Jul 21, 2026 Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee

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THANK YOU

[CALL TO ORDER]

I WILL CALL THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY UTILITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO ORDER AT, UH, 9 0 3.

UM, AND WE WILL FIRST CHECK ON ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS.

DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS TODAY? NO, SIR.

THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD

[Approval of Minutes]

THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, UH, AND, UH, THE MAYOR MOTIONS AND COUNCIL MEMBER DUCHEN SECONDS, UH, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RISE YOUR HANDS UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

AND WE WILL THEN GO TO THE SECOND

[2. General Manager’s Report - Summer Weather Preparedness, ERCOT summer projections, Electric System Resiliency Plan Dashboard, and Solar incentive increases. [Stuart Reilly, General Manager Austin Energy]]

WELCOME.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

GOOD MORNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

I'M STUART RILEY, AUSTIN, ENERGY GENERAL MANAGER, AND LET'S SEE.

THANK YOU.

LEMME JUST GET THIS REMOTE GOING.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, I HAVE FOUR TOPICS TO GO THROUGH THIS MORNING.

UH, I'LL PROVIDE UPDATES ON AUSTIN ENERGY SUMMER PREPAREDNESS.

I'LL GIVE SOME UPDATES ON THE ERCOT SUMMER 2026 OUTLOOK.

UM, I'LL LET YOU KNOW ABOUT OUR NEW ELECTRIC SYSTEM RESILIENCY PLAN DASHBOARD AND GIVE UPDATES ON OUR NEW SOLAR PROGRAM INCENTIVES.

SO FIRST, STARTING WITH AUSTIN ENERGY SUMMER PREPAREDNESS.

OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALREADY WELL INTO THE SUMMER, BUT WE DO HAVE THE HOTTEST SUMMER WEATHER YET TO GO, UM, FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.

ANY OUTAGES THIS TIME OF YEAR, WHETHER IT'S POWER PLANT OUTAGES, DISTRIBUTION, TRANSMISSION OUTAGES, THESE ARE PARTICULARLY IMPACTFUL TO US AND TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

SO WE GO THROUGH A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS LEADING UP TO THE SUMMER.

UM, REALLY THAT WORK STARTS AS SOON AS WE GET OUT OF THE WINTER SEASON.

AND SO DURING THE SPRING, WE PERFORM SEASONAL MAINTENANCE AND WEATHERIZATION ACROSS OUR SYSTEM AND OUR POWER PLANTS.

THIS ENSURES THAT WE'VE DONE MAINTENANCE AND TESTING OF EQUIPMENT TO LIMIT UNEXPECTED OUTAGES.

WE'RE ALSO ENSURING WE HAVE ALL THE SUPPLIES NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO ANYTHING THAT POPS UP THIS SUMMER.

UM, WE HAVE OUR COOLING SYSTEMS READY AT OUR POWER PLANTS TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE IN EXTREME HOT WEATHER.

AND THEN ALSO WE'RE REVIEWING OUR EMERGENCY PROCESSES.

AND SO ALL OF THESE ACTIONS AND MUCH MORE GO INTO US BEING ABLE TO SUBMIT OUR SUMMER ATTESTATION TO ERCOT.

AND THIS ATTESTATION DECLARES THAT WE HAVE TAKEN ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY, UH, FOR SEASONAL EMERGENCY PREPARATION, AND WE'RE MEETING ALL STATE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THAT OF, OF COURSE, I'M, I'M FOCUSING HERE ON THIS SLIDE ON OUR ELECTRIC SYSTEM SUMMER PREPAREDNESS.

CARRIE OVERTON'S GONNA PROVIDE AN UPDATE IN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CUSTOMER PROGRAMS, BUT WE ALSO DO A LOT TO PREPARE OUR CUSTOMERS GOING INTO THE SUMMER, UM, TO GET THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT SUMMER MONTHS.

AND SO ALL OF THESE ACTIONS, WHETHER IT'S ON OUR SYSTEM OR WITH OUR CUSTOMERS, IS AIMED TO KEEP POWER FLOWING, KEEP CUSTOMERS SAFE AND ENERGIZED, UH, THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME OF YEAR.

AND IF ANY CUSTOMERS NEED TO SEE OUR CURRENT CONDITIONS, THEY CAN GO TO AUSTIN ENERGY.COM/ALERTS.

THAT PAGE, ALONG WITH THE ERCOT APP, UH, IS ALSO A GREAT RESOURCE FOR THETANS NOTIFICATIONS.

UM, OF COURSE, WE AMPLIFY THOSE MESSAGES ACROSS ALL OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS CHANNELS, BUT JUST IN CASE THERE ARE ANY ALERTS THAT COME ACROSS THIS SUMMER FOR CONSERVATION NOTICES OR ANY LARGER GRID IMPACTS, HOWEVER, ERCOT IS COMMUNICATING NOW THAT THEY DO ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE ENOUGH POWER GENERATION TO MEET CUSTOMER DEMAND THIS SUMMER.

UM, LIKE AUSTIN ENERGY, ERCOT HAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT, UM, FORECASTING PROCESS.

SO WE LOOK AT OUR, OUR FORECAST AND MODELS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE WELL POSITIONED GOING INTO THE SUMMER.

UM, SIMILARLY, ERCOT ISS LOOKING AT A RANGE OF WHAT IT EXPECTS TO OCCUR THIS SUMMER.

AND RIGHT NOW WHAT WHAT'S MOST EXPECTED IS A SUMMER THAT'S MORE SIMILAR TO 2012.

THAT'S THE 17TH HOTTEST SUMMER.

UM, THEY'RE ALSO PREPARED FOR A SUMMER THAT'S MORE SIMILAR TO 2023, WHICH IS OUR SECOND HOTTEST SUMMER ON RECORD.

SO, UM, NOT AS FAVORABLE AS LAST YEAR, 2025, BUT ALSO NOT AS BAD AS WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED HERE IN RECENT YEARS.

SO SOME SOMEWHAT OF THE NEW NORMAL, I GUESS, IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS SUMMER.

UM, WITH THAT WEATHER AND WITH ALL OF THE SIGNIFICANT LOAD GROWTH ACROSS ERCOT, ERCOT IS EXPECTING A NEW PEAK DEMAND RECORD THIS SUMMER.

SO IT WILL, UH, IT'S EXPECTED TO INCREASE THE PEAK DEMAND RECORD, UH, BY ABOUT 8% FROM THE PRIOR PEAK DEMAND RECORD.

SO FROM ABOUT 85 GIGAWATTS TO ABOUT 92 GIGAWATTS.

AND THAT'S JUST A FORECAST AT THIS POINT.

WE'LL SEE WHAT ACTUALLY, UM, TAKES PLACE THIS SUMMER.

MOVING BACK TO, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY SPECIFICALLY, UM, OUR, WE RECENTLY LAUNCHED OUR ELECTRIC SYSTEM RESILIENCY PLAN DASHBOARD.

AND SO JUST AS A REMINDER, OUR ELECTRIC SYSTEM RESILIENCY PLAN, SOMETIMES YOU'LL HEAR US REFER TO THAT AS OUR ESRP.

