[CALL TO ORDER]
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THE ELECTRICITY, UH, COMMISSION.
LET'S CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
LET ME TAKE A ROLL CALL FIRST.
WE'VE GOT VICE CHAIR BRADEN HERE.
COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, NOT YET.
UH, COMMISSIONER BEN BENAVIDES.
UH, WE DO HAVE A NEW EUC COMMISSIONER, BUT THEY COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
APPOINTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
UNFORTUNATELY, SHE'S UNABLE TO JOIN TONIGHT DUE TO A WORK CONFLICT.
UM, HER NAME IS ELLO NASSER, BUT SHE PLANS TO ATTEND OUR NEXT MEETING IN OCTOBER, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER PARTY.
IT'S CELEBRATING ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT YOU ALL DO TO SUPPORT SOLAR HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND IT'S ON SEPTEMBER 27TH FROM FOUR TO SIX.
AUSTIN ENERGY WILL HAVE A TABLE, SO IT'LL BE GREAT IF YOU COULD COME AND HELP US CELEBRATE ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT YOU'RE HAVE BEEN DOING, INCLUDING OVER THE NEXT 12 TO 18 MONTHS.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GONNA INSTALL SOMETHING LIKE 35 MEGAWATTS OF SOLAR IN OUR CITY, WHICH IS TOTALLY AMAZING.
AND SO MY LAST COMMENT IS, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET AN UPDATE ON HOW THOSE PROGRAMS ARE GOING.
MORE SPECIFICALLY SOLAR AROUND CITY BUILDINGS AND THE LANDFILL, AND ARE THEY ON TRACK TO GET DONE IN APPROPRIATE TIMELINE TO RECEIVE THE FEDERAL TAX CREDITS, OR IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS? THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS? NOPE.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
ARE THERE ANY UPDATES TO THE MINUTES? NONE.DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? YES.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS TWO THROUGH 14.
ANY WANT TO BE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION, PLEASE? COMMISSIONER BELLAMY WANTS TO I'D LIKE TWO ALSO.
UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT 10.
SO WE HAVE TWO, FOUR, AND 10 POLLED.
SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION? CAN WE PULL NINE AS WELL? NINE ALSO.
SO WE HAVE TWO FOR NINE AND 10 PULLED.
SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, AND 14.
WE APPROVAL L'S MOTION? ANY SECOND? SECOND, CHRIS SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR, EVA? SORRY, I, I'M TRYING TO READ SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
YOU CAN JUST HAVE ME ABSTAINING IF YOU WANNA MOVE ON.
[2. Recommend approval authorizing Austin Energy to issue non-contractual rebates during Fiscal Year 2026-2027 for multifamily, commercial, and residential programs that support solar and other distributed energy resources, energy efficiency, and beneficial electrification in amounts that exceed the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 City Manager’s spending authority. Funding: $23,475,000 is available in the Operating Budget of Austin Energy. ]
TWO, CAN GIVE US THE BACKGROUND ON NUMBER TWO.RICHARD GENESEE, VICE PRESIDENT OF CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS.
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COMMONLY KNOWN AS AGGREGATE AUTHORITY.IT IS EXTENDING, UH, AGGREGATE AUTHORITY, MEANING THE ABILITY TO APPROVE, UM, REBATE INCENTIVES, AMOUNTS THAT EXCEED THE, UH, CITY MANAGER'S AUTHORITY, UH, ACROSS THE PORTFOLIO.
WE'VE DONE THIS PREVIOUSLY, OR, UH, COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THIS PREVIOUSLY ON, UH, STARTING IN THE COMMERCIAL, UH, REALM, THEN EXTENDING TO MULTIFAMILY NOW TO SOLAR AND RESIDENTIAL.
AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE IS EXTENDED ACROSS THE WHOLE PORTFOLIO.
AND THE, UH, RATIONALE HERE IS TO EXPEDITE, UH, CONTRACTORS AND CUSTOMERS GETTING REBATES.
UH, WHEN BEFORE WE HAD THIS APPROVED, UH, THERE WOULD, THERE WOULD BE SOMETIMES A DELAY IN GETTING A CONTRACTOR OR A CUSTOMER, UM, PAID AND APPROVED.
AND IN THIS WAY WE STREAMLINE THE PROCESS.
