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[Power Outage News Conference on February 2, 2023.]
GOOD? MAYOR, GO AHEAD.WELL, THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING WITH US.
UM, I'M JOINED BY TRAVIS COUNTY, JUDGE ANDY BROWN AND AUSTIN CITY MANAGER SPENCER CRONK, UH, AS WELL AS LEADERSHIP FROM SEVERAL CITY DEPARTMENTS AND UTILITIES, INCLUDING AUSTIN ENERGY, SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE WINTER STORM RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.
I'M MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND I'M ALSO JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER LESLIE POOLE, WHO ALSO CHAIRS THE AUSTIN ENERGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S AN UNDERSTATEMENT TO STATE.
IT'S BEEN A JUST A CHALLENGING THREE DAYS FOR OUR AREA, BUT WE'VE BEEN MAKING STEADY PROGRESS AND WE WANT TO EASE CONCERNS BY ADDRESSING DIFFERENT QUESTIONS TODAY AND, AND BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
FIRST, I WANT TO, I WANT TO THANK THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY TO KEEP RESIDENTS SAFE AND WARM, OPENING SHELTERS AND WARMING CENTERS, RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE, CLEARING ROADWAYS, AND WORKING TO RESTORE POWER UNDER SOMEWHAT BRUTAL CONDITIONS.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LIKE SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS, I'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED.
I'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED BY THE LACK OF POWER IN OUR HOMES, INCLUDING MINE, AND I'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED IN THE COMMUNICATION THAT I FEEL LIKE SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY.
A PRESS CONFERENCE LIKE THIS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE NOW, AND MY COMMITMENT TO YOU IS THAT WE WILL, UH, SEE ANOTHER ONE OF THESE PROBABLY THIS AFTERNOON OR LATE THIS EVENING SO THAT WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE UP TO DATE, BUT WE'LL ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATE WHEN WE GET PAST THE LIFE AND SAFETY ISSUES THAT WE STILL FACE.
I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW, THOUGH, THAT WE INTEND TO ASSURE THAT LACK OF COMMUNICATION DOES NOT HAPPEN AND THE PROTOCOLS OF COMMUNICATION IN A DISASTER WILL BE REASSESSED AND RECREATED.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO AUSTIN RESIDENTS FOR THEIR PATIENCE, FOR THEIR RESILIENCE AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO EACH OTHER.
NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN HELPING NEIGHBORS DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
THIS STORM EVENT LEAVING SO MANY WITHOUT HEAT LIGHT AND WITH A FEELING OF INSECURITY COMES ON THE HILLS OF WINTER STORM URI AND THE ANXIETY AND THE TRAUMA THAT WE ALL EXPERIENCE.
THEN I KNOW THAT TOP OF MIND FOR EVERYONE IS RESTORING POWER TO EACH AND EVERY HOME, AND CREWS ARE WORKING EVEN AS WE SPEAK AND HAVE THROUGH THE NIGHT, AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE PAST 24 HOURS PLUS TO DO JUST THAT CAUSE OF THE LENGTH AND THE NATURE OF THIS STORM.
IT HAS PROVEN VERY CHALLENGING.
INITIALLY, IT WAS HOPED THAT ALL POWER WOULD BE RESTORED IN 12 TO 24 HOURS, BUT AS WE NOW KNOW, UM, AND WE ANTICIPATE IT'LL BE IN, IT'LL BE LATE TOMORROW BEFORE WE HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY RESTORED POWER TO EVERYONE ACROSS THE CITY.
OUR CITY MANAGER, SPENCER CRONK, IS JOINED BY, AS I INDICATED, SEVERAL OF HIS DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING JACKIE, SERGEANT OF AUSTIN ENERGY, WHO'S GONNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE DETAILS AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I'D FIRST LIKE TO INVITE OUR TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE ANDY BROWN, TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
I'M TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE ANDY BROWN.
I JUST WANNA START BY SAYING THANK YOU TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY STAFF, CITY OF AUSTIN, STAFF AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF AND WORKERS, AND THE STAFF FROM THE THREE OTHER ENERGY COMPANIES THAT SERVE TRAVIS COUNTY, MAINLY OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
THEIR HARD WORK IS HELPING US RECOVER FROM THIS WINTER STORM, AND I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR AND SPENCER ARE GONNA DISCUSS OPERATIONS OF AUSTIN ENERGY, AS IS THE, THE LEADER OF AUSTIN ENERGY.
I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THE TRAVIS COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS ALSO IN CONTACT WITH THE THREE ADDITIONAL POWER PROVIDERS THAT SERVE TRAVIS COUNTY WHERE, UH, WHICH ARE PER ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE BLUE BONNET, ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, AND ENCORE ELECTRIC.
THEY'RE ALL WORKING DILIGENTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR LIGHTS TURN ON WHEN YOU FLIP THAT SWITCH.
ADDITIONALLY, TRAVIS COUNTY'S TRANSPORTATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES CREWS, EXCUSE ME, ARE WORKING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO KEEP ROADS PASSABLE SO ENERGY CREWS CAN HELP PEOPLE IN NEED FROM TREATING ROADS TO CLEARING FALLEN TREES.
OUR STAFF IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO ENSURE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND ENERGY CREWS FACE FEWER OBSTACLES AS THEY RESPOND TO YOUR CALLS AND NEEDS.
AND WHILE WE SEE THE PHYSICAL TOLL ALL AROUND US FOR SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS, THIS FROZEN FLASH IS OPENING OLD WOUNDS.