SO THAT PLAN

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IT'S A ROADMAP FOR HOW TO MAKE OUR SYSTEM, UH, WITHSTAND MORE, RECOVER FASTER, AND ALSO SUPPORT NEW TECHNOLOGIES ACROSS OUR GRID.

AND, UM, AS, AS WE WENT THROUGH THE PUBLIC STAKEHOLDER PROCESS FOR OUR ESRP, AND EVEN DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS LAST YEAR, WE HEARD FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND CUSTOMERS THAT, UM, CUSTOMERS WANTED TO SEE THAT WE WERE MAKING THE INVESTMENTS IN OUR GRID, THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO FOR RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCY.

AND SO THIS NEW PUBLIC FACING DASHBOARD CAN BE FOUND ON THE AUSTIN ENERGY WEBSITE, AND IT SHOWS INFORMATION ON A QUARTERLY BASIS OF HOW MUCH PROGRESS WE'VE MADE FOR THE YEAR ON THINGS LIKE, UM, CIRCUITS HARDENED WILDFIRE MITIGATION, COMPLETED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, COMPLETED INSTALLATION OF SMART DEVICES ACROSS OUR SYSTEM THAT HELP US MINIMIZE OUTAGES AND RECOVER FASTER.

SO ALL OF THIS IS INTENDED TO SHOW OUR CUSTOMERS AND, AND PROVIDE THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY THAT WE ARE MAKING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ON OUR SYSTEM FOR A MORE RELIABLE, MORE RESILIENT GRID.

AND LASTLY, UM, OF COURSE, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF ENHANCEMENTS TO OUR SOLAR PROGRAMS, UH, IN, IN THE PAST YEAR OR TWO.

UH, ON JULY 1ST, WE INCREASED OUR SOLAR INCENTIVES TO CUSTOMERS.

SO EFFECTIVE ON JULY 1ST, WE INCREASED THE RESIDENTIAL INCENTIVE FROM $2,500 TO $4,000 PER RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER INSTALLATION.

UH, THAT'S A 60% INCREASE.

UH, WE ALSO INCREASED OUR COMMERCIAL INCENTIVES, BOTH THE CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVES AND PERFORMANCE BASED INCENTIVES.

SO FOR A COMMERCIAL CUSTOMER, THEY'RE SEEING ABOUT A 25 TO 50% INCREASE IN THEIR INCENTIVES DEPENDING ON SYSTEM SIZE.

AND FOR OUR NONPROFIT CUSTOMERS ARE SEEING A 66% INCREASE IN THE INCENTIVES.

AND SO THESE INCENTIVES ARE MEANT TO INCREASE LOCAL SOLAR ADOPTION, SUPPORT OUR CLIMATE GOALS, AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL SOLAR INSTALLER COMMUNITY, UH, JUST TO GET MORE SOLAR UPTAKE IN AUSTIN AND HELP US MEET OUR GOALS.

CHAIR, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU THIS MORNING.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

WELL, THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR GENERAL MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBER? LANE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS REPORT.

UM, I'M WONDERING, UH, I REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE INFORMATION AND I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE SOLAR INCENTIVES.

UM, AS, AS YOU KNOW, A SIGNIFICANT PART OF MY DISTRICT IS IN PEC INSTEAD OF AUSTIN ENERGY.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I SOMETIMES HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS ABOUT, UM, HOW PEC IS HANDLING CERTAIN THINGS VERSUS AUSTIN ENERGY.

AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE EVER MADE A COMPARISON OF THE WAY THAT RESIDENTIAL SOLAR IS INCENTIVIZED BY PEC? YOU KNOW, UM, I, I KNOW THAT THEY'VE MADE SOME UPDATES IN RECENT YEARS.

I, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY HAVE UPFRONT INCENTIVES ANYMORE FOR CUSTOMERS, AND I BELIEVE THEY'VE REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF, OF SORT OF, OF PAYBACK.

BUT I, I WOULD NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT, UH, THOSE CAN GET UPDATED ON A, ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS.

SO I DON'T WANT TO MISS MISSTATE.

MM-HMM .

I, I DO KNOW JUST IN TALKING WITH OUR COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE INDUSTRY, UM, IN TERMS OF OUR VALUE OF SOLAR RATE, LIKE OUR BUYBACK RATE IS, UM, FAVORABLE COMPARED TO MOST OTHER UTILITIES THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED, AS WELL AS OUR UPFRONT INCENTIVES.

UM, NOT, IT'S NOT TYPICAL OF WHAT YOU'LL SEE ACROSS TEXAS IS THE UPFRONT INCENTIVES, LIKE I WAS TALKING ABOUT OUR $4,000 INCENTIVE.

UH, AND SO MOST UTILITIES AREN'T, AREN'T DOING THAT AT ALL.

MM-HMM .

SO WE'RE REALLY MAKING A BIG PUSH TO GET MORE SOLAR INSTALLED.

OF COURSE, THIS, THE FEDERAL TAX INCENTIVES WENT AWAY, AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP CUSTOMERS AND, AND GET OVER THE HUMP AND, AND MAKE, HELP THEM MAKE THAT DECISION TO INSTALL SOLAR.

DO YOU VIEW THE GOAL OF THE SOLAR PROGRAM TO GENERATE AS MUCH ALTERNATIVE ENERGY INTO AUSTIN AS POSSIBLE, OR, OR SOMETHING ELSE? UM, WELL, LISA MARTIN IS GONNA PROVIDE, UH, OUR SEMI-ANNUAL UPDATE ON OUR RESOURCE PLAN GOALS.

AND SO I, I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF OUR SOLAR PRO PROGRESS.

I THINK WE'RE SOMETHING LIKE 6% AWAY FROM OUR, FROM REACHING OUR LOCAL SOLAR GOAL.

SO SHE, BUT SHE WILL PROVIDE THE EXACT NUMBERS HERE IN HER REPORT IN A LITTLE BIT.

BUT WE DO HAVE GOALS.

WE'RE DOING WELL ON THOSE GOALS.

WE HAD A RECORD YEAR LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE.

MM-HMM .

IT'S MORE OF AN UPHILL CLIMB NOW WITH THE, UM, IN FEDERAL INCENTIVES GOING AWAY MM-HMM .

UM, BUT WE ARE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN, ESPECIALLY WITH TRYING TO MAKE MORE PROGRESS ON, UM, THE SOLAR STANDARD OFFER AND SOME OTHER, UM, UNIQUE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER HERE IN AUSTIN.

WE'LL DEFINITELY BE SHARING BACK THE INCREASED UPFRONT INCENTIVES.

AND THAT'S GREAT TO KNOW.

UM, I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN UPCOMING MEETING, AND SO PERHAPS WE COULD LOOK AT SOME OF THE DATA THAT YOU HAVE IN THAT MEETING IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

UM, BUT ANECDOTALLY

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AND MAYBE THAT'S BECAUSE OF HOW THEY PREVIOUSLY STRUCTURED IT.

I DON'T KNOW.

UM, BUT I THINK IT, WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE THEORIES I'VE HEARD ON WHY THAT MIGHT BE, BUT I DON'T HAVE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, STRAIGHT FROM PEC ON HOW THEY HANDLE THINGS.

SO.

OKAY.

