET CONSTRAINTS AND MARKET DYNAMICS, UH, MUCH LIKE THE FEBRUARY STORM THAT OVERRIDE SOME OF OUR, OUR, UH, GOOD INTENTIONS.
UM, AND SO ULTIMATELY I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS MAYBE INSIGHT INTO WHAT THOSE, UH, THOSE, UH, TOP THREE CONSTRAINTS ARE OUTSIDE THE MARKET DYNAMIC IDEALS THAT, UH, KIND OF DICTATE A DOLLAR SENSE EQUIVALENCY BETWEEN, UH, EMISSIONS AND POWER PRODUCTION.
WE CAN CERTAINLY GET BACK TO YOU WITH, WITH, UH, UH, PULLING TOGETHER SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO, AND AGAIN, JUST, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, JUST WANT TO WRAP UP, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PUNISHMENT FOR A VERY GOOD DEED.
SO WHEN DO YOU, LIKE WHEN YOU EXECUTE WELL, EVERYBODY'S LIKE, WELL, GOSH, YOU MADE THAT LOOK EASY.
AND SO I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THAT TOO FAR BECAUSE CERTAINLY AUSTIN ENERGY IS A BEACH CONGRATULATED ON ITS EFFORTS TODAY.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ROLDAN.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WELDON.
AND, UM, MR.
[13. Officer elections.]
I WILL MOVE ON TO OTHER BUSINESS AND I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TABLE ITEM NUMBER 13, UH, TWO NEXT MONTH MEETING.WE DON'T HAVE COMMISSIONER FADIL, UH, WITH US TODAY.
AND, AND I THINK WE, UH, WOULD LIKE TO GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS EITHER A DESIRE OR NOT A DESIRE TO CONTINUE AS THE VICE CHAIR.
UM, AND SO I I'D LIKE TO TABLE, I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TABLE OFFICER ELECTIONS UNTIL NEXT MONTH.
IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND.
[02:05:01]
MOTION PASSES UNION IS UNANIMOUSLY WE'LL TABLE ITEM NUMBER 13 TILL NEXT WEEK, NEXT MONTH.[14. Report regarding City Council action on items previously reviewed by the EUC.]
FINALLY, ITEM NUMBER 14.UH, THE REPORT REGARDING CITY COUNCIL ACTION ON ITEMS PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED BY THE UC WAS CIRCULATED WITH YOUR, UH, MATERIALS.
UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER 14? NO, JUST THANKS.
WELL THEN, OH, GO AHEAD, CARRIE.
UM, OVER FOUR WEEKS, UM, I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD GET THE CAP COMMITTEE BACK TOGETHER TO START TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE DISCUSSION THAT, UH, PAUL ROBINSON'S BROUGHT UP.
I DON'T KNOW IF ERIC IS HE STILL WANTS TO MANAGE THAT OR, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CIRCLE BACK ON SOME OF THAT, UM, INFLAMMATION.
AND ACTUALLY THAT BRINGS UP A GREAT QUESTION.
I THINK WE, UM, SCALED TO INCLUDE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA THIS WEEK.
SO SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT YES, LET'S.
UM, ARE THERE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, IN THE COMING MONTHS AND I'LL I'LL, UH, COMMISSIONER STONE, AS FAR AS THE CAP WORKING GROUP? I THINK, UH, WE HAVE IN ITS PRIOR FORM, IT WAS, UH, COMMISSIONER FUNKHOUSER.
YOU AND ME? UM, IT WAS IT, WAS IT ANYBODY ELSE ON THE CAP WORKING GROUP? UH, JIM BOYLE? NO, HE'S BEEN REPLACED.
SO WE HAVE, UH, UM, NEW BODIES AVAILABLE AND COMMISSIONER CHAPMAN.
I, UM, GIVEN YOUR BACKGROUND AND, AND YOUR COMMENTS SO FAR, IT SOUNDED LIKE D DO YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN SERVING ON THE CAP WORKING GROUP? YES.
UH, AND THEN AS FAR AS, UH, JEFF, WHAT'S OUR MAXIMUM THAT WE CAN HAVE ON A WORKING GROUP AS FAR AS COMMISSIONERS GO LESS THAN A QUARTER.
SO WE'VE GOT A LITTLE, A LITTLE MORE ROOM, ONE MORE.
I THINK ONE MORE PERSON CAN, COULD, UH, BE ON THE WORKING GROUP IF THEY'D LIKE.
UM, AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF COMMISSIONER STONE OR COMMISSIONER FUNKHOUSER, YOU'D LIKE TO, UM, BE THE POINT PERSON, BUT, BUT YOU COULD REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO, UM, ONE OF THOSE COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE CAP WORKING GROUP.
AND THEN I THINK AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS THERE, UM, W WE CAN, UH, YOU COULD PULL TOGETHER A MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP AT THE TIME.
UM, AND, AND THEN IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A, UH, A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM ON EITHER A SPECIFIC QUESTION OR REQUEST FROM, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY ON, ON WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IN A, IN A FUTURE PRESENTATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE CAN PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS THAT, UH, FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO SEE NEXT OR IN THE COMING MONTHS? OKAY.
WELL THEN IN THAT CASE, WITHOUT OBJECTION, I'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING.