Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, February 10, 2025 ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Monday, February 10, 2025 The Electric Utility Commission convened in a regular called meeting on Monday, February 10, 2025, at Austin Energy Headquarters, 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723. Acting Chair Lauren Bellomy called the Electric Utility Commission meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Commissioner Lauren Bellomy, Acting Chair; Commissioner Chris Kirksey; Commissioner Joshua Rhodes. Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Commissioner Ayo Akande; Commissioner Raul Alvarez; Commissioner Cesar Benavides; Commissioner Jonathon Blackburn; Commissioner Randy Chapman; Commissioner Cyrus Reed; Kaiba White, Vice Chair. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Electric Utility Commission Regular Meeting on January 13, 2025. The motion approving the minutes of the Regular Electric Utility Commission meeting of January 13, 2025, were approved on Commissioner Kirksey’s motion, Chair Blackburn’s second on a 9-0 vote, with Commissioner Rhodes off the dais and Chair Tuttle absent. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON RECOMMENDATIONS 2. Recommend approval authorizing a contract for a high-volume call answering system for Austin Energy with Aum Tech, Incorporated d/b/a Aumtech, for an initial term of three years with up to two one-year extension options, for a total contract amount not to exceed $1,900,000. Funding: $221,667 is available in Austin Energy’s Operating Budget. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. The motion to recommend approval authorizing a contract for a high-volume call answering system for Austin Energy, was recommended on Commissioner Rhodes motion, Commissioner Kirksey’s second on a 10-0 vote, with Chair Tuttle absent.  ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, February 10, 2025 3. Recommend approval authorizing a contract for lithium battery storage systems and maintenance for Austin Energy with Eaton Corporation, for an initial term of two years with up to three one-year extension options, for a total contract amount not to exceed $967,500. Funding: $630,000 is available in Austin Energy’s Capital Budget and $67,500 is available in the Operating Budget. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. The motion to recommend approval authorizing a contract for lithium battery storage systems and maintenance for Austin Energy, was recommended on Commissioner Rhodes motion, Commissioner Kirksey’s second on a 10-0 vote, with Chair Tuttle absent. 4. Recommend approval authorizing a contract for asset management software and support for Austin Energy with PowerPlan, Inc., for a term of five years for a total contract amount not to exceed $9,000,000. Funding: $1,050,000 is available in Austin Energy’s Operating Budget. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. The motion to recommend approval authorizing a contract for asset management software and support for Austin Energy, was recommended on Commissioner Rhodes motion, Commissioner Kirksey’s second on a 10-0 vote, with Chair Tuttle absent. 5. Recommend approval authorizing negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement with Harris County in support of the Solar for All Program activities, for the term of March 27, 2025, through the grant period ending August 31, 2029, for a total agreement in the amount not to exceed $31,593,683. Funding in the amount of $31,593,683 is available starting in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Austin Energy Operating Budget Special Revenue Fund. The motion to recommend approval authorizing negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement with Harris County in support of the Solar for All Program activities, was recommended on Vice Chair White’s motion, Commissioner Reed’s second on a 10-0 vote, with Chair Tuttle absent. 6. Recommend approval authorizing expenditures for annual renewals of professional dues and memberships in national and state associations and organizations related to the electric utility industry, in an amount not to exceed $460,000. Funding is available in the Operating Budget of Austin Energy. The motion to recommend approval authorizing expenditures for annual renewals of professional dues and memberships in national and state associations and organizations related to the electric utility industry, was recommended on Commissioner Kirksey’s motion, Commissioner Chapman’s second on a 10-0 vote, with Chair Tuttle absent. 7. Recommend approval authorizing two contracts for electronic distribution circuit reclosers for Austin Energy with KBS Electrical Distributors Inc. and Priester-Mell & Nicholson Inc., each for initial terms of two years with up to three one-year extension options, for total contract amounts not to exceed $32,500,000 divided equally between the contractors, or the department may choose any contractor that has the available product. Funding: $32,500,000 is available in Austin Energy’s Capital Budget.  ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, February 10, 2025 The motion to recommend approval authorizing two contracts for electronic distribution circuit reclosers for Austin Energy, was recommended on Commissioner Rhodes motion, Commissioner Kirksey’s second on a 10-0 vote, with Chair Tuttle absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS 8. Staff briefing on the First Quarter Financial Report by Stephanie Koudelka, Finance Director. The staff briefing was presented by Stephanie Koudelka, Finance Director. 9. Staff briefing on the First Quarter Operations Report by Lisa Martin, Deputy General Manager and Chief Operating Officer. The staff briefing was presented by Lisa Martin, Deputy General Manager and Chief Operating Officer. 10. Staff briefing on Distribution Reliability and Resiliency by David Tomczyszyn, Vice President, Electric System Engineering & Technical Services. The staff briefing was presented by David Tomczyszyn, Vice President, Electric System Engineering & Technical Services. 11. Staff briefing on the Battery Program Launch Update, including DERMS and the use of Virtual Power Plants by Tim Harvey, Manager, Customer Renewable Solutions and Lindsey McDougall, Manager, Demand Response and Technical Services. The staff briefing was presented by Tim Harvey, Manager, Customer Renewable Solutions and Lindsey McDougall, Manager, Demand Response and Technical Services. DISCUSSION ITEMS 12. Discussion of Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget Priorities. The commission discussed the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget Priorities. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS • Budget- White, Reed • Update on Solar Standard Offer- White • Update on Green Building- Alvarez • Update on Low Income Programs, including the CAP Program- Chapman ADJOURNMENT Acting Chair Bellomy adjourned the meeting at 8:04 p.m. without objection. The meeting minutes were approved at the March 10, 2025 meeting on Commissioner Kirksey’s motion, Commissioner Rhodes’ second on an 8-0 vote with Commissioner Tuttle off the dais and Commissioners Akande and Benavides absent.