Nov 08, 2021 Electric Utility Commission

[00:00:03]

OKAY,

[CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

WELCOME BACK.

THIS IS A INTERESTING TIME.

IT'S OUR FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING IN QUITE A LONG TIME.

THIS IS THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2021.

UH, JEFF, DO YOU WANT TO WALK US THROUGH ANY SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS SINCE WE'RE ALL NEW HERE WITH THIS? SORRY.

THE FIRST THING I MIGHT ASK SINCE I HEAR REVERBERATION IN THE ROOM AND WE APOLOGIZE IS IF, UH, YEAH, IF YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING, YOU CAN JUST PUSH THIS LITTLE PARTICIPANT, UH, SYMBOL THAT'S ON YOUR MICROPHONE.

THAT MAKES IT HOT.

YOU'LL SEE THE RED RING.

YOU'LL SEE THE RED LIGHT.

THAT MEANS YOUR MICROPHONE IS HOT.

IF YOU PRESS THE LITTLE TRIPLE BUTTON ON THE LEFT, THAT'S A TEMPORARY GIG.

THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE, GO AWAY AND IT'LL BE NICE.

UM, SECONDLY, UH, THE FACILITIES, IF YOU GO OUT THESE DOORS AND TAKE A FEW STEPS TO THE RIGHT, THERE'LL BE THE RESTROOMS ARE THERE.

UH, THE EXIT IS IMMEDIATELY TO THE LEFT.

IF GOD FORBID THERE'S ANY REASON WHY WE NEEDED TO DASH OUT OF HERE.

SO OTHER THAN THAT, WELCOME TO OUR HEADQUARTERS.

WE'RE SO DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE IT.

UM, WE'LL HAVE PRESENTERS COME TO THIS PODIUM HERE AND THAT'S ALL I CAN THINK OF AT THE MOMENT, DAY.

UH, MR. CHAIR.

SO THANK YOU.

SO ARE WE READY TO

[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

WE HAVE FIVE CITIZENS SIGNED UP.

THERE'LL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES EACH.

SORRY.

DID WE, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMISSIONERS ON THE LINE OR IS IT ON THE US IN PERSON? SO TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, WE DO, WE HAVE RIGHT THERE ON THE UPPER, RIGHT? YOU'LL SEE THE KAREN HADDON AND ERIC FUNKHOUSER ARE ON THE LINE.

I DON'T THINK MY MACHINES WORKING.

WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT SINCE USES NOT ACTIVATING.

THANK YOU, MARSHALL, ACTUALLY NEW, NEW COMMISSIONERS.

AREN'T ALLOWED I NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK.

IT'S A, IT'S A HAZING TECHNIQUE WE HAVE JUST FOR AGGIES WHILE, UH, OUR STAFF IS WORKING ON THAT.

UM, OUR FIRST SPEAKER, IF YOU'D LIKE TO CALL THEM UP IS BARBARA FATAL, AUNT BARBARA.

IF YOU'D LIKE, YOU CAN COME TO THE MICROPHONE HERE AND WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES ARE RECEIVING A REQUESTED IN THE FUTURE.

PERHAPS WE MIGHT DO AWAY WITH THE PODIUM AND HAVE MORE OF A TABLE FORMAT.

AND SO WE'LL, WE'LL WORK ON THAT FOR Y'ALL.

SO I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO BE FAIRLY ANGRY AND I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING ON THE FACE.

UM, I SAID, I'M NOT GONNA FINISH.

TRY NOT TO BE TOO PRETTY ANGRY.

I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING ON ITEM 22.

MY NAME IS BARBARA .

I'M A CONCERNED CITIZEN AND A MEMBER OF THREE 50 AUSTIN.

YOU SITTING HERE REPRESENTING CITY COUNCIL SAYING THERE WAS A CLIMATE EMERGENCY TO ME IS AN ACTUAL JOKE JOKE.

IT'S JUST LIKE WHEN YOU SAY IT'S A LOT OF WORDS, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

WE SPOKE TO AT LEAST FIVE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND I THINK IT COULD HAVE BEEN SIX OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF.

THEY ALL SAID THE SAME THING.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS, UH, BETWEEN AUSTIN ENERGY AND LCRA BECAUSE AUSTIN ENERGY SAID THEY COULDN'T SHARE ANY INFORMATION BECAUSE IT WAS CONFIDENTIAL.

WE HAD CITY COUNCIL FOR MONEY, PROBABLY OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO TO TEST THE BEGIN TESTING THE PEOPLE, THE LAND AND THE WATER AND THE GRANGE IN FAYETTEVILLE, THAT REQUEST WAS DENIED.

NEVER EVEN GOT TO CITY COUNCIL.

IT GOT STOPPED BEFORE BECAUSE AUSTIN ENERGY AND CITY COUNCIL WOULD OFFSET ENERGY.

LAWYER SAID CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE LIABLE.

I'M GOING TO REPEAT THAT LIE, BOY, IF THEY KNEW THERE WAS CONTAMINATION AND THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, DO YOU ANY OF, YOU KNOW WHERE THERE IS CLEAN COAL ASH? TO ME, THAT'S LIKE SAYING THERE'S CLEAN CALL.

YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES, WHETHER YOU LIED OR NOT IS NOT THE POINT.

HERE YOU ARE.

ONE

[00:05:01]

WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE POISONING OF THE LAND, THE PECAN FARMS, THE WATER, AND THE PEOPLE IN THE GRANGE IN FAYETTEVILLE.

YOU NEED TO START TESTING DOWN THERE NOW WITH NO EXCUSES.

AND THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR NOT STARTING THE CLEAN UP OF THE COAL ASH ON THE LAND.

AND I'M SORRY, BUT THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANNY.

DANNY .

THANK YOU, DAN.

YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

UM, UH, MY NAME IS DANNY AND I'M A ACTIVE MEMBER OF THREE 50 LCRA.

AND WE'VE GOT TO GET CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

LCRA IS A CLIMATE CRIMINAL AND AUSTIN IS AN ACCESSORY ACCESSORY TO THE CRIMES AND THAT HAS TO STOP.

AND THE FOLKS IN THIS ROOM SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THEIR CITY COUNCIL FOLKS AND TELL THEM THERE'S A PROBLEM WHERE LCRA IS AN ACTUAL CRIMINAL LCA.

THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK THAT THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO BECAUSE OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WERE SIGNED BETWEEN LCRA AND AUSTIN ENERGY.

WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE CONTRACTS CAREFULLY, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CONTRACTS THAT PREVENTS AUSTIN FROM CLEANING UP POISON, AND LET'S BE CLEAR, COAL ASH IS POISON.

NOBODY WOULD LIKE IT ON THE LAND HERE, POISONING OUR KIDS.

BUT FOR SOME REASON, THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR POISONING PEOPLE AND LIKE RANGE AND THE WAY THE WATER TABLE FLOWS IN COLUMBUS AND IN WHARTON, THE LCRA.

AND WE SHOULD BE CLEAR ON THAT, THAT THE LCA CONTRACTS DOES NOT PREVENT THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO TEST PEOPLE IN FAYETTE COUNTY, COLORADO COUNTY, OR WHARTON COUNTY FOR LEAD MERCURY AND ARSENIC, WHICH ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT PREVENTS THE CITY OF AUSTIN FROM TAKING ACTION, REGARDLESS OF WHAT AUSTIN ENERGY LAWYERS SETTING.

THEY'VE GOT TO STOP DEFENDING LCRA AND START DEFENDING THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN WHO CLEARLY DO NOT WANT US POISONING THE CITIZENS IN THE OTHER COUNTIES.

THE CLIMATE CRIMINALS IN LCRA IS SPREADING CANCER IN THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT CANCER IS EATING AWAY AT THE BODIES.

I MEAN, WE SHOULD BE CLEAR ON THIS THERE'S BLOCKS IN LAGRANGE, WHERE EVERY HOUSE HAS SOMEBODY WITH CANCER AND SOME OF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH CANCER AND WHAT COAL ASH CAN DO, BUT YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

LCRA IS ALSO PUTTING CARBON INTO THE AIR.

THAT'S KILLING OUR PLANET.

ONE SEVENTH OF ALL OF THE UNITED STATES, CARBON IS PRODUCED IN TEXAS AND THE FAYETTE PLANT, WHICH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, A THIRD OF IS ONE OF THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTORS TO CARBON IN THE AIR.

WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO A COUPLE OF THINGS.

WELL, ACTUALLY FOUR THINGS, ONE STOP HELPING LCRA CLIMATE CRIMINALS.

THEY SHOULD NOT BE THE AGENDA ITEMS SHOULD NOT BE TO PREVENT FROM EMBARRASSING THEM.

WE SHOULD STOP HELPING THEM.

WE SHOULD START THE TESTING IMMEDIATELY FOR THE CITIZENS IN FAYETTE, IN COLUMBUS AND MORTON FOR LEAD MERCURY AND ARSENIC.

THEIR KIDS MATTERED TO THOSE FOLKS.

JUST AS MUCH AS OUR KIDS MATTERED TO US.

THE THIRD THING IS WE SHOULD START THE CLEANUP OF COAL ASH AND COAL ASH IS STILL ON THE LAND THERE AND VERY IN 48 FOOT PENCE WITH A VERY THIN LAYER OF CLAY THEN CRACKS BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF MOISTURE INCREASES AND DECREASES.

AND IT GOES RIGHT DOWN INTO THE WATER TABLE AND POISONS THE OTHER COMMUNITIES.

I'M SO SORRY,

[00:10:01]

UH, COULD YOU, COULD YOU MAKE YOUR FOURTH POINT PLEASE? OKAY.

NUMBER FOUR IS WE SHOULD.

AND I THINK SOME OF YOU ALREADY AGREE WITH THAT.

WE SHOULD START ADVOCATING FOR A SOLAR PLANT TO BE BUILT ON THAT LAND PERIOD, AND THAT CAN START TO REPLACE THAT.

AND I'M SORRY FOR OVER GOVERNOR, I ACTUALLY TIMED MYSELF WHEN I CAME IN AT ONE MINUTE, TIME OPERATES DIFFERENTLY HERE AT THE HEADQUARTERS.

MY NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. MATT WELDON, FORMER COMMISSIONER WELLBEING SO MUCH.

UH, THANK YOU.

SO, UH, I WAS PROMPTED TO COME THIS EVENING, OF COURSE, BECAUSE OF THE SURPRISING AND DISAPPOINTING TOPIC, UH, OF, OF THE POWER PLANT AND, UH, THE INABILITY TO COME TO TERMS THAT WOULD ALLOW AUSTIN TO CLOSE ITS PORTION OF INTEREST.

SO I HAD THREE THINGS I WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE FIRST IS THE GOOD I'VE READ AHEAD IN THE GEN THE AGENDA, I'VE READ THE RESOLUTION AND IF GIVEN THE, ARE THE EXISTING STARTING POINT, UH, THAT THAT IS A GOOD, THOSE ARE ALL GOOD TOPICS.

AND THE ONLY THING I CAN URGE YOU IS TO THINK AMBITIOUSLY, UH, BECAUSE WE OFTEN CONSTRAIN OURSELVES MORE THAN IS ACTUALLY NEEDED.

UM, WE, UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M, I WILL ADMIT TO BEING VERY PRIDEFUL ABOUT THE REACH PROGRAM.

UH, AND IT'S GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION NOW AS A LINE ITEM MEANT TO CLOSE THE GAP.

AND I THINK THAT I WOULD JUST WANT TO SAY, WE ARE ASKING A LOT OF IT.

UM, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WHAT REACH REVEALS ABOUT OUR ENERGY MARKET AND THE BENEFITS THAT IT BRINGS TO TEXAS.

SPECIFICALLY, IF WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTING REACH AT THE STATE LEVEL, I WOULD EVEN PROBABLY GO SO FAR AS TO ARGUE IN KEEPING THE FAYETTE POWER PLANT OPEN, BUT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT.

THAT IS NOT ON THE TABLE.

AND I WILL JUST ADD TO THE PRIOR COMMENTS AND NOTE THAT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ABOUT A DECADE AGO, PUBLISHED A PAPER, TALKING ABOUT THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF COAL FIRED POWER AND QUESTIONED WHETHER IT WAS A NET VALUE PROPOSITION, MEANING THAT THE GENERAL HEALTH EFFECTS OR RACE, ANY VALUE OF POWER GENERATE FROM COAL.

SO THAT, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS A DECADE AGO FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE IS TALKING ABOUT COAL IN GENERAL.

AND THEN THE LAST TOPIC IS SECRECY AND CONCEALMENT.

AUSTIN ENERGY IS OUR BELOVED MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC UTILITY.

UH, THE LCRA LCRA IS A NON-PAR PROFIT PUBLIC UTILITY, AND I'LL QUOTE WHAT THEIR PURPOSE IS THERE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC POWER, MANAGE THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER BUILD AND OPERATE TRANSMISSION LINES ACROSS THE STATE LRS CRA'S MISSION IS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE TEXANS WE SERVE THROUGH WATER STEWARDSHIP, ENERGY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE THAT IS FROM THEIR WEBSITE.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, I AM OFFENDED BY THE, THE LOGIC SAYS IT'S TOLERABLE TO COME TO A NEGOTIATION IMPASSE BETWEEN TWO PUBLIC ENTITIES AND CLAIM THAT THERE IS A COMPETITIVE INTEREST THAT JUSTIFIES KEEPING THE CAUSE OF THE IMPASSE A SECRET.

IF THERE'S A PARTY THAT BENEFITS FROM THE SECRET.

SEE, I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE NAME IT AND EXPLAIN THE BENEFIT.

IT CAN'T BE AUSTIN ENERGY.

WE DIDN'T GET WHAT WE WANTED.

WE DIDN'T GET ANYTHING.

UH, THERE'S ONLY ONE ENTITY ON EARTH THAT KNOWS MORE ABOUT THE FIT POWER PLANT THAN AUSTIN ENERGY.

AND THAT IS THE LCRA.

SO WE'RE NOT HOLDING ANY INFORMATION BACK FROM THEM.

AND SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT AUSTIN ENERGY BENEFITS FROM OPENNESS, WE ARE HERE TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION AND LEARN WHAT THE PUBLIC BENEFITS ARE.

AND I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO GIVE THE PUBLIC AND OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS WITH CLARITY AND INFORMATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER IS BECKY HELPING US HELPING YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

WELCOME BACK TO THE EOC MEETINGS LIVE.

WELL, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND SADDENED THAT COME TO THIS DAY WHEN AFTER YEARS AND YEARS OF WORK PUT IN BY ANY NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE TO ACTUALLY CLOSE FAYETTE POWER PLANT, AND THE PROMISES MADE TO CLOSE FAIR FLOWER PLANT THAT WE HERE, THAT IS SOMETHING WE JUST CAN'T DO.

AND IT FEELS EQUALLY DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE IT HAS FELT OF LATE AS A CAT AND MOUSE

[00:15:01]

AND IT'S HARD TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED.

YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO KNOW IF AUSTIN ENERGY REALLY DID WANT TO GET OUT AND JUST COULDN'T OR WHAT HAPPENED.

I MEAN, THE TRANSPARENCY HERE HAS BEEN ZERO AND FOR A PUBLIC INSTITUTION.

I THINK THAT DOESN'T SPEAK VERY HIGHLY.

I MEAN, IF COUNCIL MEMBERS DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, IT DOESN'T SPEAK VERY HIGHLY, UM, EQUALLY SAD.

UM, IN ALL RESPECT TO MR. WELDON, UH, THAT WE CELEBRATE THE REACH PROGRAM AS WE DO TO ME, THE REACH PROGRAM IS SUCH A SLOW APPROACH TO QUITTING SOMETHING WE SHOULD JUST GET OUT OF.

IT WAS LIKE A SMOKER THAT SMOKES TWO PACKS A DAY AND THEN SAYS, WELL, THIS YEAR I'M JUST GOING TO SMOKE ONE CIGARETTE LESS, AND NEXT YEAR, TWO CIGARETTES, LESS.

AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT THREE CIGARETTES LESS, BUT BY THE END OF IT, ALL THE SMOKERS STILL GOING TO HAVE CANCER, THEY SHOULD, WE JUST HAVE TO QUIT.

WE CAN'T QUIT SLOWLY NOR CAN WE CELEBRATE THAT BY QUITTING, BY NOT BIDDING IN OUR COAL PLANT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOMETHING CLEANER IN THE FORM OF NATURAL GAS.

IT BURNS CLEANER, BUT FOR THE PROBLEM OF CLIMATE CHANGE, IT'S MUCH MORE POTENT.

IT'S 80 TIMES MORE POTENT BECAUSE OF THE RELEASE OF METHANE DURING THE, UM, EXTRACTION AND TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS.

IT'S ALSO A CLIMATE POLLUTE.

SO IT'S A AIR POLLUTANT FOR PEOPLE THAT LIVE OUT WHERE THEY'RE EXTRACTING THE NATURAL GAS.

SO IT'S NOT A CELEBRATION OF ANY SORT TO SWAP OUT.

COAL FOR GAS IS REALLY TERRIBLE.

SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING TO CELEBRATE UNTIL WE CELEBRATE GETTING OUT OF FAYETTE COAL PLANT AND INTO RENEWABLES, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

THAT'S WHAT'S CALLED ON.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP PUSHING AS POLICYMAKERS.

I HOPE AND ASK THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH THE, THE REAL DECISION MAKERS, THE DECIDERS, WHO ARE THE CITY COUNCIL TO REALLY FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET US OUT OF FAYETTE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND OUR LAST SPEAKER IS DALE BEULAH.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

I'M DALE BEULAH.

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS WITH YOU THIS EVENING REGARDING THE FAYETTE POWER PLANT AND OTHER ISSUES OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PAST, MANY OF US HAVE BEEN PATIENT KNOWING THAT AUSTIN ENERGY TOLD US TO WAIT TILL THE EARLY 2020S AND OUR SHARE OF THE PLANT WILL BE SHUT DOWN.

AND SINCE ALL OF THESE TALKS ARE PROPRIETARY, WE CAN'T REALLY TELL YOU ANYTHING TONIGHT.

IT APPEARS THAT THOSE ASSURANCES HAVE NOT BORNE OUT AND IT'S TIME TO PUT PRESSURE ON ALL FOLKS THAT ARE INVOLVED SINCE THERE IS NO PLANET B, WE IMPLORE YOU TO EITHER KEEP PUSHING LCRA, OR IF IT'S FUTILE LAUNCH A MASSIVE EFFORT TO MOVE US MORE QUICKLY FORWARD WITH RENEWABLES, SUCH AS WIND AND SOLAR AND MASSIVE STORAGE EFFORT.

WE ALL SAW THE WINTER STORM EFFECTS.

THE WINTER STORM EFFECTS ON NATURAL GAS.

WE CAN'T ALWAYS DEPEND ON THIS SOURCE OF ELECTRICITY.

WE MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PASSAGE OF THE FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE LEGISLATION BY BORROWING BEAR, BURYING OVERHEAD TRANSMISSION LINES AND WINTERIZING EQUIPMENT, AND MUCH MORE IT'S TIME FOR AUSTIN ENERGY TO TRANSITIONED VEHICLES TO ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES.

NOW THAT THERE ARE SO MANY CHOICES AVAILABLE AND BY PLACING ORDERS, NOW WE CAN GET A JUMP ON THE LOWER EMISSIONS IN HOUSE.

OUR GOVERNOR IS ASKING THE PUC TO PUSH FORWARD WITH GAS, COAL, AND NUCLEAR, WHILE DISCOURAGING RENEWABLES, THAT CANNOT GUARANTEE A 24 7 AVAILABILITY.

AND IT SEEMS THAT HE'S UNAWARE OF THE LOSS OF THESE CARBON SOURCES, AS WELL AS THE SOUTH TEXAS NUKE DURING THE RECENT WINTER STORM THAT KILLED OVER 200 TEXANS.

IT IS THEREFORE UP TO US TO LEAVE A LIGHT LIVABLE PLANET FOR THE NEXT GENERATION AND NOT HOPE FOR THE STATE TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS EFFORT, PERHAPS A BETTER PARTNER WOULD BE TESLA AND THEIR MASSIVE BATTERY STORAGE PRODUCTS THAT HAVE BEEN SO POSITIVE ON THE AUSTRALIAN GRID WITH 193.5 MEGAWATTS OF STORAGE, SAVING THEM OVER $100 MILLION.

I'VE READ TODAY THAT THE BUILD BACK BETTER PLANNING.

CONGRESS HAS JUST ADDED A $20 PER TON PRICE ON CARBON, WHICH WILL BE A GAME CHANGER FOR AUSTIN ENERGY AND THE FAYETTE COAL PLANT.

I HAVE WITH ME FORUMS

[00:20:01]

UH, I HAVE SIGNATURES FROM MANY CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIALS THAT HAVE ALREADY SIGNED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND REMEMBER WHERE THERE IS NO PLANET B.

THANK YOU, MR. BR, UH, MR. CHAIR, THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS.

OKAY.

SO WE HAVE SOME NEW MEMBERS.

ACTUALLY, WE HAVE ONE.

REMEMBER, WE'D LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME FOR YOU TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, TAKE 45.

AND SINCE YOU KNOW, WE'VE NEVER MET RANDY AND KAY IN PERSON, I THINK YOU JOINED.

SO WHY DON'T YOU TAKE SOME TIME TO, SO MARSHALL, WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

I'M GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.

MY NAME IS MARSHALL BOWEN AND, UH, THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING SINCE BEING APPOINTED A COMMISSIONER.

AND I'M, I'M THRILLED TO BE HERE IN PERSON WITH YOU ALL.

I'M A NATIVE AUSTIN.

I GREW UP HERE IN AUSTIN AND, UH, LOVE THIS CITY A LOT AND LOVE PUBLIC SERVICE AND GIVING BACK AND EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY.

I AM AN ATTORNEY HERE IN AUSTIN AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN FORTUNE THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE BEFORE AND BEEN INVOLVED IN PUBLIC POLICY.

SO THIS KIND OF FITS IN MY WHEELHOUSE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'M A NEW DAD.

I WELCOMED MY FIRST DAUGHTER, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, ALLIE.

AND SO THAT IS MY BIGGEST CLAIM TO FAME.

OKAY.

THANK YOU, RANDY.

YOU WANT TO, AH, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

MY NAME'S RANDY CHAPMAN, UH, AND I, THIS IS MY FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING.

UH, AS I JOINED, UH, EARLY SPRING, UH, MY BACKGROUND IS ON A MOUSE OR A LAWYER, UH, FORGIVE ME, UH, AND, UH, TEXAS LEGAL SERVICES CENTER SINCE 1985, WHERE I'M LARGELY WORKED ON ENERGY ISSUES.

UH, BOTH HAD THE PUC AND THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE AND, UH, ON BEHALF OF LOW-INCOME CONSUMERS.

THANK YOU.

K.

THANK YOU.

I'M SORRY.

MY BACK IS TO MOST OF YOU.

UM, I'M K-12 SOUL.

I AM ALSO A LAWYER, BUT I'M RETIRED.

UH, AND I SPENT, UH, ABOUT 35 OF MY 39 YEARS OF PRACTICE BEFORE THE PUC.

I WAS ALSO AN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE THERE FOR 10 YEARS.

UM, AND, UH, I, IT'S AN AREA THAT I STILL HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST IN AND, UH, WAS HAPPY TO, UH, UH, WHEN ASKED TO SERVE TO, TO BE ABLE TO DO SO.

I'M FINDING RETIREMENT PROVIDES A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEER WORK AND RANDY AND I PRACTICED TOGETHER, UM, ARE OFTENTIMES ON OPPOSITE SIDES, UH, IN AN EARLIER LIFE.

SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU, CYRUS.

YOU'RE ALL HAND, RIGHT? YEAH, SURE.

UH, SILAS READ, UM, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF, UH, KATHY TABOS, WHO APPOINTED ME TO THE AUC, UH, AND IN MY DAY JOB, I WORKED FOR THE SIERRA CLUB LONESTAR CHAPTER AND M OFTEN AT THE LEGISLATURE AND, UH, PUC, YOU SEEM FAMILIAR TO ME, SO MAYBE OUR PATHS PATHS CROSSED THE LEGISLATURE, UM, AND, UH, HAPPY TO BE HERE, ALTHOUGH LIKE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE EARLIER, UH, SOMEWHAT SAT IN TO HEAR THE NEWS ABOUT A WEEK AGO, I GUESS.

UM, AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO MAYBE WORKING ON SOME SOLUTIONS TO THAT.

SO CARRIE AND I WOULDN'T DO OKAY.

I'M DAVE TUTTLE.

I'M THE VICE CHAIR I'M SITTING IN FOR MADDIE HOPKINS.

UM, MY BACKGROUND IS TECHNOLOGY USED TO DESIGN COMPUTERS AND MICROPROCESSORS AT TWO LARGE COMPANIES HERE.

AND WE WENT BACK AND, UM, FINISHED MY PHD IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND IT'S IN THE ENERGY SPACE.

SO I FEEL A LITTLE BIT LITERATE ABOUT ALL THIS AND GLAD TO SERVE I'M CARRIE FOR CHILL AND RATTLERS APPOINTEE TO THE EEC AND A HAVE BEEN ON THE EAC FOR SIX YEARS NOW, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, AND I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.

ALL RIGHT, THANKS.

SO LET ME GO THROUGH, I THINK THE FIRST THING IS APPROVAL OF THE MATS.

I'M SORRY.

GETTING A SUGGESTION TO ALLOW YOUR FOLKS, WHO ARE YOU GOING ABOUT EVERYTHING.

SURE.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU, ERIC.

DO YOU WANT TO GO FIRST? SURE.

UH UM, I , I'M A COMMISSIONER OR, UH,

[00:25:03]

, UH, CURRENTLY I WORK AT AND, UH, PRIMARILY WORK ON EARLY STAGE, UM, INNOVATION.

SO WHEN YOU WEREN'T WORKING WITH, OKAY, THANK YOU.

HEY KAREN.

HI, KAREN HEN FROM, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE, SORRY.

IT'S NOT IN PERSON.

UM, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING ON ENERGY ISSUES FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

THANKS SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANKS JACKIE.

FOR THE REMINDER.

OKAY.

ANYTHING

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Approve minutes of the August 19, 2021 special-called meeting.]

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES ALSO MOVE SECOND, SECOND.

OKAY, SO WE VOTE.

AYE.

AYE.

OKAY.

LET'S GO

[NEW BUSINESS – CONSENT]

ANY THAT WANT TO BE PULLED OUT A QUESTION ABOUT THE AMANDA AND ROBIN METERS OR SIX? IS THAT THE WALL? YEAH, I DO TOO.

SO LISTEN.

ANY OTHERS TO BE PULLED BESIDES SIX? I HAD A QUESTION, UM, CONCERNING THE WORK BEING DONE AT DECKER.

I CAN'T YET, IF IT'S 12 OR 13, I CAN'T TELL FROM MY NOTES.

UH, THAT'S NOT 12, SORRY.

I'M SORRY.

I'LL FIND IT.

THINK THE CONTROLS ARE BROUGHT OUT.

THAT'S IT? THANK YOU.

YES.

NUMBER 13.

JUST A QUESTION ON THAT.

OKAY.

AND I HAD A QUESTION ON FOUR.

OKAY.

JUST ON A KIND OF THE LABOR FORCE SUPPLEMENTATION, WHAT THAT IS EXACTLY.

RIGHT.

SO WHY DON'T WE PULL THOSE OUT? THOSE THREE, IF THAT'S IT AND WE'LL GO APPROVE THE REST AND THEN GO BACK.

OKAY.

SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, AND 17.

I SECOND PROVE.

OKAY.

SO ARE WE GOING TO ORDER, SO DO YOU

[4. (11/18) [Capital Contracting] Authorize negotiation and execution of a construction contract with MasTec North America, Inc., for Underground Electrical Civil Construction Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity contract in the amount of $24,000,000 for an initial 2-year term, with four 1-year extensions of $12,000,000, for a total contract amount not to exceed $72,000,000.]

I'M GOING TO NEED YOU TO COME TO THE PODIUM HERE.

I'M SORRY.

THAT'S FOR THE TV CAMERA.

WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT'S THE QUESTION GO FORTH.

OKAY.

YEAH.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT, IS THIS, WAS THIS KIND OF LIKE PART OF THE LONG TERM PLAN OR WAS THERE SOMETHING THAT KIND OF, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A, I UNDERSTAND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED TO RESPOND TO THE RAPID GROWTH IN DEMAND AND HENCE THE LARGE CONTRACT AMOUNT.

YEAH.

THIS IS A REPEAT THIS ONE ENDED AND THIS IS THE NEW CONTRACT COMING IN FOR ALL THE SYLLABLE.

OKAY.

SO THIS IS OVER THE PERIOD THAT YOU SEE AND THAT'S WHERE ALL THE SIBLINGS TO COME IN AND PLAN FOR IN THE NET PROFIT BY YEAR.

AND THIS IS DELAYED NEW INFRASTRUCTURE LINES, THE CIVIL WAR OR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION IS COMING IN.

SO ALL CIVIL WAR WOULD FALL UNDER THIS BASKET CONTRACT.

OKAY.

OKAY.

THAT'S ALL I HAD.

YOU GUYS ARE ANY MORE ON FOUR.

OKAY.

WE LOAD AFTER EACH ONE OR DO IT EITHER WAY.

YOU WANT EITHER WAY.

OKAY.

SO DO YOU WANT TO VOTE ON FOUR AND GET, OKAY.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T DO THAT? BUILD OUT, THIS HAS BEEN TENDENCY BASED, SO IT'S NOT A DEFAULT THAT'S OUT THERE.

SO THIS IS AS THEY EXPEND, WE'LL BE PULLING FROM THIS CONTRACT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU BASED UPON THE LAST FIVE, 10 YEARS, UH, THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE AN ISSUE WITH AUSTIN.

I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS WHO'S CONTINUING TO BOOM, ESPECIALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

AND THE CIVIL WORK HAS NOT SLOWED DOWN WHATSOEVER, BUT IT WILL NOT BE A WASH.

SO IT'S NOT SPENT THAT IT'S SET BACK.

SO IT'S NOT A, UH, A, IT, YOU'RE NOT GIVING ME THE DOLLARS

[00:30:01]

IT'S, IT'S SUSPENDED AS I, AS I FEEL THAT YOUR QUESTION.

OKAY.

ANYTHING MORE ON FOUR? WE HAVE A MOTION.

I MOVE APPROVAL SECOND.

OKAY.

I K KAREN.

OKAY.

SO WE HAVE UNANIMOUS CHAIR.

IF YOU COULD JUST CLARIFY FOR ME THE TWO, THEIR ONLINE EITHER HAVE HIM GET A VOICE ALONG WITH THEIR HAND VOTE.

OKAY.

IF YOU WANT TO ALARM.

OKAY.

SO KAREN, I SAW A HAND, SO YOU APPROVE.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

NO, SIR.

I'M SORRY.

THEY VOTED ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON THE AGENDA.

YEAH, I GUESS NEXT TIME, MAYBE HAVING SOME AGENDAS THERE, I APOLOGIZE TO THE PUBLIC.

WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO HAVE A PAPER AGENDA AS WE'VE TRIED TO MOVE TOWARDS A PAPERLESS PRODUCT, BUT WE CAN ALSO PULL THAT UP IF NECESSARY, BUT, UM, AND GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO AT LEAST READ THAT YOU CAN SEE AUSTIN GET TO THE AGENDA AND IT'S ALL, ALL THIS MATERIALS ON MINE AS WELL, JUST FOR THE PRESENT.

SO HE SEES WEBSITE.

THANK YOU.

SORRY.

GO AHEAD, MR. NUMBER SIX

[6. (12/2) [Purchasing] Authorize an amendment to a contract with Texas Electric Cooperatives, for the continued purchase of electric meters for use throughout the Austin Energy service area, to increase the amount by $10,000,000 and to extend the term by 18 months, for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $40,000,000. (Part 1 of 2)]

OKAY.

AND I KNOW THE MASK CAN COME IN HERE FOR THAT TO AUTHORIZE AN AMENDMENT TO A CONTRACT WITH TEXAS ELECTRIC CO-OPS FOR THE CONTINUED PURCHASE OF ELECTRIC METERS FOR USE THROUGHOUT THE AG SERVICE AREA, TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT BY 10 MILLION AND TO EXTEND THE TERM BY 18 MONTHS FOR A RISE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $40 MILLION.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT METERS.

UM, SCOTT THERE, THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSMISSION DISTRIBUTION ENGINEERING, TOM POINT IN THE PAST PRESIDENT OF THIS AREA.

UH, WHAT, WHAT'S THE SPECIFIC QUESTION ON THIS? SO IS THIS FOR A COST LIKE THE HARDWARE FOR THE SECOND THIRD GENERATION METERS OR EXACTLY? IT'S SECOND GENERATION SMART METERS IS TO REPLACE SOME OF THE FIRST-GENERATION METERS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE NOW.

AND ALSO FOR THE, UH, THE GROWTH IT'S ANTICIPATED.

CLICK YOUR MICROPHONE ON, SORRY, IF THIS, THE LITTLE PICTURE OF THE PERSON SPEAKING NO ON THIS, MIKE IS LIVES.

OKAY.

IS THIS BETTER? SO HOW LONG HAVE THESE METERS LAST? THEY, UH, WELL, THERE'S ALWAYS FIRMWARE UPGRADES THAT GO WITH THEM, BUT I WOULD SAY THEY PROBABLY LAST, YOU KNOW, 15 TO 20 YEARS, MAY I ASK A METER? I KNOW THERE'S THE INFRASTRUCTURE BEHIND IT, BUT WHILE THESE METERS, UH, ALLOW FOR MASS LOAD CHECK, IF THERE'S A MASS LOAD SHED THAT THEY COULD BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LOOKED INTO THAT.

AND AT THIS POINT WE WILL HAVE TO SAY, NO, THEY, THEY, THIS STYLE OF METER WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS IT IS NOW DOES NOT SUPPORT THAT.

AND THE RELATED QUESTION, TEXAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, IT THAT'S A GROUP OF ELECTRIC CORRUPTS.

NO, THAT'S ACTUALLY A COMPANY THAT SELLS, SELLS THE METER TO CO-OP VERSUS NOTHING COOPERATIVE ABOUT THEM.

IT'S JUST THEIR NAME, I BELIEVE.

IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH.

OKAY.

SO THIS, THIS WAS A CONTRACT THAT WAS A FIRST STARTED IN 2017, AND THIS IS FOR AN EXTENSION.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY FOR, UH, A YEAR, FOR 60 MONTHS FOR $30 MILLION.

WE'RE ASKING FOR AN 18 MONTH EXTENSION FOR ANOTHER 10 MILLION TO PURCHASE THE ADDITIONAL METERS THAT WE SEE COMING.

AND, AND ALL OF WHICH IS RELATED BACK TO MY LOAD SHED QUESTION.

AS I KNOW, ASPEN ENERGY IS LOOKING AT, AT DOING NEURO CRITICAL SPACE, BEING MORE TARGETED.

UH, THESE METERS WON'T DO THAT.

[00:35:01]

AND GET BACK WITH YOU.

WE'VE HAD SOME INTEREST IN THOSE, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE METERS.

AND IS IT REALLY THE METER ITSELF OR IS IT THE AMI BACK HAUL? THAT'S THE LIMITING FACTOR IN ALLOWING IT TO BE A VERY GREEN COLOR SOURCE OF LOAD SHED? SO EVEN IF THESE MEET, I WOULD THINK THAT THESE METERS, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE METERS THAT WOULDN'T ALLOW IT.

IS THAT TRUE? OR IS IT THE REST OF THE MESH INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU HAVE THAT WOULD BE, HAVE TO BE UPGRADED TO ENABLE THAT AGAIN, I'M NOT THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT HERE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE REMOTE, UH, DISCONNECT ON THESE METERS.

SO I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S THE METER ITSELF.

I BELIEVE IT IS THE, UH, UH, THE SYSTEM BACK BACK THE SYSTEM WON'T SUPPORT THE, UH, UH, LOAD SHED.

SO IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE I COULD TALK ABOUT? CAUSE THAT'S BEEN A TOPIC THAT'S BEEN OF INTEREST SINCE OBVIOUSLY FEBRUARY.

AND CAN WE PUT THAT ON NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA OR CAN ONE OF THE EXECUTIVES TALK ABOUT IT MORE DETAIL? YOU'VE PROBABLY GONE OVER AND I HAD A GENERAL QUESTION ALSO, JUST THIS IS SECOND GENERATION METERS.

CAN SOMEONE JUST DESCRIBE WHAT WE HAVE NOW, WHAT THIS WOULD BE AND WHAT THE FUTURE MIGHT BE? UM, I JUST DON'T WANT TO JUMP INTO A 10 MILLION CONTRACT IF THERE'S SOMETHING AROUND THE CORNER THAT COULD BE BETTER, RIGHT.

AGAIN, I WOULDN'T SAY I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT.

WE HAVE A PRESENTER AT THE NEXT MEETING TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE THERE, BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS NOT MY AREA.

UH, BUT I, I WILL SAY THAT TO GO TO ANOTHER VENDOR WITH THE, UH, WITH THE INSTALLED BASE THAT WE HAVE WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE WE DO HAVE RAPID GROWTH.

WE DO NEED, UH, THE METERS TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THE GROWTH THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THIS POINT, AS WELL AS THE REPLACEMENTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

SO HOW MANY METERS OF THESE, OF THIS GENERATION DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE? AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING THE NUMBERS.

UH, IF WE COULD ADD THAT TO THE INFORMATION, THEN WE CAN PROVIDE YOU THE NEXT MEETING.

I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER, HADN'T HAD A QUESTION, KEN.

UM, I FIND THAT A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER SPENDING UP TO 40 MILLION LITERS.

THEY CAN'T HELP THEM.

I AM WONDERING TWO THINGS.

ONE IS, DOES THIS WORK WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN TERMS OF CHARGING? I BELIEVE THESE METERS ARE FOR, UH, RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL, REGULAR METERING TOP, NOT, NOT THE, UH, ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING.

AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, MIGHT CONSIDER VOTING ON THIS NEXT TIME.

THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION, THE LARGE PURCHASE THAT LEADERS.

AND WHILE WE DO HAVE GROWTH HAPPENING QUICKLY, I THINK WE STILL, UH, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, MONEY'S STILL IN THE BUDGET FOR NEIGHBORS.

UM, SO I THINK BEFORE WE GO OUT OF THIS LARGE THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

YEAH.

IF I'M, I, I GUESS IT SHOWS THE BENEFIT OR, UH, OF HAVING BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR SO LONG.

UH, I WANT TO RECOMMEND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE SO FAR THAT WE, IF, IF, WELL, FIRST OFF I'LL ASK, IS THERE ANY REASON WHY IT HAS TO BE DONE THIS MONTH AS OPPOSED TO NEXT MONTH, IF IT'S NOT AN EMERGENCY? YEAH, SO OKAY.

SO, SO HERE'S, HERE'S THE REASON I'M SAYING THIS.

THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST PASS AT THESE METERS.

UH, THIS IS OUR FIFTH PASS ON METERS, AT LEAST.

UH, AND WE

[00:40:01]

AND THE MAIN REASON WE CHOSE IT WAS BECAUSE IT HAS A BACK, UH, BACKEND THAT IS MANAGED AT THE UTILITY ITSELF, WHICH IS UPGRADABLE SO THAT THE METERS CAN ACTUALLY BE IMPROVED OVER TIME AS THE, AS THE NEED TO DO IT.

AND THE TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE.

UM, IT WOULD BE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING BASED ON ALL OF THE PRIOR TIMES THAT WE'VE AUTHORIZED THESE METER PURCHASES THAT GOING BACKWARDS RIGHT NOW WOULD BE A HUGE PROBLEM, UH, AND, AND POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY RENDER THE METERS THAT WE HAVE OUTSTANDING THAT WE'VE JUST BOUGHT, NOT, NOT USABLE.

UM, SO I REALLY THINK WE OUGHT TO GET SOMEBODY WHO'S, WHO'S SUPER UP TO SPEED ON THIS TO COME AND EXPLAIN IT TO US.

UH, CAUSE THERE REALLY IS A HUGE LONG HISTORY THAT GOES WITH IT.

AND I SPECIFICALLY, I THINK THIS IS WHAT KAREN WAS GETTING AT, UM, ARE THESE LIVE FIGHT ENABLED SUCH THAT THEY CAN TALK TO TALK TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER APPLIANCES AND THAT THIS IS OUTSIDE MY AREA OF EXPERTISE OBVIOUSLY, BUT JUST, IT'D BE NICE TO GET THAT KIND OF INFORMATION FOR EXAMPLE.

YEAH.

YEP.

SO YEAH, WE'D LIKE, WE'D LIKE MORE DETAILS.

SO DO WE TABLE THIS OR DO WE VOTE? WE WANT TO GO TO DOWN, WE JUST TABLE DON'T JUST DON'T VOTE ON IT.

COMMISSIONER TURTLE.

I DID NOTE THAT THE, THE CURRENT CONTRACT EXPIRES DECEMBER 26TH OF THIS YEAR.

AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A MEETING IN DECEMBER, CORRECT COMMISSIONER.

SO, UM, MR. VICE, IF WE DON'T TAKE THIS UP AND PROVE IT, WELL, MY SUPPOSITION IS THE STAFF WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM TO MAN COUNCIL.

BUT THAT AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S MY MAIN, THAT'S MY SUSPICION GIVEN THAT THE CONTRACT IS DUE DECEMBER, SO WE DON'T HAVE AN INVENTORY OF THESE.

I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION.

OKAY.

I THINK WE SHOULD STILL POST ON THIS.

SO BASICALLY THERE'S A, COULD BE AN INVENTORY.

THERE'S A APPEAL PATH THAT YOU'RE SEEING AND WE'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION.

SO I THINK WE OUGHT TO JUST DEFER THE CONVERSATION.

I'M NOT SURE THAT IT EXPIRES IN DECEMBER.

I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE ONE BEFORE.

YEAH.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE ITEM BEFORE, WHICH IS THE ROCKS.

YEAH.

I THINK THE ROCKS EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 26TH, 2028 IS JOHN LANE.

MR. CHAIR, IF YOU WILL LIKE IN LINE WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER HAD AND IS ASKING, PERHAPS WE COULD TABLE THIS FOR NOW, WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO TRY AND GET, UH, UH, ANOTHER STAFF PERSON ALONG WITH SCOTT WHO MAYBE CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS TO SOME SATISFACTION.

OKAY.

LET'S DO THAT.

THAT WORKS FOR Y'ALL.

YEAH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

CANDIOTTI NO COMMENT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

NUMBER

[13. (12/2) [Capital Contracting] Authorize negotiation and execution of a Job Order Assignment with Alpha Building Corporation, one of the City’s Facilities Improvement Job Order Contractors, for Decker Control Center Buildout Phase 1 for a total amount not to exceed $900,000.]

AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A JOB ORDER ASSIGNMENT WITH ALPHA BUILDING CORPORATION.

ONE OF THE CITY'S FACILITIES IMPROVEMENT JOB ORDER CONTRACTORS FOR DECKER CONTROL CENTER, BUILD OUT PHASE ONE FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $900,000.

THANK YOU.

MA'AM UM, SO I'M NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT IS OUT AT DECKER, BUT I DO KNOW THAT DOCK DECKER TOO IS TO CLOSE IN THREE MONTHS.

SO MY QUESTION IS WHY, WHAT CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE NECESSITY IS FOR MOVING OR BUILDING OUT THE CONTROL CENTER BUILDING AT? YEAH.

WHAT THIS IS, IS, UH, UH, SCC OPERATIONS AND EMO NEED TO MOVE SOME DATA SERVERS THIS INTO THIS AREA.

IT HAS A BACKUP.

SO THE, UH, THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE HAD AND THE INCREASE IN THE DATA, UH, EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEEDED, UH, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE SHUTDOWN DECKER TOO, BECAUSE SOME OF THAT EQUIPMENT IS, IS IN THE, IS IN THAT LIBRARY WHEN THEY CALL IT THE LIBRARY, BUT THEY'RE USING SOME OF THE ROOM THERE.

SO THIS IS A PRE-MANUFACTURED BUILDING.

THAT'S GOING OUT ON THE SIDE THAT, UH, SCC IS USING BASICALLY AS A DATA CENTER, AS A BACKUP TO WHAT THEY HAVE

[00:45:01]

AND ALSO FOR SOME EMO, UH, UH, EQUIPMENT IS SUPPOSED TO GO OUT THERE TO THE INTENT, WAS TO USE JOB ORDER CONTRACTING, UH, AND USE OUR INTERNAL PEOPLE TO DO A LOT OF THE WORK.

UM, AND SO THE JOB WE'RE CONTRACTING IS LIMITED TO 500,000, UNLESS YOU HAVE, YOU CAN GO OVER THAT, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CITY APPROVED CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR HERE.

AND SO THE PROBLEM HERE WAS THAT OUR INTERNAL RESOURCES CAN'T TO STRETCH IF THEY CAN'T HANDLE THE PROJECT RIGHT NOW.

AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND THE WORK FROM HIS JOB ORDER CONTRACTING CONTRACTOR.

OKAY.

SO YOU REFERENCE SCC, WHICH IS SYSTEM CONTROL CENTER.

YES.

SO THE IDEA IS THAT IT, DECKER, WE HAVE SOME CONTROL COMPONENTS THERE FOR, BECAUSE YOU NEED GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY FOR YOUR CONTROL CENTERS, RIGHT.

IN CASE THE MAIN CONTROL CENTER GOES DOWN.

YOU NEED ANOTHER ONE WHEN YOU CLOSE DECKER TO, IS THERE ANY, WHAT, WHAT ELSE WILL REMAIN THERE'S GAS UNITS OUT THERE? IS THAT RIGHT? AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF IT MAKES SENSE TO LEAVE IT THERE AND SPEND MORE MONEY ON THIS CONTROL CENTER THERE, OR IF IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE TO PUT IT SOMEPLACE ELSE THAT, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LONG-TERM PLAN IS FOR ALL OF DECKER, BUT IF EVENTUALLY, IF IT'S IN THE RECENT FORESEEABLE FORECAST THAT THE WHOLE FACILITY IS GOING TO BE CLOSED, WHY WOULD WE PUT MONEY INTO MOVING THE CONTROL CENTER THERE INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT SOMEPLACE ELSE? THE LOCATION OF THIS BUILDING IS NOT AT THE DECKER, IT'S ON THE DECKER PROPERTY, BUT IT'S, BUT IT'S WELL AWAY FROM THE DECKER GENERATION UNITS AND THE BUILDINGS.

AND SO THERE IS AN EXISTING BACKUP CONTROL CENTER THERE.

NOW IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE SPACE TO ADD THE INCREASE IN THE, UH, IN THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW.

PLUS THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT, UH, THE EMO SYSTEM HAS A BACKUP EQUIPMENT DATA CENTER IN THE LIBRARY OF THE, UH, OF THE DECKER POWER PLANT BUILDING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN.

SO THEY NEED TO RELOCATE THAT EQUIPMENT INTO THIS, TO, TO DO THE SAME THING AS FAR AS A BACKUP DATA CENTER FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR PURPOSES, WHICH UNIT'S JUST THAT CONTROL CENTER IN THAT WELL, IT SERVES, UH, IT'S IT SERVES THE EMO SYSTEM, NOT NECESSARILY THE SPECIFIC TO THAT SPECIFIC GENERATION UNIT.

RIGHT.

SO IT'S ON THE DECKER, SAME PROPERTY AS THE GENERATING UNITS, BUT IT IS NOT WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE LITTLE ONE THAT'S IN THE LIBRARY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE OUT.

RIGHT.

SO THERE'S, IT'S NOT ANTICIPATED THAT THE CITY WOULD EVER GET RID OF THAT PROPERTY TO JUST PUT IT, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT.

YEAH.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING.

THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, I SHARE THAT CONCURRENT ABOUT, AT THIS POINT, UM, I SORT OF DECIDED, WELL, BACK THEN, I COULD NO LONGER SUPPORT PUTTING MONEY INTO RETIRING FACILITIES AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE.

AND SO, SO IS THIS WHAT YOU SAID, YOU WANT TO DEFINE WHAT ACRONYM IS ON ENERGY MANAGEMENT OFFICE OR ENERGY MARKET OPERATIONS.

OKAY.

SO THAT'S A FUNCTION FOR MANAGING THE ENTIRE FLEET THAT AEC HAS OR PROCURING ENOUGH ENERGY TO MEET LOAD.

YES.

THAT'S WHERE ALL THE GENERATION I'LL SPEAK TO THAT BETTER KNOW THEY'RE KEPT SEPARATE FROM OUR SYSTEM CHOSE CENTER WHO OPERATES THE TRANSMISSION DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

UH, SO, BUT WE CAN'T PUT IT IN THE SAME BUILDING, BUT, UH, ISOLATED FROM EACH OTHER.

OKAY.

WOULD IT BE EQUALLY FEASIBLE FOR IT TO BE LOCATED SINCE IT'S NOT IN THE FACILITY THAT IT COULD BE AT THE AIRPORT OR ANOTHER LOCATION? IT WOULDN'T BE FEASIBLE AT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF ALL THE FIBER THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE RUN, THERE'S ALREADY FIBER OUT THERE.

UH, AND SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF EXPANDING WHAT'S THERE NOW.

SO JUST TO BE CLEAR ON MY MIND, THE FACT THAT YOU PUT THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO PUT, EXPAND AND PUT AN EMO CENTER, THERE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TH WITH THE

[00:50:01]

IT'S JUST, YOU HAVE A, YOU OWN THE PROPERTY AND YOU HAVE THE PROPER FIBER OPTICS OUT THERE.

OKAY.

SO WE'RE NOT PUTTING MONEY INTO DUCKER.

WE'RE JUST PUTTING MONEY INTO A BUILDING THAT HAPPENS TO BE AT DECKER.

YES.

OKAY.

OKAY.

OKAY.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS? ARE WE READY FOR A VOTE? I MOVE APPROVAL.

OKAY.

AS WELL, ERIC, YOU CAN.

OKAY.

I SEE BOTH OF THEM VOTING.

YES.

SO WE HAVE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL.

SO NOW

[18. Generation Portfolio Announcement Briefing]

THANK YOU, SIR.

WE'LL ASK OUR, UH, VICE-PRESIDENT OVER POWER GENERATION TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND THERE HE IS.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS PAT VICE-PRESIDENT PRODUCTION.

I'M GOING THROUGH OKAY.

THERE'S OUR SLIDES GO OVER SOME OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT ITEMS THAT WERE BROUGHT OUT LAST WEEK.

CAN YOU BE CLOSER TO THE MIC PLEASE? OKAY.

IS THAT BETTER? OKAY.

I'M GOING TO GO OVER SOME OF THE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT WE MADE LAST WEEK, UH, TO HOPEFULLY ADD SOME FURTHER CONTEXT TO THEM.

UH, NEXT SLIDE.

OR DO I HAVE CONTROL UP HERE? DO I HAVE CONTROL OF THE SLIDES HERE? OKAY, SO, SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, SO WE, WE, WE BROUGHT UP THREE TOPICS, UH, THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH, UH, THE POWER PROJECT AND LCRA, UH, THE DECKER TO STEAM UNIT RETIREMENT AND THE NACADOCIOUS BIOMAP BIOMASS PLANT THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE AVAILABLE OVER THE WINTER AND NEAR ROUND THIS YEAR.

SO NEXT SLIDE.

SO THE FIRST STEP, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT IS THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT STALLED OVER, UH, THE FAT POWER PROJECT, OUR INTENT TO RETIRE, OUR SHARE AS BACKGROUND AUSTIN, ENERGY CONES, FPP, UH, WITH LCRA SPECIFICALLY 50% OF UNIT ONE AND UNIT TWO.

THERE'S A THIRD UNIT THERE THAT LCRA OWNS AND WHOLE, AND, AND L SRE IS THE PROJECT MANAGER.

SO THEY OPERATE THE WHOLE FACILITY.

UH, THE JOINT OWNERSHIP AGREEMENT THAT WAS ESTABLISHED FOR FAYETTE, UH, SIMPLY DOES NOT SET OUT HOW ONE PARTY CAN RETIRE, UH, ONLY AT SHARE THE PROJECT.

AND ULTIMATELY, UH, AT THIS POINT WE'VE BEEN UNABLE TO REACH, UH, TERMS THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO, UH, SHUT DOWN OUR SHARE.

UH, WE, WE DID NOT MEET MUTUALLY AGREEABLE TERMS, WHICH IS ULTIMATELY NEEDED BECAUSE OF THE TWO PARTIES, UH, SOMETHING THAT FRANKLY WE'VE POINTED OUT THAT WAS ALWAYS A RISK FACTOR.

UH, GIVEN THE JOINT OWNERSHIP ARRANGEMENT, I DO WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT COUNSEL WAS BRIEFED FULLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.

IT SIMPLY BECAME NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE TIME WE'RE AT, UH, WITH BUDGETS COMING UP, THAT WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, WE WOULD LIKELY NEED TO INCLUDE BUDGET FOR OPERATIONS, THE FORTHCOMING FISCAL YEAR.