UM, THERE IS STILL COMPLETE, UH, OVERSIGHT AND TRANSPARENCY OF ALL THE INCENTIVE, UH, PAYMENTS.
AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A REPORT, A MONTHLY REPORT THAT SUPPORTS ALL OF THOSE PAYMENTS THAT IS, UH, SHARED WITH BOTH EUC AND RMC, UM, AND COUNSEL AT, AT ITS DISCRETION.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY AN EXPANSION OF SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE, UH, ACROSS A GREATER PORTION OF THE PORTFOLIO.
I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A MECHANISM TO MAKE THIS PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT.
UM, MY MAIN QUESTION IS, WAS WHEN IT SAID THAT IT, UH, IT WAS TO EXPAND THE SPENDING AUTHORITY OR APPROVE AMOUNTS EXCEEDING THE SPENDING AUTHORITY, THAT WASN'T LIKE A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED AMOUNT BY COUNSEL.
YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE BASE LEVEL SPENDING AUTHORITY THAT'S DELEGATED.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE, UH, MECHANICS OF IT.
UM, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF IT.
I, I THOUGHT THAT THE REBATES AND ALL THOSE THINGS WERE BUDGETED ITEMS AS PART OF YOUR OPERATING BUDGETS.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHY THIS IS NOT IN THERE.
I DON'T MEAN TO, IT SHOULDN'T, IT DOESN'T IMPLY THAT THEY'RE NOT.
WHAT IT'S SAYING IS BEFORE, THINK ABOUT BEFORE THIS WAS DONE YEARS AGO, AND ANY PART OF THE PORTFOLIO APPROVAL TO PAY A REBATE OR INCENTIVE THAT EXCEEDED COUNCIL AUTHORITY OR CITY MANAGER AUTHORITY, I SHOULD SAY, HAD TO BE BROUGHT BEFORE, UH, THE BODY.
AND NOW THAT THIS IS SAYING YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT, WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY EXPEDITING THAT, AGGREGATING THAT CAPABILITY AND WE'RE STILL PROVIDING THE BACKUP REPORT.
UM, IF YOU EVER WANTED TO SEE, HEY, HOW MANY, UM, INCENTIVES WERE PAID THAT HAPPENED TO EXCEED THE CITY MANAGER'S AUTHORITY FOR JANUARY? FOR FEBRUARY FOR MARCH, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO THE AGGREGATE EXCEEDS SOME AUTHORITY LEVEL? NOT, NOT THE INDIVIDUAL? NO.
IT IS THE INDIVIDUAL, WHAT THE AGGREGATE REFERS TO.
JUST AGGREGATING THE AUTHORITY ACROSS THE, UH, THE WHOLE OF THE PORTFOLIO, COMMERCIAL, MULTIFAMILY, SOLAR, AND NOW RESIDENTIAL AS WELL.
WELL, I, I SUPPORT ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO IF THIS IS HOW IT HAS TO BE DONE,
IT IS SOMETHING TO STREAMLINE PAYMENT OF INCENTIVES TO CONTRACTORS AND TO CUSTOMERS.
I'M NOT SURE HOW BIG AN ISSUE IT WAS, BUT IT JUST FOR THE CONTEXT, UM, THIS, THIS WAS A WAY TO NOT HAVE EACH PROJECT COMING THROUGH FOR APPROVAL, BUT THAT IS AN OPTION.
UM, THAT'S HOW IT USED TO WORK.
BUT THE OBJECTIVE HERE IS TO AVOID DELAYS.
SO YOU CAN DO THE REBATES MORE QUICKLY.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE WOULD BE VOTING ON A WHOLE LIST OF REBATES FOR EVERY BUILDING AT THE DOMAIN OR SOMETHING, ONE AT A TIME.
AND THIS, THIS JUST TAKES CARE OF THAT.
AND IT WOULD BE LIKE PROJECTS, YOU'D BE, UH, APPROVING A, UH, ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT, A SOLAR PROJECT, A COMMERCIAL PROJECT, A MULTI-FAMILY PROJECT.
THIS JUST, UH, STREAMLINES THAT PROCESS.
AND YOU DON'T, WE DON'T TAKE THOSE PROJECTS INDIVIDUALLY TO E-U-C-R-M-C OR TO COUNCIL.
I'M, I'M ALL ABOUT STREAMLINING.
RICHARD, HOW DO THESE AMOUNTS COMPARE TO LAST YEAR'S BUDGET? I, I'D SAY THEY'RE IN LINE.
THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING IN, IN, UM, CERTAIN PARTS OF THE PORTFOLIO, WE ARE DOING MORE
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VOLUME.SO, UH, THERE WOULD BE MORE OF THEM, BUT I DON'T SEE THEM AS, UH, DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF, UH, THEIR SIZE.
MAYBE MARGINALLY BIGGER, BUT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME SIZE.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOVE APPROVAL? I'LL SECOND.
YOU UNANIM? OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE
[4. Recommend approval authorizing two contracts for 19 percent aqueous ammonia, required for the catalytic reduction systems to operate properly, for Austin Energy with Baker Services, Inc. and GC3 Specialty Chemicals Inc., for an initial term of two years with up to three one-year extension options in an amount not to exceed $1,210,000. Funding: $20,167 is available in the Operating Budget of Austin Energy. $242,000 is available in the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget of Austin Energy. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. ]
QUESTION ON NUMBER FOUR.KABA ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND L MOVE APPROVAL? SECOND.
[9. Recommend approval authorizing an amendment to a contract for continued data acquisition and handling system technical emissions monitoring software support services for Austin Energy with CEMTEK Environmental, Inc./KVB Enertec, to increase the amount by $550,000 for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $860,749. Funding: $550,000 is available in the Capital Budget of Austin Energy. ]
NINE.BUT YOU HAD A QUESTION ABOUT AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT FOR CONTINUED DATA ACQUISITION.
YEAH, SO I GUESS FIRST, MY FIRST QUESTION IS, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS AMENDMENT IS MORE THAN DOUBLING THE INITIAL CONTRACT, WHICH IS A LITTLE UNUSUAL.
CAN SOMEBODY SPEAK TO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? IS THIS LIKE SOMETHING UNEXPECTED IS DRIVING THIS CONTRACT AMENDMENT, OR WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS? YES.
I'M DIRECTOR OF ENERGY OPERATIONS IN OUR POWER GENERATION GROUP FOR AUSTIN ENERGY POWER PRODUCTION.
ON ITEM NUMBER NINE, THAT'S AN UNANTICIPATED ISSUE THAT HAS DEVELOPED AT OUR SAND HILL GENERATING STATION, AND IT INVOLVES, UH, UNEXPECTED OBSOLESCENCE OF EMISSIONS MONITORING EQUIPMENT.
SO WE'RE FACED WITH THE SCENARIO WHERE IF WE HAVE A COMPONENT FAILURE, WE CAN'T BUY A REPLACEMENT AND IT COULD LEAD TO, UH, EXTENDED FORCED OUTAGES AND SOME OF OUR VERY, UM, MARKET SENSITIVE UNITS, THE ONES THAT ADD HIGH VALUE.
SO THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM BY GETTING AHEAD OF IT PROACTIVELY AND ACQUIRING THESE CRITICAL OBSOLETE PARTS OR REPLACING THEM OR UPGRADING THEM.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THESE SINGLE POINTS OF FAILURE THAT WOULD FORCE A UNIT OUT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, SO YOU'RE NEEDING HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? FOR THIS? IT'S MAINLY, UH, THE OBSOLESCENCE IS MAINLY IN THE HARDWARE ARENA.
SO THE FAILURE OF HARDWARE COMPONENTS, THE CONTRACT COVERS SOFTWARE SERVICES AS WELL.
UH, BUT THE REASON FOR THE, UH, COST ADJUSTMENT AND THE, AND THE, UH, PROPOSAL IS DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY, UH, HARDWARE COMPONENT FAILURE AND IT HAS RECENTLY BITTEN THIS OPERATIONALLY.
SO, UH, THIS IS NOT HYPOTHETICAL.
UM, AND SO I'M GATHERING, DID DID THIS GO OUT FOR BID OR IS THIS, UH, NO, IT DID NOT.
UM, THE, UH, THE SUPPLIER WE'RE, WE'RE WE'RE LOCKED INTO A SOLE SOURCE AGREEMENT UNLESS WE WOULD MAKE A WHOLESALE UPGRADE, UH, WHICH WOULD BE FAR MORE EXPENSIVE AND FAR MORE, UH, IT WOULD INTRODUCE DELAY IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM.
SO WE, UH, PROPOSE THAT WE CONTINUE WITH OUR EXISTING SUPPLIER AND, UH, SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT WAY.
UM, I GUESS I'M WONDERING HOW, YOU KNOW, THAT IT WOULD CAUSE MORE TO SWITCH.
I MEAN, YOU'RE MORE THAN DOUBLING THE FIVE YEAR CONTRACT AMOUNT HERE.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IT WOULD COST MORE IF YOU DIDN'T GO OUT TO BID? WELL, PRIMARILY THROUGH OUR, OUR ANALYSIS AND DIFFICULTY FINDING SOMEONE WHO COULD SUPPORT IT, UH, UH, AND, AND DETERMINING, UH, A, A VIABLE COST, UM, COST EFFECTIVE PATH FORWARD, UH, WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC AND TIME CONSUMING.
AND THE CLOCK IS TICKING ON THIS WHEN WE'RE BASICALLY RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
SO WE'RE FORCED TO TAKE URGENT ACTION, UH, IN A, IN A COST EFFECTIVE APPROACH, KNOWING WHAT WE NOW WE KNOW TODAY,
[00:15:01]
UH, IN THE FUTURE WE MIGHT IMPLEMENT A DIFFERENT SOLUTION, UM, BUT UH, IN THE MEANTIME WE COULD SUFFER SOME UNANTICIPATED, UH, FAILURES AND SOME EXTENDED OUTAGE TIME THAT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR CUSTOMERS.I GUESS I'LL JUST SAY LIKE, I, I DON'T REALLY FEEL THAT COMFORTABLE WITH CONTRACTS THAT ARE NOT DONE THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, WHICH THIS ONE WASN'T.
UM, I HEAR THAT YOU'RE, IT SOUNDS LIKE TIME IS MAYBE THE MAIN FACTOR, UM, BUT UH, I KNOW WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY MORE EXPENSIVE CONTRACTS COMING THROUGH ALL THE TIME, BUT I'M, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M LOOKING, UH, IS THAT COMPETITIVE PURCHASING ASPECT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, I DO SEE THAT DECKER IS ALSO LISTED HERE IN THE BACKUP INFORMATION, BUT YOU JUST SAID IT WAS FOR SANDHILL.
IS IT FOR BOTH OR JUST SANDHILL? IT'S ACTUALLY FOR BOTH.
UM, TO DATE WE'VE NOT SUFFERED THE SAME, UH, FREQUENCY OF FAILURE AT DECKER CREEK STATION.
WE'VE BEEN BITTEN, UH, RECENTLY AT SANDHILL, SO THAT WAS FRESH IN MY MEMORY.
SO HOW MUCH OF THIS COST IS FOR DECKER? UM, I, I DON'T HAVE THAT EXACT NUMBER.
IT WOULD BE A, A, A FRACTION OF THE TOTAL, I'M GOING TO SUGGEST MAYBE 25% OF THE LISTED AMOUNT WOULD, WOULD BE ALLOCATED OR PRORATED TO DECKER CREEK AND THE BALANCE WOULD GO TO SUPPORT SANDHILL.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME, SOME AMOUNT IS FOR DECKER, AND DECKER HAS NOT BEEN HAVING THE SAME ISSUE THAT SANDHILL HAS, BUT YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO GET IT ALL DONE AT ONCE.
IS THAT, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE SOLVE THE PROBLEM, UH, AT EVERY, EVERY UNIT WHERE IT'S APPLICABLE OR OF A CONCERN? I THINK THE REASON WE DON'T HAVE THE ISSUE AT DECKER CREEK AS OFTEN IS THOSE UNITS ARE NOT DISPATCHED AT THE SAME FREQUENCY OR, OR, UH, RUN DURATION AS THE SANDHILL UNITS.
SO THERE, THE PROBABILITY FAILURE AT DECKER CREEK IS FAR LESS.
WELL, UM, I DIDN'T GET IT TOGETHER TO PULL ITEM SIX, UM, OR ELSE I WOULD'VE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
I HAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE MONEY THAT IS JUST BEING POURED INTO THESE OUTDATED, YOU KNOW, BY A'S OWN ADMISSION INEFFICIENT UNITS.
UM, IT, I DON'T SEE HOW IT'S A, A GREAT INVESTMENT, BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
BUT THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE BUYING SOME NUMBER OF EXISTING BUT OBSOLETE PARTS THAT WILL GET YOU BY FOR A WHILE, RIGHT? IS THAT AND YEAH, IT'S ACTUALLY, HOW LONG WOULD THAT LAST DO YOU EXPECT? YEAH, IT'S, UM, I I WOULD SPECULATE IF I GAVE YOU A NUMBER HOW LONG I EXPECT IT TO LAST, BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT RIGHT NOW WE ALREADY HAVE OBSOLETE COMPONENTS THAT FOR WHICH WE CANNOT BUY A SPARE TO REPLACE THIS STRATEGY WOULD ALLOW US TO UPGRADE PORTIONS OF THE SYSTEM WHERE THAT'S TRUE AND REMOVE THE OBSOLESCENCE POTENTIALLY FOR MANY YEARS AND GET US OUT FROM UNDER THE SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE SCENARIO THAT WE'RE TRAPPED IN NOW.
THAT WAS GONNA BE THE FOLLOW UP AND MAYBE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN, BUT YOU ARE WORKING TO UPGRADE THE UNITS AS PART OF THIS TOO, SO THAT YOU'LL HAVE REASONABLY AVAILABLE PARTS IN THE FUTURE.
AND, AND WHEN YOU DO UPGRADE THEM, WILL THERE BE MULTIPLE SOURCES? UH, WE WOULD CERTAINLY LOVE FOR THERE TO BE MULTIPLE SOURCES AND LONGER TERM WE'LL LOOK FOR, UH, UM, VARIOUS SOURCES OF SUPPLY, AGAIN, TO ELIMINATE ANY SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE, INCLUDING THE SUPPLY CHAIN.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? I'LL SECOND VICE CHAIR A ALL IN FAVOR? ALL OPPOSED? OKAY.
[10. Recommend approval authorizing the negotiation and execution of all documents and instruments necessary or desirable to grant an electric transmission easement across 10.014 acres (436,210 square feet) of the City-owned property located at 18524 FM 969, Austin, Texas 78653 to LCRA Transmission Services Corporation, a not-for-profit company of the Lower Colorado River Authority, for an amount not less than $184,258, to support a battery tolling project of Austin Energy and Balcones Ridge Resiliency, LLC, a subsidiary of Jupiter Power, LLC. Funding: The sale is projected to result in $184,258 of additional revenue to the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget of Austin Energy. ]
[00:20:01]
UH, CHAIR TUTTLE? YES.CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH, IT SAYS YES.
I'M GOING TO RECUSE MYSELF FOR THIS ITEM, UM, BASED ON MY EMPLOYER.
UM, I WILL GO OFF, UH, SHUT MY SCREEN HERE AND I'LL COME BACK WHEN Y'ALL ARE DONE.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
DAVID, TOM CHEON, VICE PRESIDENT OF ENGINEERING.
SO IS THIS HOPEFULLY SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HELP WITH TRANSMISSION IMPORT CAPACITY? ABSOLUTELY.
AND SO THIS IS, UM, A TRANSMISSION LINE TO CONNECT THE, UH, 100 MEGAWATT HOUR, OR I THINK IT'S FOUR HOUR, BUT 100 MEGAWATT BATTERY, UM, TO, UM, THE, UH, MOST LOCAL SUBSTATION, WHICH WILL HELP BRING IT INTO AUSTIN.
SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD THING IS THE, SO THE CAPACITY OF THE LINE IS A HUNDRED MEGAWATTS OR NO, THE LINE CAN HANDLE MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
UM, THE, THE LOCATION OF THE BATTERY, UH, VENT IS NORTH OF ONE OF OUR EXISTING MAIN CORRIDORS.
AND SO PART OF IT IS MERELY TO GET IT SOUTH, UH, AND CONNECT INTO THAT CORRIDOR.
SO THIS IS ENABLING THE JUPITER POWER A HUNDRED MEGAWATT FOUR HOUR TO BE CONNECTED TO THE GRID.
TO BE CONNECTED SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD THING.
AYE I MAKE A MOTION? WE HAVE A SECOND.
SO I THINK WE'RE THROUGH THOSE.
CESAR, YOU CAN COME BACK, PLEASE.
[15. Discussion to facilitate formation of the joint RMC/EUC Local Solar + Storage Process Working Group. (Sponsors: Braden, Tuttle) ]
TWO ITEMS ARE DISCUSSION ITEMS FOR THE WORK GROUPS.AL YOU WANNA TAKE THESE THROUGH THAT? YEAH.