THIS WEEK HAS BROUGHT BACK UNPLEASANT MEMORIES OF WINTER STORM URI FOR MANY OF US, AND IRONICALLY, TODAY IS GROUNDHOG DAY
JUST LIKE TWO YEARS AGO, MY HOUSE LOST POWER AND I HAD TO TELL MY KIDS THAT IT'LL BE FINE, AND I KNOW
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THAT THEY REMEMBERED THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED.HOW COULD THEY FORGET? HOW COULD ANY OF US FORGET THIS WEEK? REPLACED THE SOUNDS OF PIPES BURSTING AND WATER TRICKLING WITH BRANCHES, SNAPPING, WOOD CRASHING AND ICE SHATTERING.
MY KIDS ASKED ME A LOT OF QUESTIONS, MAINLY, IS THIS THE SAME AS LAST TIME? HOW LONG IS THIS GONNA GO? I TOLD THEM THAT WE NEED TO HAVE PATIENCE AND WE NEED TO TRUST THE EMERGENCY CREWS AND, AND THE TEAMS THAT ARE WORKING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.
WHILE WE SIT INSIDE, THOSE WORKERS ARE OUT IN THE COLD WORKING TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON AND WORKING TO RESTORE POWER TO EVERYBODY IN TRAVIS COUNTY, AND THEY DESERVE OUR RESPECT AND OUR PATIENTS.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG AND DIFFICULT STRETCH FOR US AS A COMMUNITY.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ALSO STRUGGLING AND WITH PROCESSING THIS EVENT, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
LEAN ON YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH AND THEIRS.
WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THE NIGHT AT MY MOM'S HOUSE LAST NIGHT, UH, BECAUSE OUR HOUSE HAD LOST POWER YESTERDAY.
IF YOU CAN, AND IF IT'S SAFE, PLEASE CHECK ON YOUR NEIGHBORS AND JUST LIKE WE DID LAST TIME, WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER AND I'LL NOW PASS IT OVER TO CITY MANAGER SPENCER CRONK.
WELL, AGAIN, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND I WANT TO FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE THE STRESS AND FRUSTRATION THAT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS EXPERIENCING THROUGH THIS HISTORIC FREEZE.
UH, I WANT TO ALSO ASSURE YOU THAT WE HERE AT THE CITY HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THESE DAYS AND NIGHTS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO TO ADDRESS A MULTITUDE OF ISSUES AND QUICKLY ADDRESS THIS EVER-EVOLVING SITUATION.
I WANNA ECHO THE MAYOR AND THE JUDGE'S COMMENTS ABOUT MY APPRECIATION FOR THE CITY STAFF AND COUNTY STAFF AND OUR PARTNERS WHO CONTINUE TO WORK TIRELESSLY THROUGH THESE TIMES.
WE HAVE, AS A CITY AND COUNTY ESTABLISHED COLD WEATHER, THE SHELTERS AND WARMING CENTERS, WE'VE ORGANIZED TRANSPORTATION TO THOSE LOCATIONS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.
WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SHELTER AND REPRIEVE FROM THE WEATHER, AND WE WILL KEEP THESE CENTERS OPEN AS LONG AS THEY ARE NEEDED.
I WANNA ONCE AGAIN ASSURE YOU THAT THE HUNDREDS OF CITY AND COUNTY AND COMMUNITY STAFF AND EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE STEADY PROGRESS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE EVERY DAY, UH, WILL CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO DO SO.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN AND KEEPING YOU SAFE, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS WE NAVIGATE IN THIS EXPERIENCE TOGETHER, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE MANY DIRECTORS THAT WE HAVE HERE WITH US, UH, WHO WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE KEN SNIPES WITH OUR AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, RICHARD MENDOZA WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION, JAMES SNOW WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC WORKS, SHAY ROLSTON WITH AUSTIN WATER, JEANETTE BECHE WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND JUAN ORTIZ AND ERIC CARTER WITH HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
AND AFTER WE HEAR FROM OUR GENERAL MANAGER, JACKIE, SERGEANT FROM AUSTIN ENERGY, WE WILL OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS AND ANY OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER FOR YOU.
WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A VERY FRUSTRATING SITUATION FOR CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE FEEL YOUR FRUSTRATION.
OUR CREWS ARE IN THE FIELD WORKING SAFELY AND QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO RESTORE POWER FROM ICY CONDITION THAT HAVE BEEN CAUSING FALLING TREES AND DOWN POWER LINES.
WE HAVE 85 CREWS IN SERVICE WITH AN ADDITIONAL 32 CREWS FROM OTHER UTILITIES THAT JOINED US YESTERDAY.
WE ARE EXPECTING MORE CREWS FROM HOUSTON TO ARRIVE THIS AFTERNOON.
OUR CREWS RESTORED POWER TO MORE THAN 113,000 CUSTOMERS IN THE LAST DAY, YET WE ARE SEEING ADDITIONAL ICE AND TREE LIMBS KNOCKOUT POWER AGAIN, SOMETIMES ON THE SAME CIRCUIT OUR CREWS HAVE JUST RESTORED.
WE APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY'S PATIENCE AS OUR CREWS WORK TO SAFELY RESTORE POWER.
PLEASE KEEP THEM IN YOUR PRAYERS.
THIS HAS BEEN A VERY CHALLENGING WINTER EVENT.
WE ARE EXPERIENCING ONE OF THE MOST WIDESPREAD, WIDESPREAD ICE STORMS TO HIT AUSTIN, AND CERTAINLY ONE OF THE WORST.
THE WEATHER RELATED OUTAGES WE'RE EXPERIENCING ARE LOCALIZED OUTAGES CAUSED BY ICE ACCUMULATION.