YEAH, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT, BUT I'D LOVE TO TAKE THAT UP IN OUR, IN OUR MEETING.

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY, YEAH.

OKAY.

THANKS.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND DID, JUST TO CLARIFY, SO THE, UH, THE INSTALLATION INCENTIVE FOR A RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNER THAT'S PUTTING SOLAR PANELS ON THEIR HOUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IS, IS GOING FROM $2,500 TO, TO $4,000? CORRECT.

ALRIGHT.

JUST FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT IF, UH, IT'S A GOOD TIME TO PUT SOME AND YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER, LEN.

THANK YOU.

UH, SORRY, THAT REMINDED ME.

ONE MORE QUESTION.

SO THESE ARE INCENTIVES FOR A FIRST TIME INSTALLATION.

WHAT ABOUT, ARE THERE ANY INCENTIVES AVAILABLE WHEN SOMEONE HAS ALREADY HAD SOLAR FOR A WHILE AND THEN THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY USE BREAKS AND IS AN EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT COST? BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT I'VE HEARD, IS THAT BY THE, WHEN THINGS START TO BREAK, IT'S NOT GONNA MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE FOR THE HOMEOWNERS TO REPLACE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE PROGRAM'S STRUCTURED.

I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THE EXACT ANSWERS ON THAT.

I THINK PART OF THAT'S GONNA DEPEND ON IF THEY'RE REPLACING PART OF THEIR SYSTEM, IF THEY HAVE ONE PANEL THAT'S BROKEN VERSUS IF THEY'RE INSTALLING A, AN OVERALL A NEW SYSTEM.

MM-HMM .

SO I CAN MAKE SURE I HAVE THE BEST INFORMATION SOUNDS, DISCUSS IT WITH YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

MM-HMM .

COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR.

MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE PEC IS SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN AUSTIN ENERGY, THAT THEY ARE REALLY INCENTIVIZED TO PUT THE, THE SOLAR ON THEIR HOUSEHOLDS.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO SAY I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK Y'ALL ARE DOING IN THE SOLAR SPACE, RECOGNIZING THAT THE LANDSCAPE IS SHIFTING AND Y'ALL ARE ADAPTING TO TRY TO CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT THAT LOCAL SOLAR.

SO JUST A A THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

WELL, JOHN, MAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

AND WITH THAT,

[3. Semi-Annual Update on implementation of the Austin Energy Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan to 2035. [Lisa Martin, Deputy General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Austin Energy]]

UH, FROM DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER, LISA MARTIN.

GOOD MORNING, CHAIR VELA, VICE CHAIR SEGEL COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS, UH, VICE AS CHAIR JUST SAID, I'M LISA MARTIN AUSTIN'S CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, AND TODAY I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE SEMI-ANNUAL UPDATE FOR THE RESOURCE GENERATION AND CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN TO 2035.

WE'RE GONNA COVER THE LATEST DATA ON KEY METRICS, AS WELL AS A FEW IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS.

AND WHENEVER POSSIBLE, I'M GONNA SHOW PRELIMINARY DATA THROUGH FY 26 Q2.

SO THE LATEST WE HAVE AVAILABLE, AND IN SOME CASES THE LATEST WE HAVE IS VALIDATED DATA FROM 2025.

SO I'LL SPECIFY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WE GO FROM SLIDE TO SLIDE.

HERE WE SEE OUR TRENDING PROGRESS TOWARDS THE CARBON FREE GOAL.

AND AS A REMINDER, THESE NUMBERS SHOW THE PERCENTAGE OF ENERGY CONSUMED BY AUSTIN ENERGY CUSTOMERS.

THAT IS OFFSET BY CARBON FREE GENERATION SOURCES.

THAT IS, IT'S NOT THE SAME AS LOOKING AT THE CARBON FREE PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL ENERGY GENERATED, BUT LOOKING AT THE FAR RIGHT BAR, YOU'LL SEE THAT FY TO DATE WE'RE AT 67%.

WE'RE PLEASED TO SEE THE UPTICK FROM THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

THAT WAS A LEVEL SET.

Q1 AND Q2 TEND TO HAVE HIGHER RENEWABLE PERCENTAGES OVERALL, THE GOAL, AS STATED IN THE SUBHEADER, IS TO GET TO 100% CARBON FREE GENERATION AS A PERCENTAGE OF LOAD BY 2035.

AND AS WE CONTINUE IMPLEMENTING OUR 2035 PLAN WITH MORE LOCAL SOLAR IMPORT CAPACITY, INCREASES, WIND AND SOLAR ADDITIONS AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS, WE LOOK TO SEE AN UPTICK IN THIS METRIC, KNOWING THAT CHALLENGES LIKE LOAD GROWTH, CONGESTION, AND CURTAILMENT CONTINUE TO WORK AGAINST PROGRESS.

NOW, LET'S SHIFT TO STACK EMISSIONS AND CARBON INTENSITY.

THESE NUMBERS ARE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT I PRESENTED SIX MONTHS AGO WHEN I ONLY HAD PRELIMINARY DATA.

NOW, THESE REPRESENT OFFICIAL CALENDAR YEAR 2025 VALUES AND CALCULATIONS.

ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE.

IN THE GREEN BARS, YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR ACTUAL STACK EMISSIONS, BOTH CARBON DIOXIDE AND NITROGEN OXIDES REMAIN AT RECORD LOWS.

AND ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IN THE BLUE COLORS, WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT HOW MUCH CARBON IS PRODUCED PER MEGAWATT HOUR OF ENERGY GENERATED, OR THE CARBON INTENSITY, THE GUARDRAIL IS SHOWN AS THE DOTTED LINE.

THE TOP GRAPH ON THE RIGHT SHOWS THE INTENSITY ACROSS ALL OF OUR GENERATION.

AND SEEING THE 2025 BAR BELOW THE GUARDRAIL MEANS THAT THE ENERGY WE GENERATE CONTINUES TO COME FROM A MAJORITY OF CARBON FREE RESOURCES WHEN NARROWING IN JUST TO OUR LOCAL RESOURCES, OUR LOCAL GENERATION.

THE GRAPH ON

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IN PART, IT WAS A MILD WEATHER YEAR RES RESULTING IN LOWER LOADS IN 2025 COMPARED TO 2024.

AND THAT MEANT OUR LOCAL RESOURCES GENERATED LESS POWER.

BUT ADDITIONALLY, OUTAGES AT THE SANDHILL COMBINED CYCLE REQUIRED US TO RELY ON OTHER GENERATORS MORE TYPICAL THAN USUAL, SO LOWER GENERATION OVERALL, BUT IT WAS MORE CARBON INTENSE ON A MEGAWATT HOUR BASIS.

AND THESE TYPES OF FLUCTUATIONS ARE EXPECTED FROM TIME TO TIME, GIVEN THE OVERALL NATURE OF OPERATIONS.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE 20 YEAR HISTORY OF STACK EMISSIONS FROM A PEAK NEAR SIX TO TODAY'S VALUE OF UNDER 2.5.

IT'S A VERY SIGNIFICANT 60% REDUCTION OVER THE YEARS.

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA SHIFT GEARS TO THE, UM, CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS GOALS.

HERE ON THE, UH, LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU SEE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, UH, 866 MEGAWATTS OF ENERGY SAVINGS AS OF FY 25 WITH 109 MEGAWATTS REMAINING TO REACH OUR 2027 GOAL.

SO, UH, NEARLY A GIGAWATT OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY SAVINGS BY THE END.

UM, ON THE RIGHT WE HAVE 30 MEGAWATTS OF THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE CAPACITY AS OF FY 25 AND 10 MEGAWATTS REMAINING TO REACH OUR 2030 GOAL.

SHIFTING TO DEMAND RESPONSE.

YOU'LL RECALL WE HAD A RECORD YEAR IN FY 25 55 MEGAWATTS OF CONFIRMED REDUCTION DURING OUR SUMMER NEEDS.

AND OUR 2027 GOAL IS TO GET TO 78 MEGAWATTS.

AND THE 2035 GOAL IS 270 MEGAWATTS.

AND THERE ARE SEVERAL EFFORTS UNDERWAY, INCLUDING CUSTOMER SIGHTED BATTERIES AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING MANAGEMENT TO HELP US REACH THESE GOALS.

TURNING TO LOCAL SOLAR, OUR LOCAL SOLAR TEAM TRACKS THEIR INSTALLATIONS AS THEY GO.

AND OUR PRELIMINARY NUMBERS HERE ARE SHOWING AS OF FY 26 Q2, WE HAVE 199 MEGAWATTS OF LOCAL SOLAR CAPACITY INSTALLED.

THAT MEANS OUR TEAMS ARE JUST SIX MEGAWATTS AWAY FROM THE 2027 GOAL, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SURPASSING THAT ON THE WAY TO THE 405 MEGAWATT 2035 GOAL.

DESPITE GROWING CHALLENGES, OUR SOLAR TEAMS CONTINUE TO MAKE BOTH INNOVATIVE AND PRACTICAL CHANGES TO SUPPORT OUR CUSTOMERS.

AND FINALLY, OUR LOCAL BATTERY STORAGE GOAL.

WE HAVE JUST OVER 16 MEGAWATTS INSTALLED AND OPERATING AS OF Q2 FY 26.

AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 140 MEGAWATTS IN DEVELOPMENT AND SLATED COME ON BY THE END OF 2027, WHICH WILL SURPASS OUR GOAL OF 125 MEGAWATTS.

OUR TEAMS ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH CONTRACTORS TO BRING THE APPROVED PROJECTS TO COMMERCIAL OPERATION.

WRAPPING UP THIS SECTION HERE IS THE SUMMARY LOOK FOR ALL OF THE CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS GOALS.

YOU CAN SEE WE'RE WELL ON THE WAY TO MEETING OR EXCEEDING THESE 20, 27 OR 2030 GOALS.

AND NOW I'M GONNA TURN OUR ATTENTION TO A FEW KEY PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS, STARTING WITH OUR BATTERY DEMAND RESPONSE PILOT.

THIS IS THE PROGRAM WHERE CUSTOMERS OWN BATTERY STORAGE AND THEN THEY ENROLL IN OUR DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAMS. AS OF ABOUT ONE MONTH AGO WHEN THESE SLIDES WERE PUT TOGETHER, WE HAVE 121 CUSTOMERS ENROLLED WITH 212 TOTAL ENROLLED BATTERY UNITS.

AS YOU MAY RECALL, THIS YEAR ROUND COMPONENT PROVIDES A NICE BOOST TO THE EXISTING DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM.

AND IN AGGREGATE, WE'RE SEEING 1.6 MEGAWATTS OF DISCHARGE CAPACITY FROM THESE UNITS THUS FAR.

STAYING ON THE TOPIC OF BATTERIES, BUT SWITCHING GEARS TO OUR BASE POWER BATTERY AGREEMENT, AN UPDATE IS SUCH THAT BASE INSTALLED THEIR FIRST SYSTEMS IN AUSTIN IN LATE JUNE AND DID A MORE FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT LAST WEEK.

THESE UNITS HAVEN'T HIT COMMERCIAL OPERATION YET, BUT THAT'S FORTHCOMING IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

ON THE AUSTIN ENERGY SIDE, WE'RE BEGINNING TO INTEGRATE THE RESOURCES INTO OUR PORTFOLIO, AND BASE EXPECTS TO REACH THE FULL SYSTEM CAPACITY OF 40 MEGAWATTS BY MID TO LATE 2027.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE WON'T WAIT UNTIL THEN TO BENEFIT FROM THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.

AS BASE INSTALLS MORE BATTERIES FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS, WE IMMEDIATELY ADD THOSE RESOURCES TO OUR PORTFOLIO, MAKING THEM AVAILABLE FOR DIS FOR DISPATCH.

WE SPOKE ABOUT LOCAL SOLAR PROGRESS SEVERAL SLIDES AGO, AND THIS SLIDE SPEAKS SPECIFICALLY INTO SOLAR STANDARD OFFER.

UM, AND THE CAPACITY THERE.

AS OF Q2 20, UH, Q2 FY 26, THERE WERE 5.5 MEGAWATTS OF COMMUNITY SOLAR CAPACITY INSTALLED WITH THE GREEN PORTION ON THE TOP OF THAT BAR REPRESENTING, UH, CAPACITY COMING FROM THE STANDARD OFFER.

[00:20:01]

AND THERE'S ALWAYS A LOT GOING ON IN TERMS OF TRANSMISSION.

BUT I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME PROGRESS ON A PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT PROJECT.

WE'RE MOVING THROUGH THE REGULATORY STEPS AND MAKING HEADWAY ON A NEW 138 KILOVOLT LINE THAT WILL INCREASE OUR IMPORT CAPACITY BY ABOUT 200 MEGAWATTS.

THIS PROJECT IS CURRENTLY UNDER ERCOT REVIEW AND THEN WILL FILE FOR THE STATE PERMIT AND CONTINUE OUR PATH TO COMMERCIAL OPERATION IN 2029.

THIS PROJECT THEN LEADS TO A FUTURE PHASE WHERE WE'LL LOOK TO UPGRADE SEVERAL LINES TO A HIGHER VOLTAGE, AND DOING SO WILL INCREASE OUR IMPORT CAPACITY SUBSTANTIALLY ALONG A KEY PATH A FEW YEARS LATER.

THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS HELP RELIABILITY, AFFORDABILITY, AND CLEAN ENERGY OBJECTIVES, WHILE ALSO PREPARING FOR A GROWING SYSTEM AND CHAIR VELA.

THAT CONCLUDES MY SEMI-ANNUAL UPDATE FOR THE GEN PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH FOR THE REPORT.

GREAT TO SEE SO MUCH, UH, PROGRESS, UH, TOWARD GOALS AND, AND SURPASSING GOALS IN, IN A LOT OF, UH, METRICS.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REPORT.

UH, QUESTIONS.

COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU DEPUTY GM.

UM, ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE THE REPORT.

UH, JUST WANTED TO GO TO A COUPLE OF SLIDES.

UH, FIRST ON SLIDE SEVEN, UM, I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THESE GOALS AROUND THERMAL STORAGE AND WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DISTRICT COOLING.

UM, TO THE EXTENT YOU'RE PREPARED TODAY, UH, MS. MARTIN, IF YOU COULD SHARE WHAT'S WORKING WITH DISTRICT COOLING, WHAT'S NOT, AND THEN MAYBE WHAT INVESTMENTS WE SHOULD BE MAKING, UM, TO MEET OUR GOALS FOR THE CURRENT SYSTEM AND ANY POTENTIAL NEW PROJECTS, UM, WHETHER YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT TODAY OR A FUTURE MEETING.

SURE.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, OUR DISTRICT COOLING SYSTEM IS, YOU KNOW, A WORLD CLASS, UH, YOU KNOW, OPERATIONAL SYSTEM THAT IS AWARD-WINNING.

UM, AND SO FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, IT IS, IT'S TOP NOTCH AND, AND PERFORMING AT ITS HIGHEST LEVELS.

UM, AND, UM, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE IS, UH, UH, CONTINUED GROWTH IN AUSTIN AND, UM, SO IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GROW THE DISTRICT COIN SYSTEM AS WELL.

OF COURSE, THAT, UM, REQUIRES FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS THAT, UM, ARE, YOU KNOW, IN A STRANGE, UH, SYSTEM WHERE WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO UPGRADE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, KEEP RATES LOW FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.

THERE'S, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE BOARD THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO CONSIDER.

UM, AND SO THE, OF COURSE, THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE DISTRICT COOLING SYSTEM IS TO CREATE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND TO GROW THAT WOULD GROW THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS AS WELL.

AND SO, UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING WITH, UM, THIRD PARTY FINANCIAL ADVISOR TO ASSESS THE VARIOUS OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE DISTRICT COOLING SYSTEM.

UM, THAT WORK, UH, WAS ON THE BACK BURNER FOR A BIT AS WE WERE FOCUSING A LOT ON OTHER RESOURCE GENERATION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION GOALS, BUT THAT WORK IS BACK UNDERWAY NOW.

UM, AND WE ANTICIPATE, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO COME BACK WITH SOME UPDATES HERE, UH, LATER THIS YEAR.

OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, THEN QUICK QUESTION ON SLIDE EIGHT.

UH, IS THE DISTRIBUTED BATTERY CONTRACT WITH BASE POWER THAT IS MOVING FORWARD, UM, IS THAT ACCOUNTED FOR IN TERMS OF THE 55 MEGAWATTS WATTS OF PROGRESS, OR IS THAT PART OF THE PLANNED PROGRESS FOR FY 27? THE, UM, BATTERIES THAT ARE PART OF THE BASE AGREEMENT WILL BE CONSIDERED MORE LIKE A, UM, A DISPATCHABLE GENERATOR OR RESOURCE OPTION FOR US THAT WILL GO TOWARDS OUR BATTERY STORAGE GOAL.

I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT THEY WILL ACTUALLY, UM, SHOW UP IN THIS DEMAND RESPONSE, UH, SLIDE THE BATTERY DEMAND RESPONSE PILOT FOR, UH, CUSTOMERS WHO OWN THEIR BATTERIES.

AND THEN WE, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UH, DISPATCH THOSE BATTERIES SPECIFICALLY DURING DEMAND RESPONSE TIMES.

UM, IS, UH, WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE FUTURE.

UH, NUMBERS HERE.

THERE'S, THERE'S A FEW MEGAWATTS HERE, UM, THAT WE ANTICIPATE, BUT, BUT REALLY IT'S, IT'S THE FUTURE GROWTH.

GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

AND THEN JUST, UH, ON SLIDE NINE, UM, WAS REALLY HAPPY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE IMPROVED CUSTOMER INTERCONNECTION EXPERIENCE LISTED AS A GOAL.

UM, WE'VE HEARD FROM MEMBERS OF THE EUC AS WELL AS THE RMC, OUR TWO COMMISSIONS THAT, UH, FOLKS ARE LOOKING FOR EFFICIENCIES TO IMPROVE THE SOLAR AND BATTERY CONNECTION PROCESS, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES COMING ONLINE.

AND SO, UM, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BOTH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES SIGNING UP AND COMING ONLINE AS QUICKLY AND EASY, EASILY AS WE CAN, UH, WHILE MAINTAINING THE SAME QUALITY OF SAFETY AND SERVICE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, I WANTED TO ASK, OR ACTUALLY, UM, YEAH, STARTING ON AT THE BACK, THE TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, IS THERE, WHAT'S THE MARGINAL

[00:25:01]

AND SO, UM, REALLY, AS YOU KNOW, THE GRID IS INTERCONNECTED IN VARIOUS WAYS.

AND SO AT THE LOCATIONS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING AN UPGRADE, IT'S, THERE'S ALREADY, UM, 1 38 AND 3 45 CONNECTIVITY, 7 65, UH, KV HASN'T YET BEEN ROUTED.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE LOCATED.

AND SO IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY MAKE SENSE TO, YOU KNOW, INTERCONNECT RIGHT, TO, I MEAN, TO UPGRADE TO 7 65, UM, AT, AT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION.

OKAY.

AND WHEN WE DO TRANSMISSION OF THIS SORT, I KNOW NORMALLY TRANSMISSION COSTS ARE SOCIALIZED, BUT WHEN IN THIS CASE, IF WE'RE UPGRADING OUR OWN TRANSMISSION, IS THAT JUST AN AUSTIN ENERGY COST OR IS THAT SOCIALIZED AS IF IT WERE THE, THE TRANSMISSION COSTS OF THESE PROJECTS WOULD ALSO BE, UH, GOING THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION COST OF SERVICES.

SO THE COSTS, THE, THE, UM, UH, REASON THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING THE ERCOT REVIEW AND THE, UH, STATE PERMITS, THE, THE, UM, CERTIFICATE OF CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY, THAT'S ALL PART OF THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT IS DONE TO DETERMINE IS THERE A RELIABILITY NEED FOR THESE UPGRADES AND THERE THEREFORE WOULD THEY BENEFIT THE BROADER BULK ELECTRIC SYSTEM AND THEREFORE SHOULD THE COST BE SOCIALIZED.

SO THAT'S ALL PART OR PART OF TRANSMISSION COST OF SERVICE.

AND SO THAT'S ALL PART OF THIS.

OKAY.

OKAY.

UH, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION, I KNOW, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON LOOKING AT DEMAND RESPONSE.

YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS NOW, AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, A, I I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO LOOK AT RATE STRUCTURES, ESPECIALLY ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, THAT INCENTIVIZES DEMAND RESPONSE.

IF YOU'RE PARTICIPATING, YOU GET, AND I KNOW WE HAVE AN INCENTIVE, BUT IF YOU ARE NOT PARTICIPATING, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A DISINCENTIVE.

UM, AND WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AS, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE YEAR.

BUT I JUST, UM, I THINK THE MARKET RESPONDS TO PRICE SIGNALS AND WE HAVE GIVEN ONE, BUT I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO GIVE PRICE SIGNALS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.

SO APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH, CHAIR.