UH, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FORMING TWO WORK GROUPS, AS YOU KNOW.
ONE IS ABOUT, UH, THE, THE, UH, LOCAL SOLAR PLUS STORAGE, UH, INSTALLATION PROCESSES WHERE WE'RE WORKING TO, UH, TRY TO STREAMLINE THOSE AND, AND, UH, THOSE WORK GROUPS WILL BE FORMED WITH SUB FORM OF EUC AND, AND RMC MEMBERS AND, UH, MEMBERS OF SOLAR AUSTIN.
SO ALSO ANY OTHER, UH, PUBLIC PEOPLE COULD PARTICIPATE, BUT SOLAR AUSTIN AND THE CONTRACTORS ARE THE MAIN FOCUS OF THAT.
SO, UH, WANNA GET THAT GROUP GOING, UH, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T GET IT OUT IN TIME, SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE ENOUGH RESPONSES FOR THE RMC YET.
IT, I'M HOPING TO GET MORE RESPONSES FROM THEM AND THEN WE'LL PICK THE APPROPRIATE DATE.
BUT, UH, IT'S LOOKING LIKE PERHAPS NEXT MONDAY WOULD BE IDEAL AND I'M JUST HOPING THAT, UH, THEY CAN CONFIRM THAT ONCE WE HAVE A MEETING WE'LL GET ORGANIZED AND LAY OUT WHAT OUR AGENDA AND SCHEDULE'S GOING TO BE, AND THEN INVITE PARTICIPATION BY, UH, RICHARD GENESEE AND OTHERS OF AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF.
UH, RICHARD'S INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE AND HAS RECENTLY MAPPED OUT THE PROCESS FLOW, SO THAT WILL GIVE US A LOT TO START WITH.
UH, BUT THE FIRST THING IS TO TRY TO PICK A DATE.
OTHER QUESTION? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
BUT DID YOU RAISE YOUR HAND? OKAY.
THERE'S ALSO ROOM, UH, ON THE EUC SIDE FOR ONE ADDITIONAL MEMBER.
IF ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S NOT PARTICIPATING WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US, UH, FOR THAT, UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL WE WILL ADD YOU TO THE LIST.
ANY OTHER? NO, WE'RE JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WORK GROUPS.
UH, FUTURE, AND THESE WOULD BE ONLINE BY THE WAY.
THEY'LL BE ONE HOUR AND THEY'LL BE ONLINE.
IT JUST SEEMS TOO COMPLICATED TO GET EVERYBODY DOWN HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.
THE SECOND WORK GROUP, UH, SIMILARLY, UH, THE DOODLE POLL WENT OUT THIS MORNING.
I'VE ONLY GOT TWO RESPONSES BACK.
SO WE NEED RESPONSES FROM EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE.
[16. Discussion to facilitate formation of the joint RMC/EUC Long Term Storage Working Group. (Sponsors: Braden, Tuttle)]
THIS LONG TERM STORAGE WORKING GROUP IS REALLY INITIATED BY, UH, ALLISON SILVERSTEIN OF THE RMC.BUT IT'S, IT'S TO LOOK INTO NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR LONG-TERM STORAGE.
UH, SOMETHING THAT CAN HANDLE THE FOUR TO SIX TO SEVEN DAY EMERGENCY THAT, UH, IS, IS TO SORT OF BE DEVILS THE FOUR HOUR BATTERY.
SO IT COULD BE A LONG-TERM BATTERY, IT COULD BE SOME COMBINATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND ASSET
[00:25:01]
MANAGEMENT, AND MAYBE IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT THAT WOULD, UH, BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, A SECURE PATH AROUND A FOUR TO SEVEN DAY OBSTACLE.BUT, UH, ALL THAT'S TO BE DETERMINED.
WE'LL TRY TO GET THAT WORKING GROUP ALSO ESTABLISHED.
PROBABLY TO START A WEEK AFTER THE, UH, ONE FOR LOCAL SOLAR AND STORAGE, BECAUSE A LOT OF MEMBERS OVERLAP.
THAT'S ANY, ANY IDEAS OR DISCUSSIONS ANYBODY WANNA WEIGH IN ON THAT MAKES SENSE? I NEED MORE THAN AN HOUR BY THE TIME YOU GET JUST GOING MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, MAYBE SET IT UP FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS FOR THE A IS THERE AV SUPPORT OR NO? WE, UH, YOU'RE USING, WE'RE GONNA DO IT ON TEAMS AS I ENVISION IT RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'LL BE USING THE AUSTIN ENERGY TEAMS? NO.