THESE OUTAGES HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE POWER GRID.
THESE EXTENDED OUTAGES ARE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ICE STARTS TO WEIGH DOWN ON TREE LIMBS, POWER LINES, AND UTILITY POLES.
MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THE INCREDIBLE DAMAGE CAUSED BY FALLEN TREE BRANCHES IN YOUR OWN YARD OR ON OUR STREETS, JUST AS I DID TRAVELING HERE THIS MORNING.
MULTIPLY THAT BY OVER 437 SQUARE MILES OF SERVICE TERRITORY TO UNDERSTAND AND GET A
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SENSE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE, UH, THE MAGNITUDE AND IMPACT THAT WE AND OUR CREWS ARE DEALING WITH.AND PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO RESTORE POWER.
WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OUTAGE MAP SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT IS UPDATING EVERY 10 MINUTES.
IT MAY NOT OR MAY NOT SHOW SPECIFIC ADDRESSES AND INSTEAD JUST SHOW A GENERAL AREA.
IN ADDITION, AS WE RESTORE POWER TO SOME AREAS, OTHER OUTAGES OCCUR IN DIFFERENT AREAS AND THE MAP CAN SOMETIMES MAKE IT LOOK LIKE WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY PROGRESS.
WE ARE WORKING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO RESTORE POWER FOR ALL CUSTOMERS BECAUSE ADDITIONAL OUTAGES ARE COMING ONLINE.
AS WE RESTORE POWER, IT MAY LOOK LIKE NO PROGRESS IS BEING MADE, BUT WE ARE RESTORING POWER AND 113,000 CUSTOMERS SO FAR.
IT FEELS LIKE TWO STEPS FORWARD AND THREE STEPS BACK.
AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE OF THE FORECAST OF RISING TEMPERATURES, WE ARE EXPECTING TO BE WRAPPING UP ON MAJOR RESTORATION EFFORTS BY FRIDAY EVENING.
I'M THANKFUL TO THE AUSTIN ENERGY TEAM WHO HAS BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY AROUND THE CLOCK ON THIS RESTORATION EFFORT.
WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO QUICKLY AND SAFELY RESTORE POWER.
HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THERE MAY BE SOME INSTANCES WHERE THEY WILL STILL NEED TO HAVE AN ELECTRICIAN MAKE SOME REPAIRS TO THEIR SERVICE SO WE CAN RESTORE POWER SAFELY TO THEIR SPECIFIC HOME OR RESIDENTS.
AND FINALLY, WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE CUSTOMERS ARE SAFE.
PEOPLE SHOULD NEVER TOUCH DOWN POWER LINES OR A TREE LIMB MAKING CONTACT WITH A DOWN POWER LINE.
ASSUME THAT DOWNED POWER LINES ARE ENERGIZED AND STAY AWAY FROM THEM.
DO NOT TRY TO CLEAR TREES, UH, AWAY FROM YOUR LINES BY YOURSELF.
CALL 9 1 1 TO REPORT DOWN POWER LINES.
ALL RIGHT FOLKS, WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONING.
AS A REMINDER, I WILL BE CALLING ON YOU.
I'LL GET STARTED OVER HERE WITH SPECTRUM.
CAN YOU ANSWER WHY, UM, THE AUSTIN POWER LINES AREN'T BURIED AND ALSO HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH AREAS OF THE CITY TO WORK ON FIRST TO RESTORE POWER? SO THE FIRST QUESTION, WHY AREN'T AUSTIN ENERGY'S POWER LINES NOT BURIED? THAT'S A, A QUESTION THAT ALL UTILITIES GET ASKED.
UM, HISTORICALLY, POWER LINES WERE PUT ABOVE GROUND.
OVER TIME, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN OPPORTUNITIES TO BURY POWER LINES AND AS NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE CREATED, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT, UM, MORE SUCCESSFULLY.
IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO RETROFIT A SYSTEM AND GO BACK AND BURY POWER LINES.
VERY EXPENSIVE, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
A LOT OF AREAS IN IN OUR REGION, UM, HAVE LIMESTONE.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE IN IOWA AND YOU CAN JUST PLOW A A TRENCH AND PUT THE LINES IN.
A LOT OF OUR SERVICES ARE BEHIND HOMES, UM, IN ALLEYWAYS OR BACK IN BETWEEN, UH, LOTS.
THAT BECOMES VERY CHALLENGING AS WELL.
BURIED POWER LINES HAVE THEIR OWN CHALLENGES.
THEY'RE VULNERABLE TO FLOODING, AND IF THEY DO HAVE AN OUTAGE, IT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE BREAK IN THE POWER LINE IS, WHERE THE DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO EXCAVATE, FIND THAT AND REPLACE CABLE AND YOU MIGHT HAVE TO REPLACE LONG LENGTHS OF CABLE.
AND SO THE OUTAGES THAT CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCE FROM A BURIED LINE ARE TYPICALLY MUCH LONGER THAN FROM OVERHEAD LINES.
UH, LAST NIGHT YOU GUYS, THERE WAS A SECOND PART.
HOW DO YOU DECIDE CUZ THEY'RE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY? HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH AREA GETS, UH, SERVICED FIRST? SO WE LOOK AT AND WE PRIORITIZE OUR RESTORATION EFFORTS AND FOCUS ON, FIRST OF ALL, CRITICAL LOADS.
WE WANNA GET THOSE LOADS RESTORED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN WE LOOK AT WHERE ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THE MOST PEOPLE'S POWER BACK ON.