THANK YOU.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TUCCI.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

TWO, HOPEFULLY QUICK QUESTIONS FROM THE BEGINNING ON SLIDE FOUR, I THINK THERE WAS, AS WE WENT THROUGH THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND, UH, LOCAL GENERATION AND, UH, PEAKER'S, UM, POTENTIAL MISINTERPRETATION OR MISUNDERSTANDING AROUND WHAT THIS, WHAT CARBON FREE OFFSET VERSUS GENERATION PERCENTAGE OF LOAD MEANT, I WAS HOPING YOU COULD EXPLAIN THAT IN LAYMAN TERMS THAT WE COULD THEN TAKE AND MAKE SURE WE CAN ACCURATELY CONVEY TO ANYBODY THAT HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT 'CAUSE I THINK THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANT BEING COMPLETELY CARBON FREE DISINVESTING FROM, YOU KNOW, UM, A LOT OF OUR, UM, UM, A LOT OF FACILITIES THAT WE'VE GOT, OR A LOT OF GENERATION THAT WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW THAT, UH, WOULDN'T OTHERWISE QUALIFY IN THAT IN 2035.

YEAH.

SO WHAT THESE NUMBERS, UM, SHOW ARE THE PERCENTAGE OF ENERGY CONSUMED OR USED BY OUR CUSTOMERS, THAT IS OFFSET BY CARBON FREE GENERATION.

AND SO, UM, AND OUR GOAL IS TO GET TO 100%, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH CARBON FREE GENERATION TO OFFSET 100% OF OUR CUSTOMER LOAD OR CUSTOMER USAGE IN 20, UM, 2035 AND BEYOND.

GOT IT.

THANK YOU.

AND THE NEXT QUESTION IS ON THE NEXT SLIDE, ON THE, YOU TOUCHED ON THE CARBON DIOXIDE INTENSITY LOCAL GENERATION FOR LAST YEAR.

WHAT WOULD YOUR EXPECTATION BE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN THOSE NEW PEAKER UNITS ARE DEPLOYED, KNOWING THAT THEY ARE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT, BUT ALSO POTENTIALLY WILL RUN MORE THAN THE CURRENT PEAK? WELL, THE INTENTION IS BECAUSE THOSE, UH, NEW RESOURCES WOULD BE, UH, A LESS CARBON INTENSE THAT ON A, YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE WEATHER NORMAL YEAR, THAT OUR CARBON INTENSITY WOULD BENEFIT FROM THAT, RIGHT? WE'RE SERVING ADDITIONAL LOAD WITH LESS CARBON INTENSE RESOURCES, WHICH WOULD BENEFIT THE WHOLE, SO WE WOULD, WE SHOULD SEE THAT COME DOWN WHEN YOU REPORT THIS IN A FEW YEARS AFTER THEY'RE DEPLOYED.

YEAH.

THAT, YES,

[00:30:01]

OKAY.

YES.

ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY AS THEY OFFSET THE USE OF OTHER EXISTING RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO RELY ON TODAY.

GOT IT.

THANK YOU.

MM-HMM .

THANK YOU CHAIR.

UH, SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

UH, MS. MARTIN, THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH FOR THE REPORT.

UH, GREAT REPORT AND, UH, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR, YOUR GOOD WORK TO EVERYONE IN AUSTIN ENERGY.

THANK YOU.

AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE OVER

[4. Briefing on Austin Energy’s Customer Care Services. [Kerry Overton, Deputy General Manager and Chief Customer Officer - Austin Energy]]

MORNING.

I AM THE CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER AT AUSTIN ENERGY, AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO OUR SUMMER PREPAREDNESS FOR THE WAYS IN WHICH OUR ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT OUR CUSTOMERS.

AND SOME OF THIS MIGHT HAVE CORRELATION TO WHAT WE DO IN THE WINTER AS WELL.

BUT I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA KIND OF FOCUS, UH, A LITTLE BIT HERE ON THE HOT, HOT DAYS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UH, WE HAVE NOT BRIEFED YOU IN QUITE SOME TIME, UM, IN TERMS OF SOME OF THOSE CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAMS WE'VE BEEN DOING REALLY, REALLY WELL.

SO I WANNA FOCUS TODAY ON OUR CUSTOMER CARE OVERVIEW, TO GIVE YOU A BACKGROUND, UH, KIND OF ANCHORED AROUND OUR STRUCTURE AND, UH, THE SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR BILL SUPPORT AND FLEXIBILITY, AND THAT SPECIFICALLY, AND HOW WE ARE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN PAYING BACK THEIR BILLS, KEEPING THEIR ACCOUNT CURRENT, AND REACHING OTHER SPECIALIZED SERVICES WHEN NEEDED.

OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND, UH, THE NUMEROUS OF WAYS IN WHICH WE ARE ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR EDUCATION AND HOW WE CONNECT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.

AND THEN THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, THERE ARE SOME VERY SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE THAT AUSTIN SHOULD BE VERY, VERY PROUD OF.

UH, AND I'LL SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE NATIONAL RECOGNITIONS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM PEER GROUP, UH, UTILITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

NEXT SLIDE.

JUST AS AN OVERVIEW, CUSTOMER CARE, UM, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMBINING BILLING, UH, PAYMENT ACTIVITIES, METER READING, AND ALSO, UM, SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS IN DIRECT CUSTOMER CONTACT.

WE DO IT IN CONJUNCTION AS COA UTILITIES, WHICH ARE SIX OF OUR UTILITY DEPARTMENTS.

UM, WATER WASTEWATER, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.

UH, YOU HAVE SOME OF THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION, UH, USER FEES AND, AND, AND OTHER, UM, SERVICES AND WATERSHED PROTECTIONS OR PART OF THOSE THAT YOU SEE.

WE DO A CENTRALIZED BILL FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO MAKE IT CONVENIENT, UH, SO THAT THEY ONLY MAKE ONE PAYMENT AND ONE REMITTANCE GOES BACK.

UM, AND IT JUST ALLOWS THEM TO REALLY COMMUNICATE WITH US IN THE TOTALITY OF QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE THREE MAIN AREAS.

UH, THE, THE UTILITY ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT TEAM, UH, WE REFER TO IT KIND OF AS THE BACK OFFICE.

UH, MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALLY SEE A LOT OF THEIR WORK, BUT THEY'RE TOUCHING EVERY HOUSE, HOME, EVERY SINGLE DAY AND CYCLES WHEN WE ARE DOING BILLING.

THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE OUTREACH GROUP, THIS IS, UM, SPECIALIZED SERVICES WHERE EVERY WAY IN WHICH A CUSTOMER CONTACT US CONTACTS THE CENTER.

WE HAVE A UTILITY CONTACT CENTER THAT HANDLES, UH, RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CALLS, AUSTIN 3 1 1, AND THEN OUR SPECIALIZED GROUP THAT PROVIDES, UM, THE PROGRAMS TO OUR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE OR CAP, UH, PROGRAM AND MEDICAL VULNERABLE REGISTRY, WHICH I'M GONNA, WHICH I'M GONNA REFER TO AS THE MVR.

IN ALL OF OUR SERVICE CONTACTS, WE CAN HANDLE, UM, ACTIVITIES IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH, AND OVER 200 OR MORE LANGUAGES, UM, WITH OUR COMMUNITY AT ANY, ANY LOCATION, AT ANY POINT OF CONTACT WHEN THEY ARE HAVING BUSINESS WITH US.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS GROUP.