SO THE STAFF ISN'T REALLY INVOLVED OR SUPPORTING THIS.
UH, I WOULD SAY THAT STAFF MEMBERS WILL BE WELCOME TO, TO COME AND BRING THEIR EXPERTISE, BUT THEY'RE NOT REALLY SUPPORTING THE GROUP.
OR WE, THEY WERE GONNA GIVE US MEETING SPACE, BUT IF WE DO IT ONLINE, WE, WE DON'T NEED THE MEETING SPACE, SO OKAY.
EXPECT TO DO IT WITH TEAMS. YEAH.
I THINK MORE THAN AN HOUR IS NEEDED.
THIS IS FOR THE, UH, LONG-TERM STORAGE GROUP.
BOTH JUST GETTING, GOING, TALKING WELL, SETTING UP AGENDA.
AND YOU'D ALWAYS CLOSE THE MEETING EARLIER.
OR WE COULD START ONE FOR AN HOUR AND SEE THEN RUN OVER
OR THEN WE COULD PLAN THE NEXT ONES TO BE LONGER.
I MEAN, IF WE HAD, IF WE HAD SIGNIFICANT, I CAN SEE ON THE LONG TERM STORAGE, IF WE HAD SIGNIFICANT PRESENTATIONS OF INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS, IT, IT COULD GO OVER AN HOUR.
WHY DON'T YOU START WITH THE HOUR JUST LIKE YOU HUH? START WITH THE HOUR.
JUST LIKE YOU WANT, LET'S START WITH AN HOUR WITH THE PREBIO THAT WE COULD EITHER COME MORE OFTEN OR WE COULD LAST LONGER IF WE, IF WE FIND THE NEED FOR IT.
ANYBODY ELSE WANNA WAIT ON THAT? YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE.
UH, YEAH, YOU MIGHT BE PRESENTING FOR TWO HOURS.
DEPENDS HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE.
OKAY, WELL I'LL TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
I'LL PUT IT OUT AS A QUESTION TO THE GROUP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION? NOPE.
WELL THIS COULD BE A REALLY SHORT MEETING.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? WELL, I'M STILL, UH, LOOKING FOR A REPORT ON, UH, THE GEOTHERMAL PROJECT AND ALSO A BROADER UPDATE ON GEOTHERMAL POSSIBILITIES IN GENERAL, BUT ESPECIALLY ON OUR OWN PROJECT.IF THERE'S THINGS THAT CAN BE DISCLOSED AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW IT'S GOING.
COULD WE GET SOMETHING ON THAT IN THE NEXT MONTH? IT'S IN THE QUEUE.
HOW DO WE KNOW WHERE THE QUEUE IS? I JUST HAVE, WHEN WE HAVE TIMING AND AVAILABLE, WE HAVE INFORMATION TO SHARE, WE WILL BRING IT BACK, BUT RIGHT NOW I DO NOT HAVE A TIMELINE AND IF I LEARN OF ONE, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT AS WELL.
WELL
UM, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT AND, UH, THERE'S A DUE DATE OF REPORTING BACK TO COUNSEL WITH A, SOME SORT OF PROPOSAL OR CONCLUSION OR SOMETHING BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO, UM, HOPING THAT WE CAN GET AN UPDATE BEFORE THAT HAPPENS, UH, SINCE IT'S SEPTEMBER.
SEEMS LIKE THERE'S MAYBE TWO MEETINGS LEFT WHERE WE COULD GET THAT BEFORE IT GOES TO COUNCIL.
SO HOPING TO GET, UH, GET THAT DISCUSSION ON ONE OF OUR AGENDAS.
UH, WE RECENTLY APPROVED AND I THINK THEY'VE STARTED INSTALLING BASE BATTERIES IN TOWN.
I'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THAT LAUNCH WENT AND HOW, HOW IT'S GOING AND WHAT THE, WHAT THE FORECAST LOOKS LIKE.
AND ALSO THE BATTERY DR PROGRAM THEN, BECAUSE THAT'S, I THINK DIFFERENT.
YEAH, ACTUALLY
[00:30:01]
THEN I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY MORE ITEMS THAT'S ADJOURN AT 6 33.