SO AS YOU LOOK AT OUR OUTAGE MAP, YOU'LL SEE OUTAGES LISTED AND IT WILL SAY, NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS IMPACTED.
WE'RE GONNA GO AFTER THOSE ONES WITH THE LARGEST NUMBERS SO THAT WE CAN GET AS MANY PEOPLE RESTORED AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN WE WILL GET TO THE OTHER OUTAGES THAT ALLOWS US TO FOCUS OUR CREWS IN SPECIFIC AREAS AND HELP THE MOST PEOPLE IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME.
YOU GUYS MENTIONED LAST NIGHT IT WASN'T A VEGETATION MAINTENANCE ISSUE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE ICU, WE'RE EXPECTING SHOULD THERESA BEEN TRIMMED BACK EVEN MORE AND SHOULD MUTUAL AID HAVE BEEN CALLED SOONER? SO WE DID PREPARE AND, AND REACH OUT, UH,
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TO BRING IN CREWS AHEAD OF TIME.UM, WE WERE FOLLOWING THE WEATHER FORECAST AND IT WASN'T EXPECTED THAT THE ICE AMOUNT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT, AND SO THE CONDITIONS DETERIORATED AND THAT CREATED EVEN MORE ICE, UM, THAN ANTICIPATED.
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON OVER THE PAST.
UM, SEVERAL YEARS, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR BUDGET AND OUR FOCUS TO, TO TRIM TREES.
UM, WE COULD REALLY USE HELP IN THAT AREA WITH GETTING OUR RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF VEGETATION MANAGEMENT TO ALLOW OUR CREWS IN, TO GET THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT DONE.
UM, WE CAN ALWAYS BE BETTER, BUT IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU SAW WHEN YOU WERE DRIVING HERE THIS MORNING, BUT THE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT THAT HAS ACCUMULATED ON THE VEGETATION IS, IS PROBABLY A HISTORIC EXTREME.
AND THAT HAS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT, UH, CHALLENGES FOR US.
ALONG WITH ICE ON, ON EQUIPMENT, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HAD TO LEAVE YOUR CARS OUTSIDE AND AS THAT ICE ACCUMULATED, YOU COULDN'T JUST GO AND OPEN THE CAR DOOR AND GET IN AND TURN THE DEFROST ON, RIGHT? YOU HAD TO TAKE EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS TO GET THE ICE BROKEN AND AND AWAY AND TO GET THE, THE KEY SO YOU COULD GET, GET INTO THE CAR AND GET THE HANDLE SO YOU DIDN'T BREAK THE HANDLE OFF AND THEN, UM, WORK TO GET THE ICE OFF OF THE CAR.
UM, SO WE'RE EXPERIENCING SOME OF THOSE SAME CHALLENGES AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE REALLY NEED HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY TO ALLOW US TO DO BETTER VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
SORRY, JUST TO CLARIFY WITH THE, THE MUTUAL AID, WE'RE WE'RE CREWS ON STANDBY BEFORE THE STORM AND THEN YOU GUYS CALLED TO ACTUALLY MOBILIZE THEM AND ACTIVATE THEM TO COME HERE RIGHT AWAY.
HOW, WHAT EXACTLY WAS THAT PROCESS? SO IT WASN'T UNTIL WE WERE INTO THE SITUATION AND UNDERSTOOD THE EXTENTS EXTENT OF THE, UM, DAMAGE, BUT WE DO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR NEIGHBORING UTILITIES.
UM, WE HAVE ACTUALLY FORMED A GROUP CALLED THE TEXAS PUBLIC POWER CORRIDOR WHERE WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER, UM, SO THAT WE CAN, IN THESE INSTANCES WHEN A EMERGENCY DECLARATION BY THE GOVERNOR HASN'T BEEN MADE, THAT WE CAN CALL ON EACH OTHER TO GET SUPPORT.
AND SO WE DID THAT, UM, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO THOSE UTILITIES THAT ARE SUPPORTING US.
KATIE, UM, THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR MAYOR WATSON.
IF YOU WERE SO FRUSTRATED WITH YOUR LACK OF COMMUNICATION FROM AUSTIN ENERGY, WHY WASN'T A PRESS CONFERENCE CALLED EARLIER AND FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER TO CLARIFY COMMUNICATION? WELL, I THINK IT, BEING ABLE TO ANSWER PEOPLE'S QUESTIONS IS THE WAY YOU, YOU BEST DO THAT.
AND, UM, UH, I HAVE URGED THAT WE DO THAT ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS.
UH, I WILL ADMIT THAT I DEFERRED TO FOLKS SO THAT THEY COULD BE DOING THE JOBS THAT THEY NEEDED TO DO AND WERE EXPERT IN THE, IN THE AREA, BUT I I, I AM FRUSTRATED AND I KNOW OTHERS ARE FRUSTRATED.
UH, THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS, BUT WE OUGHT TO FOCUS NOW ON THE LIFE AND SAFETY ISSUES, GET THOSE OUT OF THE WAY, AND THEN WE'LL COME UP WITH A NEW WAY TO DO THIS SO THAT, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO ANSWER THE PUBLIC'S QUESTIONS IN A, IN A MORE RAPID FASHION.
WHAT, WHAT WAS THE DELAY IN THE COMMUNICATION? WHY WAS IT THAT IT TOOK SO LONG TO GET HERE TO GET TO THIS POINT? UM, WE DO CITYWIDE COMMUNICATIONS AS A COOPERATIVE EFFORT.