YOU'VE HEARD THE GENERAL MANAGER AND THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER SPEAK TO THOSE PROGRAMS, UM, AT A MUCH BROADER, UM, AREA.

BUT THOSE ARE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE'RE CONTACTING CUSTOMERS REGARDING OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, OUR DEMAND, UM, RESPONSE PROGRAMS, AND HOW THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH IT.

AND ALSO, UM, OUR SOLAR PROGRAMS AND OTHERS.

THE MAIN POINT HERE IS THAT WE HAVE SERVICES THAT HELP CUSTOMERS LOWER THEIR COSTS, SAVE ENERGY, AND HELP US, UH, REACH OUR A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, CARBON, UH, FREE GOAL.

THIS PRESENTATION, THAT'S THE OVERVIEW.

THIS PRESENTATION IS GONNA MORE FOCUS ON A NARROW FEW, UM, BULLETS OF THIS, UM, OVERVIEW.

AND THAT IS OUR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND OUR MEDICAL VULNERABLE REGISTRY, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THE SUMMER HEAT.

UM, NEXT SLIDE.

IN EVERY ONE OF OUR ENCOUNTERS

[00:35:01]

WE, OUR WORK IS TO HELP CUSTOMERS FIND SOLUTIONS WITH OUR SERVICES AND PRODUCTS, CONTACT US SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THEM FROM REACHING A CRISIS AS BEST AS WE CAN.

THIS IS SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WE HELP OUR CUSTOMERS AND TO BUILD CONCERNS.

EVEN THOUGH WE BILL ON NORMAL CYCLES, PART OF LARGE, UM, HIGH VOLUME, UM, EFFICIENCY, CUSTOMERS CAN ACTUALLY CALL US AND WE WORK WITH THEM WHEN WE'RE IN THEIR HOMES.

THEY MIGHT GET PAID ON A PARTICULAR DAY OR IN A MONTH, AND WE CAN THEN READJUST THEIR PAYMENT SCHEDULE TO MEET THEIR NEEDS BASED ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

UH, THEY ALSO CAN RECEIVE MULTIPLE PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS, UM, AS PART OF THIS OPERATIONS AND THE PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS JUST ALLOW THEM TO DEFER THEIR PAYMENT COMING BACK IN TO HELP THEM, THE CUSTOMERS KEEP THEIR ACCOUNT, UM, UP TO PAR AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO AVOID DISCONNECTIONS FOR NON-PAYMENT.

AND THOSE PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS COME IN MULTIPLE, UM, NUMBERS THAT THEY COULD RECEIVE THROUGHOUT A YEAR.

AND MOST OF THOSE ARRANGEMENTS CAN ALSO EXTEND BEYOND, UM, A YEAR.

AND THAT DEPENDS ON THE CUSTOMER'S INDIVIDUALIZED SITUATION.

AND WE HAVE, UH, PREPARED AGENTS TO WORK WITH THEM.

ONE OF THE GREATEST, UM, ASPECTS OF WHAT WE'VE DONE AND HOW, AND HAVE DONE HOW WE REACHED THIS, UM, COMMUNITY IS THROUGH OUR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND REFERRAL PROGRAMS. AND I'M GONNA COMBINE THAT WITH, UM, MATCHING, UH, COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

UH, WE ARE, WE HAVE 59 COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND THESE PARTNERS ARE FROM THE, UH, FAITH-BASED COMMUNITIES, SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, UM, THOSE THAT REALLY HELP US, UM, PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.

IN MANY CASES, WHEN WE PROVIDE FUNDING TO HELP, UH, CUSTOMERS THAT ARE IN THE ARREARS, MANY OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE COUNTY AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, WILL ADD ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND RESOURCES TO HELP THE, THE, OUR CUSTOMERS EVEN FURTHER.

AND THEN IN THE END, ONE OF THE BEST PROGRAMS WE HAVE IS THAT, UM, THAT YOU HAVE SHARED IN AS WELL, UM, AS COUNCIL, IS THAT DURING THE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS AND SUMMER MONTHS, WE HAVE A WEATHER MORATORIUM WHERE WE SUSPEND DISCONNECTIONS, UH, FOR NON-PAYMENT.

AND MOST OF THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE MONTH.

AND EQUALLY, AS I SAID EARLIER, WE, WE DO THAT IN THE WINTER AS WELL.

NEXT SLIDE.

THE WORK THAT WE DO, UM, UH, THAT I FEEL THE MOST PROUD ABOUT IS THAT WE'RE NOT ALWAYS JUST IN THE OFFICE.

WE HAVE A TEAM THAT ACTUALLY ARE IN THE COMMUNITY.

UH, WE ARE IN HOMES, WE'RE VISITING, UM, WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.

AND TWO VERY SPECIAL WAYS IN WHICH WE DO THAT IS WE HOST SPECIAL PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AT OUR UTILITY, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTERS.

AND WE HOST SEMINARS AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS, SHARING WITH CUSTOMERS HOW THEY CAN BE PREPARED, GETTING READY FOR THE SUMMER.

WE PROVIDE, UM, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS.

WE ALSO, UM, SET UP SCHEDULES IF THEY NEED US TO VISIT THEIR, THEIR HOMES, UM, AND THEN MAKE, UH, REFERRALS OVER TO OUR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM.

SO THERE'S A HOST OF, UM, INFORMATION AND INTERCONNECTION THAT'S HAPPENING AT THOSE EVENTS.

AND WE JUST STARTED, UM, THIS YEAR EXPANDING.

WE HAD A SMALL MEASURE OF LOOK GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY ON CERTAIN EVENTS.

WE NOW HAVE DONE, UM, A MOCK AND A PILOT PROGRAM TO GO OUT FOR COMMUNITY CANVASSING, TAKE IN OUR PROGRAMS IN THOSE AREAS THAT ARE SHOWING UP IN OUR ZIP CODES WITH THE HIGHEST NEEDS, OR THE ONES THAT ARE CALLING THE MOST, OR CONTACTING US THE MOST ABOUT NEEDING THE SERVICES.

SO WE STILL DO TABLING EVENTS IN OUR OUTREACH PERIOD, BUT WE ACTUALLY ARE GOING INTO THE COMMUNITY.

AND, UM, WE'RE LEARNING RIGHT NOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT PROGRAM, UH, ENTAILS IN, IN PREPARING OUR TEAM.

AND YOU'LL SEE US DO MORE AND MORE OF THOSE IN SCHEDULED AND CONTROLLED FASHIONS.

WE ALSO PROVIDE CONSERVATION, UM, EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND WE DO THIS THROUGH, UM, PROVIDING A LOT OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS OUTREACH.

AND AS I MENTIONED, WE WORK WITH OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS AND WE PROVIDE VERY SPECIFIC TRAINING EVERY YEAR SO THAT THEIR, OUR PARTNERS ARE UP TO DATE ON THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE PROVIDED.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AS A RESULT OF OUR ENTIRE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY TWO MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, CHARTWELL, UH, CHARTWELL IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS REWARDED US FOR OUR INNOVATION AND

[00:40:01]

UM, THEY RECOGNIZE US AMONG OUR, UH, CHARTWELL IS A PEER TO PEER BENCHMARKING ORGANIZATION THAT'S SOLELY, UH, FOCUSED ON THE UTILITY INDUSTRY.