AND SO, UM, WITH THE DIRECTION FROM THE CITY WE ARE HERE TODAY AND, AND, UH, ANSWERING QUESTIONS, BUT I WOULD SAY, UM, THAT OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AT AUSTIN ENERGY SPECIFICALLY HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE AND HAVE, UH, RESPONDED TO EVERY REQUEST, EVERY MEDIA REQUEST THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, EITHER WITH FORMAL INTERVIEWS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN BROADCAST OR WITH WRITTEN, UH, INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION AND ANSWERED EVERY SINGLE REQUEST.
WE'VE ALSO PUBLISHED INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND WE'VE USED PRESS RELEASES, UM, AND WE'VE PUT BANNERS ON OUR WEBSITE AND, UM, SHARED INFORMATION THAT WAY AS WELL.
CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP? GO AHEAD.
WHY IS IT THAT COMMUNICATION WENT TO CITY LEADERS LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR BEFORE IT CAME TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC? I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT, UH, CITY, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THE CHAIR OF OUR UTILITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ARE OUR GOVERNING BODY.
AND THAT KEEPING THEM INFORMED IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY HELP US THEN REACH THE BROADER AUDIENCE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WE APPRECIATE THEIR HELP AND SUPPORT IN THAT WAY.
CS, UM, GOING BACK TO THE OUTAGE MAP, THE MAP HAS HOVERED BASICALLY BETWEEN 150,000 TO 165,000 THROUGHOUT KIND OF THE LAST DAY.
OVERHEARING FROM RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, ON THE GROUND AND ALSO ON SOCIAL MEDIA SAYING, I'M WITHOUT POWER, BUT YOU STILL DON'T SEE MY ON THE MAP.
DOES THIS MEAN THERE'S MORE PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER THAN REPORTED
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ON THE MAP OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OUTAGE MAP, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE ARE, UM, OUTAGES AND THEN THE SIZE OF THOSE OUTAGES AND THE NUMBERS OF CUSTOMERS IMPACTED.SO ALTHOUGH A SPECIFIC ADDRESS ISN'T PINPOINTED AND SHOWING UP SPECIFICALLY IF THERE'S A LARGE OUTAGE THAT IS NEAR YOUR, UM, RESIDENCE OR, OR, UH, COMMERCIAL, UM, BUSINESS, THEN WE HAVE THAT CAPTURED WITHIN THAT DATA.
WE HAD, UH, UH, UNUSUALLY HIGH AMOUNT OF IN INQUIRIES AND ACCESS.
WE HAD TO ENGAGE OUR VENDOR TO HELP US, UM, MANAGE THAT.
AND THE SYSTEM IS NOW, UH, UP AND, AND WORKING, UH, MORE APPROPRIATELY.
THERE MAY STILL BE GLITCHES FROM TIME TO TIMES AND, AND CERTAIN CUSTOMERS MAY NOT GET THE INFORMATION THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT OVERALL, UM, CONCERTED EFFORT AND, AND THE INFORMATION SHOULD BE CORRECT.
WOULD YOU TEXT THEM THEN FOX? UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT A POWER GRID ISSUE LIKE IT WAS, UH, TWO YEARS AGO, AND YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE RECORD AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION BUILDING UP ON THE POWER LINES IS CAUSING ISSUES.
HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO THE PRECIPITATION OR THE DOWN POWER LINES WE SAW TWO YEARS AGO, SO TWO YEARS AGO, IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, WE HAD ICE AND UM, SNOW, UH, WELL WE HAD RAIN THEN FREEZING RAIN, THEN UH, ICE AND AND SNOW.
UM, PRIOR TO THE CALL FROM ERCOT TO, UM, SHED CONTROLLED LOAD SHED.
UM, WE HAD EVERY CUSTOMER RESTORED BEFORE THAT EVENT STARTED.
IT WASN'T AS WIDESPREAD ACROSS OUR ENTIRE, UH, SERVICE TERRITORY LIKE THIS HAS BEEN FROM, UH, NORTHERN PART OF SAN ANTONIO ALL THE WAY UP INTO, UH, NORTHEAST TEXAS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES.
UM, IT WAS MORE ISOLATED TO THE WESTERN SIDE OF OUR UTILITIES, SO A SMALLER, UH, FOOTPRINT.
AND, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO THE OUTAGES THAT WERE OCCURRED DURING WINTER STORM URI WERE FROM THE REQUIRED LOAD SHED DIRECTIVES THAT WE RECEIVED FROM ERCOT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE STABILITY OF THE GRID.
HOW MUCH IS THIS GONNA COST TO FIX THIS? I HAVE, I, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS AT THIS TIME.
FOX, INITIALLY I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE PLANS WERE TO RAMP UP AFTER SEEING WHAT CAN HAPPEN, WHAT RAMP UP THE CLEARING OF VEGETATION.
BUT NOW I WANT TO KNOW, ARE HOMEOWNERS OR ARE THEY THE OBSTACLE? ARE THEY NOT LETTING YOU AND WHAT KIND OF LEGAL RECOURSE DO YOU HAVE? CAN YOU JUST TELL THEM, THIS IS A DANGER, WE NEED TO CLEAR THIS AND WE ARE GOING TO, OR ARE THEY SAYING NO, YOU CAN'T? SO WE HAVE POLICIES, UM, THAT ARE GIVEN TO US THAT DIRECT OUR TREE, UH, OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. AND BECAUSE, UM, WE WANT TO PRESERVE THE BEAUTIFUL URBAN, UH, CANOPY THAT WE HAVE HERE, WE OFTEN ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO DO V CUTS, UM, FOR CERTAIN PORTIONS OF LINES.
SO TREES THAT ARE UNDERLINES AND THAT WEAKENS THE TREES.
AND SO IN CASES LIKE THIS, IT ACTUALLY ADDS TO THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR POLICY MAKERS TO HELP US, UH, WITH THAT.
BUT CERTAINLY HELPING US EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT AND THE NEED FOR THAT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE, WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP WITH.
YOU ARE RIGHT HERE WITH LU KATIE.
WE KNOW AUSTIN ENERGY ALREADY GOT APPROVED BY THE CITY TWO HIKES, SO PEOPLE ARE GONNA SEE AN INCREASE IN THEIR MONTHLY BILLS.
ARE YOU EXPECTING NOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER PRICE INCREASE? I KNOW YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT YOU DON'T HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH THIS REPARATIONS ARE GONNA COST, BUT IS THAT SOMETHING CLIENTS SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, GETTING READY FOR EVEN THOUGH RIGHT NOW THEY DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY? SO, UM, YOU KNOW, RATES ARE SOMETHING THAT, UM, ARE ALWAYS CHALLENGING.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF RATES.
SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO RATE HIKES, UH, I WOULD WANT TO CLARIFY THAT LAST FALL WHAT WE DID WAS WE DID AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT UTILITY.
AND DURING WINTER STORM URI, OUR GENERATION PERFORMED VERY WELL, WHICH IS A BENEFIT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CUSTOMERS.
UH, AS A RESULT OF THAT, ALL FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF THAT STRONG PERFORMANCE OF OUR GENERATION, UM, YIELDED US A NET POSITIVE REVENUE OVER THE COURSE OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
IN 20 OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022 OR RATE YEAR 2022, WE REFUNDED THOSE DOLLARS
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DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, EXACTLY DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR BACK TO OUR CUSTOMERS.SO WE ARTIFICIALLY SET THE POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT LOW AND THE ACTUAL COST OF POWER IN THE MARKETPLACE WAS MUCH HIGHER.
SO WHEN ALL THAT MONEY WAS GIVEN BACK TO CUSTOMERS, WE HAD TO RESET THAT POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT TO MEET THE COST BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR.
SO ARE WE EXPECTING PERHAPS ANOTHER POWER INCREASE? THAT'S THE MAIN QUESTION.
LIKE ONCE THIS, NOT AT THIS TIME, NO.
I'M GONNA HAVE GO TO BEFORE I GO, JUST REMEMBER WE DO HAVE OTHER DIRECTORS HERE THAT CAN ALSO RESPOND TO, UH, DEGREE RECOVERY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, KB.
AND SO FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE POWER, RIGHT, AND THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE OUTAGE MAP CUZ IF IT DOESN'T INTO THEIR ADDRESS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, HOW ARE THEY ABLE TO TRACK THE ESSENTIAL PROGRESS OF WHEN THEIR POWER MAY BE RESTORED? I KNOW WE'RE EXPECTING TO KNOW EVERYTHING TO BE RESTORED BY FRIDAY AT SIX, BUT A LOT OF THE TIMES IN A NORMAL SITUATION YOU'RE ABLE TO CHECK THAT MAP AND IT GIVES YOU AN ESTIMATED TIME AND IT TELLS YOU A CREW'S BEEN ASSIGNED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT INFORMATION'S NOT WORKING FOR EVERYONE.
WHAT, WHAT CAN THEY DO? SO YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT, UM, ESTIMATED RESTORATION TIMES.
SO WHEN WE GO INTO STORM MODE LIKE THIS WHERE WE HAVE SUCH WIDESPREAD OUTAGES AND DAMAGE FROM, UH, VEGETATION AND THE ICE ACROSS THE SYSTEM, WE TURN THAT FEATURE OFF BECAUSE WE CANNOT ACCURATE UNTIL WE GET PATROLS OUT THERE TO UNDERSTAND EVERY INDIVIDUAL OUTAGE AND WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO RESTORE IT.
WE CAN'T GIVE THOSE ESTIMATES.
SO ANYTHING THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THE SYSTEM WOULD BE INACCURATE.
SO WE INTENTIONALLY TURN THAT OFF UNTIL WE GET OUT OF STORM UH, MODE.
RIGHT NOW THE INFORMATION ON THE OUTAGE MAP HAS BEEN RECTIFIED AND SHOULD BE CORRECT AND PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, ENTER THEIR INFORMATION AND GET INFORMATION WITH REGARD TO THEIR OUTAGE.
AND I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT I TALKED ABOUT THE BIG OUTAGES.
IF THERE'S A BIG OUTAGE SHOWING ON THE MAP THAT'S CLOSE TO YOUR, UH, RESIDENCE OR WHERE YOU ARE WITHOUT POWER, THEN IT'S SAFE TO ASSUME THAT WE ARE AWARE OF YOUR OUTAGE AND IT'S IN THE PROCESS OF BEING PRIORITIZED TO BE RESTORED.
SO, WHICH WE'RE DOING, HOW DID THE ONLINE AND TEXTING REPORTING SYSTEM CRASH AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE IN THE FUTURE, WHICH I PREVENT IT FROM CRASH REVENUE.
SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR VENDOR AND RIGHT NOW IT IS UP AND UH, WORKING THE TEXTING FEATURE IS A BIT CHALLENGING BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO TEXT OUT INFORMATION, YOU WANNA HAVE ACCURATE INFORMATION.
AND THIS HAS BEEN A VERY FLUID SITUATION AND WE'VE SEEN THE PRECIPITATION AND THE, AND THE TEMPERATURES CHANGE IN IMPACTING THE SYSTEM.