AND SO, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY BIG.

WE DON'T NECESSARILY SHOOT FOR THE AWARDS, BUT AS A RESULT OF OUR WORK AND THE THINGS THAT YOU FUND IN OUR BUDGET AND OUR ORGANIZATION OF THE WAY IN WHICH OUR, UH, COMMUNITY HAS EMBRACED US, UH, WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY OUR PEERS, UH, WITH THIS AWARD.

WE ALSO, THERE'S ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, UM, UH, INNOVATE UTILITIES, CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, IUCX.

THIS IS WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY MEETING ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WITH EVERY UTILITY INVESTOR OWNED AND MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITIES.

UM, EVERY YEAR WE MOVE OUR TEAM AROUND FOR EFFICIENCY, BUT WE ARE GAINING BEST PRACTICES FROM EVERY ONE OF THESE UTILITIES.

BUT ONE THAT WE CLEARLY STICK OUT THE BEST WAS THE RECOGNITION THAT WE HAVE FOR PROCESS AND SERVICE TO OUR CAPS PROGRAM.

AND, AND THE MANAGER THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR PROGRAM IS THE HALLMARK SPEAKER AT THAT CONFERENCE EVERY YEAR.

UM, AND THE POINT IS, WHAT WE DO IS WE PROVIDE THIS WRAPAROUND SERVICE WITH UTILITY BILLING DISCOUNT, WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN RECEIVE UP TO $1,400 FOR ALL COMBINED, UH, UTILITIES.

WE ALSO, UM, AS I MENTIONED, THE MEDICAL VULNERABLE, UM, PROGRAM FOR THOSE, UH, CUSTOMERS WHO RELY ON LIFE SUSTAINING EQUIPMENT, UM, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

WHAT WE PROVIDE THERE IS IN-HOME VISITS WHERE WE ARE SITTING WITH THOSE CUSTOMERS DEVELOPING EMERGENCY PLANS, THEY ALSO ARE CREATING THIRD PARTY CONTACTS.

WE HAVE A SPECIAL NOTIFICATION PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH AND THROUGH A DE DESIGNATED TEAM AS WE ARE STARTING TO PREPARE FOR WEATHER, UM, UM, ONCOMING WEATHER EVENTS.

UM, WE ALSO PROVIDE WELLNESS CHECKS.

WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND OTHER COMMUNITIES, UM, PROGRAMS. UM, UM, AND WE DO A HOST OF PROGRAMS. WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIALIZED, UM, METER TAG.

UM, AND SO BEFORE ANY AGENT, FOR WHATEVER REASON IS OUT, UM, OTHER THAN UNPLANNED WEATHER, AND IT'S AN ACT OF NATURE, UM, NO ONE WILL ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING WITH THAT METER UNTIL THEY CALL INTO THIS SPECIAL GROUP.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE PLUS ONE EMERGENCY FUNDING THAT ANY CUSTOMER CAN RECEIVE EMERGENCY FUNDING IF THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN A HARDSHIP, THEY CAN GET ONE TIME EMERGENCY FUNDING THROUGH THIS, UM, UH, PROCESS.

AND EVEN OUR MEDICAL VULNERABLE AND OUR CAP CUSTOMERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT.

IN ADDITION TO THE DISCOUNTS, UM, THAT THE CAP CUSTOMERS RECEIVE, UM, AS I SAY, WE ARE IN THE HOMES, UM, THROUGH OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.

WE'RE BASICALLY MANAGING THE REARS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS, KEEPING THE ACCOUNTS CURRENT, BUT MAKING SURE THAT THE CUSTOMERS ARE, UM, STAYING SUCCESSFUL AND MEET, MAKING THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.

AND I'D ALSO MENTION THAT THAT INCLUDE, UM, ALL OF OUR SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT WE PROVIDE, NOT JUST ONCE THEY RECEIVE A BILL, BUT WEATHERIZATION TO AVOID HIGHER BILLS, UM, IN THE FIRST PLACE.

NEXT SLIDE.

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT I WANTED TO MENTION ABOUT OUR PREPAREDNESS.

AND THE GOAL HERE IS THAT WE WANT TO REALLY KEEP IT SIMPLE.

WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS HAVE CONTACT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT, UH, WHEN IT TURNS TO THE SUMMER CHALLENGES, THAT WE ARE HERE TO HELP THEM, AND WE WANT THEM TO CONTACT US TO AVOID ANY, UM, POSSIBILITY OF DISCONNECTION OF SERVICES.

AND WHAT IT REALLY TAKES IS FOR THEM TO RESPOND TO OUR TELEPHONE CALLS, RESPOND TO OUR EMAILS, AND ALSO COME IN AND VISIT WITH US IN OUR CENTERS.

UH, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY, AND I'M, UM, OPEN TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, MR. OVERTON, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.

YEAH, MR. OVERTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

I JUST HAD A, A, A QUICK, UH, REQUEST.

OUR, UH, WOW, THAT IS A LOT DIFFERENT.

THAT SOUND.

UM, OUR, OUR, UH, OFFICE, UH, ROUTINELY DOES, UM, UH, CANVASSING JUST GOING OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND LETTING FOLKS KNOW THAT WE'RE THEIR, WE'RE THEIR COUNCIL OFFICE.

UH, WOULD YOU, WOULD Y'ALL BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH OUR OFFICE WHEN, WHEN YOU CAN, NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, ANY OF THE TOOLS THAT Y'ALL USE OR ANY OF THE, UH, LIT OR MATERIALS THAT YOU DROP OFF WHEN YOU DO DO THE CANVASSING AND, AND, UH, AND OUTREACH? ABSOLUTELY.

WE'D BE HAPPY TO DROP THEM OFF ALSO, IS, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

OKAY.

WELL ABSOLUTELY PARTNER WITH, UM, ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT MATERIAL TO YOU.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER LEE.

THANK YOU.

YES, I'D LOVE TO HAVE SOME OF THAT AS WELL.

UM, YOU KNOW, I, UH, WHEN I WAS SPEAKING PREVIOUSLY WITH, UH, GM RILEY MM-HMM .

I CERTAINLY DIDN'T WANNA

[00:45:01]

SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR THAT.

UM, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE AND VALUE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING TO MEET THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY'RE AT AND WHERE THE GREATEST NEED IS.

UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING THAT A PRIORITY.

UM, I AM WONDERING, AND I'LL GIVE THE EXAMPLE FROM SOMEONE ON THE MEDICALLY VULNERABLE REGISTRY, OR THEY THINK THEY'RE ON IT, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE NOT ON IT ANYMORE, AND THIS DOESN'T MATTER AS MUCH IN THE SUMMER, BUT WHEN WE MOVE INTO THE WINTER MONTHS, LET'S SAY THEIR POWER GOES OUT AND SO THEY WANNA CALL 3 1 1 TO, UM, TRY TO ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY'RE ON THE REGISTRY, WHATNOT.