AND I TALKED ABOUT THE RESTORATION EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE AND HOW AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE SYSTEM, UM, CIRCUITS THAT HAVE BEEN RESTORED NOW BECOME OUT OF SERVICE.
AND SO IT'S, IT REALLY IS LIKE TWO STEPS FORWARD IN THREE STEPS BACK.
SO WE DON'T WANNA BE SENDING INFORMATION, UM, INAPPROPRIATELY THAT YOUR POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT IS NO LONGER RESTORED BECAUSE SOMETHING ELSE ON THE SYSTEM HAS OCCURRED.
YOUR LAST QUESTION RIGHT HERE, CAN YOU TELL, UM, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY YOUR POWER OUTAGE REPORTING SYSTEM WENT DOWN? WHAT WAS THE CAUSES AND IS IT GOING TO GO DOWN AGAIN IN A COUPLE DAYS? IT WAS A CHALLENGE, UM, WITH OUR VENDOR AND THE OVERLOAD, UM, OF THE SYSTEM AND HOW MANY, UH, PEOPLE WERE ACCESSING THAT SYSTEM AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR IT DEPARTMENT, UM, WITH THE VENDOR OF THAT SYSTEM AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THAT CORRECTED AT THIS TIME.
UH, WE WILL INCLUDE THAT IN PART OF OUR AFTER ACTION REVIEW THAT WE WILL DO AND WE WILL LOOK AT HOW WE CAN ENSURE, UM, BETTER PERFORMANCE OF THAT SYSTEM GOING FORWARD, UH, INTO THE FUTURE.
IF YOU HONOR, HANG ON ON ONE SECOND.
I, I'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH I, I'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH, UM, A SOLID WASTE SERVICE AND YOU KNOW, WITH PICK, PICKING UP THE TRASH AND, AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO ABOUT, UM, THE DEBRIS OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE FALLEN.
AND IT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL IF Y'ALL WOULD HELP LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THE STATUS OF THAT IS.
SO IF IT'S OKAY, I WOULD ASK DIRECTOR SNIPES TO JUST SAY A FEW WORDS.
GOOD MORNING, DIRECTOR KEN SNIPES WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
UH, JUST WANNA LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE ARE RESUMING OUR COLLECTION SERVICES STARTING TODAY.
UH, DUE TO THE WEATHER IMPACTS WE SUSPENDED SERVICES, UH, A BIT EARLY ON TUESDAY.
WE'RE GONNA PICK UP TODAY WHERE WE LEFT OFF ON TUESDAY.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LARGE STORM DEBRIS, WE ASK THAT YOU CUT THOSE ITEMS UP AND GET THEM TO THE CURB AND WE WILL COLLECT THEM.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT YOURSELF DUE TO EITHER A DISABILITY OR FINANCIAL, UH, MEANS, UH, ET CETERA, THEN UH, THE CITY IS CURRENTLY
[00:30:01]
WORKING ON AN AGREEMENT, UH, WITH A, UH, NONPROFIT TO HELP AND ASSIST WITH THOSE.AND WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY ASK OUR AUSTIN WATER DIRECTORS SAFETY WORDS.
GOOD MORNING, AUSTIN WATER, UH, OPERATIONS HAS BEEN, UH, IN 24 7 OPERATIONS SINCE THE EVENT BEGAN.
OUR TREATMENT PLANTS HAVE OPERATED NORMALLY AND PUT PLENTY OF WATER INTO THE SYSTEM.
UNLIKE WINTER STORM URI, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE WIDESPREAD PIPE BREAKS ON THE PRIVATE SIDE AND ON THE PUBLIC SIDE.
UM, WE DO HAVE, UH, SEVERAL DOZEN PUMP STATIONS THAT MOVE WATER AROUND OUR SYSTEM AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH AUSTIN ENERGY TO RESTORE POWER TO THOSE PUMP STATIONS WHEN IT HAS GONE OUT.
UM, WE ARE STILL, UH, WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO KEEP STORAGE TANKS FULL THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM AND, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THOSE RESTORATION EFFORTS, UM, UNTIL THE, THE, UH, POWER IS IS, UH, IS FIRM FOR US AGAIN.
SO, UM, WE CONTINUE TO, UH, TO MONITOR STORAGE TANK LEVELS, UM, IN ALL AREAS OF OUR SYSTEM.
ANY OTHER DIRECTS PLEASE, JAMES? NO.
AND DIRECT REPUBLIC WORKS HONOR JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD CREWS ON, UH, WORKING THROUGHOUT TUESDAY TO DEAL WITH THE ROAD CONDITIONS.
WE NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE IN RECOVERY, OPERATIONS ARE SWITCHING TO CLEARING DEBRIS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE WORKING WITH A R TO MAKE SURE THAT DEBRIS IS CLEARED.
WE ASK THE PUBLIC NOT TO TOUCH THAT DEBRIS.
RATHER, IF YOU COULD CALL THREE 11 RIGHT NOW, WE'RE PRIORITIZING OUR CREWS TO FIRST, UH, TRACK THE MAJOR RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH IS THE ARTERIALS AND THE MOVING OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AS UH, KEN SAID, WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH A NON-PROFIT TO HELP THOSE WHO NEED ASSISTANCE CUZ WE ARE FOCUSED OF PUBLIC WORKS ON JUST THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AND NOT THE PRIVATE PROPERTY.
BUT IF ANYBODY HAS FRUSTRATIONS OR PLEASE CALL 3 1 1, WE ARE TAKING THOSE LISTS.
WE ARE PRIORITIZING IT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE REMOVE THE DEBRIS AS FAR AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
WE BROUGHT IN ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO HELP WITH THAT AND WE'LL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
DURING THE NIGHT WE'LL BE JUST FOCUSED ON EMERGENCY SITUATIONS CUZ OBVIOUSLY DURING THE DAY IT'S EASIER TO, UH, CLEAR THAT.
AND WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND TECH.TO JU ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
IS THERE ANYTHING PEOPLE CAN DO TO HELP WITH THAT? IS THERE ANY DEBRIS THAT THEY CAN OR SHOULD WE, WE, WE PREFER NOT TO BECAUSE, BECAUSE IT'S UNSAFE CONDITIONS.
EVEN OUR CREWS OUT THERE, WE'RE JUST MAKING SURE THEY'RE SAFE.
IF WE, UH, ESPECIALLY CUZ SOMETIMES THERE'S, UH, ENTANGLE POWER LINES WITH THIS SO THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE JUST TO BE SAFE, WE ASK OUR CREWS TO BE THE SAME.
WE ALSO HAVE ACTIVATOR OUR TREE, UH, TREE REMOVAL SERVICE CONTRACT TO HELP US WITH THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCE TO, TO GET THIS DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
ROW CONDITIONS SEEM PRETTY FINE RIGHT NOW.
THAT WASN'T OBVIOUSLY ALL IS THE CASE THIS WEEK.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT, HOW YOU HAVE TREATED THE ROADS AND WHAT YOU FOUND WORKED AND DIDN'T WORK? UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH TECHO AND, UH, THE COUNTY, BUT WE'VE BEEN LUCKY IN THE CITY.
MOST OF OUR ROADS HAVE BEEN PASSABLE.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON IS THE ELEVATED HIGHWAYS AND SOME OF THE LOW LYING AREAS.
WE'VE BEEN TREATING THOSE THROUGHOUT THE TIME.
WE HAVE CREWS THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE TIME TAKING TEMPERATURES.
CAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE ROAD TEMPERATURE IS THE KEY FOR WHETHER THE ICE STICKS OR NOT.
WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING ON A ONE ON ONE-ON-ONE BASIS, BUT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE ARTERIAL SO PEOPLE CAN GET THROUGH THE CITY AND PASSABLE.
AND NOW WE'RE, UH, BUT WE HAVE VERY LITTLE, WE'VE HAD LITTLE ISSUES AS FAR AS THE ROADS AS FAR AS THAT NOW IT'S MORE OF THE DEBRIS THAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN WITHOUT POWER FOR 24 HOURS NOW AND MAY NOT BE GETTING IT BACK TONIGHT? DO YOU MIND? YEAH.
AND THEN CAN YOU PROVIDE THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER? YEAH, SURE.
UM, JANET PACHE, UH, WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CURRENTLY HAVE COAL WEATHER SHELTERS OPERATIONAL, UH, RIGHT NOW.
UM, THOSE COLD WEATHER SHELTERS WILL, UH, CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING AND THROUGH FRIDAY.
UM, AND THEY WILL OPERATE, UH, FROM, YOU CAN GO AND REGISTER FOR, UH, ACCESS TO THAT SHELTER BY GOING TO ONE TEXAS CENTER AT 5 0 5 BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, BETWEEN 6:00 PM AND 8:00 PM IF YOU'RE ABLE TO GET TRANSPORTATION THERE, UM, YOU CAN, UM, UH, GET YOUR CAR, GET THERE, UM, AND YOU WILL HAVE TRANSPORTATION THROUGH CAMP METRO FROM THAT LOCATION ONTO A ASSIGNED SHELTER.
UH, IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF SHELTERING TONIGHT AND THERE ISN'T A SHELTER OF, UH, AND, AND YOU DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY, THE ONE THING YOU CAN DO IS, UM, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION IS YOU CAN CALL 3 1 1 AND WE'LL HELP MAKE ASSISTANCE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS, UH, TO GET TO, TO A, A SHELTERING LOCATION DURING THE DAY BETWEEN NINE AND FIVE.
THAT TODAY, UH, WE HAVE FOUR WARMING CENTERS THAT ARE OPERATIONAL.
SO THOSE WHO, UH, NEED TO GET SOME RESPITE FROM THE, FROM, UH, BEAN WITHOUT ELECTRICITY CAN GO TO ONE OF FOUR LOCATIONS.
ONE'S AT LITTLE WALNUT CREEK BRANCH LIBRARY, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 8 35 WEST RUNDBERG LANE.
UH, THE SECOND IS AT TARA'S BRANCH LIBRARY, WHICH IS AT 1105 EAST CAESAR CHAVEZ, THE THIRD TURNER
[00:35:01]
ROBERTS RECREATION CENTER AT 72 0 1 COLONY LOOP DRIVE.AND, UH, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY LOCATED AT SEVEN 10 WEST CAESAR CHAVEZ.
UH, THOSE WILL BE OPERATIONAL, AS I SAID, BETWEEN NINE AND 5:00 PM TODAY.
UH, SHOULD YOU NEED EXTENDED SHELTERING OPERATIONS AND, AND A WARM PLACE TO STAY TONIGHT, UH, AGAIN, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR WAY TO ONE TEXAS CENTER AT 5 0 5 BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AND YOU WILL, UH, BE PROVIDED TRANSPORTATION TO A SHELTERING LOCATION, UH, UH, SO THAT YOU CAN, UH, HAVE A WARM PLACE TO STAY TONIGHT.
IF YOU ALL NEED ANYTHING ELSE, JUST FEEL FREE TO CONTACT SOME OF THE COMMUNICATION STAFF THAT ARE HERE.