Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, April 13, 2026 ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Monday, April 13, 2026 The Electric Utility Commission convened in a regular called meeting on Monday, April 13, 2026, at Austin Energy Headquarters, 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723. Chair David Tuttle called the Electric Utility Commission meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Commissioner Dave Tuttle, Chair; Commissioner Cesar Benavides; Commissioner Al Braden; Commissioner Chris Gillett; Commissioner Chris Kirksey; Commissioner Cyrus Reed; and Commissioner Joshua Rhodes. Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Commissioner Lauren Bellomy and Commissioner Kaiba White, Vice Chair. Commissioners Absent: Commissioner Raul Alvarez and Commissioner Jonathon Blackburn. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL • Chris Sears – third-party ownership options • David Hogan – CT enclosure constraints with solar projects • Raphael Schwartz – benefits of rate review • Paul Robbins – benefits of rate review • Dale Bulla – clean energy over gas peakers • David Levesque – online community dashboard comparing supply and demand options • Bob Hendricks - clean energy over gas peakers APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Electric Utility Commission Regular Called Meeting on March 9, 2026. The motion approving the minutes of the Electric Utility Commission meeting on March 9, 2026, were approved on Commissioner Braden’s motion, Commissioner Kirksey’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez and Blackburn absent. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, April 13, 2026 2. Recommend approval authorizing a contract for a process information analytics platform for Austin Energy with Aveva Software, LLC for an initial term of three years with up to two one-year extension options in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000. Funding: $309,000 is available in the Capital Budget of Austin Energy. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. The motion to recommend approval authorizing a contract for a process information analytics platform for Austin Energy with Aveva Software, LLC, was recommended on Commissioner Kirksey’s motion, Commissioner Benavides’ second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez and Blackburn absent. 3. Recommend approval authorizing a contract for customer assistance program enrollment support services for Austin Energy with Solix, Inc., for an initial term of two years with up to three one-year extension options in an amount not to exceed $10,000,000. Funding: $833,333 is available in the Operating Budget of Austin Energy. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. The motion to recommend approval authorizing a contract for customer assistance program enrollment support services for Austin Energy with Solix, Inc., was recommended on Commissioner Kirksey’s motion, Commissioner Benavides’ second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez and Blackburn absent. 4. Recommend approval authorizing a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings and payment to acquire the property interests needed for CKT961 Induction Reduction Project for the public use of mitigating an induced voltage by the Austin Energy Circuit 961 transmission line on the CapMetro Red Rail Line rail requiring the acquisition of a permanent electric transmission and distribution easement consisting of approximately 0.2767 acres (12,052 square feet) out of the Rachael Saul Survey, Abstract No. 551, Williamson County, Texas, being a portion of Lot 2, Block A, Resubdivision of Lot 1, Block A, Davis Spring Commercial Section 2, a subdivision recorded in Document No. 2011058775, Official Public Records, Williamson County, Texas said Lot 2 (a portion of Tract 1) conveyed to Davis Spring SAH LLC, by General Warranty Deed dated March 2, 2022, as recorded in Document No. 2022027129, Official Public Records, Williamson County, Texas, currently appraised at $125,943 subject to an increase in value based on updated appraisals, a Special Commissioner’s award, negotiated settlement, or judgment. The owner of the needed property is Davis Spring SAH, LLC, a Texas limited liability company. The property is located at 9825 Spectrum Dr., Bldg. 3, Austin, Texas, 78717. The general route of the project begins at the Jollyville Substation and runs parallel to the CapMetro Red Line, crossing over Ranch Road 620 N and Highway 45, heading east towards West Howard Lane, ending at the Ashton Woods Substation. Funding of $125,943 is available in the Capital Budget of Austin Energy. The motion to recommend approval authorizing a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings and payment to acquire the property interests needed for CKT961 Induction Reduction Project for the public use of mitigating an induced voltage by the Austin Energy Circuit 961 transmission line on the CapMetro Red Rail Line rail requiring the acquisition of a permanent electric transmission and distribution easement consisting of approximately 0.2767 acres, was recommended on Commissioner Kirksey’s motion, Commissioner Benavides’ second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez and Blackburn absent. ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, April 13, 2026 5. Recommend approval authorizing a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings and payment to acquire the property interests needed for CKT961 Induction Reduction Project for the public use of mitigating an induced voltage by the Austin Energy Circuit 961 transmission line on the CapMetro Red Rail Line rail requiring the acquisition of a permanent electric transmission and distribution easement consisting of approximately 0.2334 acres (10,166 square feet) out of the Rachael Saul Survey, Abstract No. 551, Williamson County, Texas, being a portion of Lot 3, Block A, Resubdivision of Lot 1, Block A, Davis Spring Commercial Section 2, a subdivision recorded in Document No. 2011058775, Official Public Records, Williamson County, said Lot 3 (a portion of Tract 1) conveyed to Davis Spring SAH, LLLC by General Warranty Deed dated March 2, 2022, as recorded in Document No. 2022027129, Official Public Records, Williamson County, Texas, currently appraised at $106,235 subject to an increase in value based on updated appraisals, a Special Commissioner’s award, negotiated settlement, or judgment. The owner of the needed property is Davis Spring SAH, LLC, a Texas limited liability company. The property is located at 9825 Spectrum Dr., Bldg. 2, Austin, Texas, 78717. The general route of the project begins at the Jollyville Substation and ends at the Ashton Woods Substation. Funding of $106,235 is available in the Capital Budget of Austin Energy. The motion to recommend approval authorizing a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings and payment to acquire the property interests needed for CKT961 Induction Reduction Project for the public use of mitigating an induced voltage by the Austin Energy Circuit 961 transmission line on the CapMetro Red Rail Line rail requiring the acquisition of a permanent electric transmission and distribution easement consisting of approximately 0.2334 acres, was recommended on Commissioner Kirksey’s motion, Commissioner Benavides’ second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez and Blackburn absent. 6. Recommend approval authorizing a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings and payment to acquire the property interests needed for CKT961 Induction Reduction Project for the public use of mitigating an induced voltage by the Austin Energy Circuit 961 transmission line on the CapMetro Red Rail Line rail requiring the acquisition of a permanent electric transmission and distribution easement consisting of approximately 0.1309 acres (5,704 square feet) consisting of three parts out of the Rachael Saul Survey, Abstract No. 551, Williamson County, Texas, being a portion of Lot 1, Block A, Replat of Davis Spring Commercial Section 3, a subdivision of record in Document No. 2018027822, Official Public Records, Williamson County, Texas, currently appraised at $60,962 subject to an increase in value based on updated appraisals, a Special Commissioner’s award, negotiated settlement, or judgment. The owner of the needed property is TA Rhythm Apartments, LLC, a Texas limited liability company. The property is located at 9701 Spectrum Dr., Austin, Texas, 78717. The general route of the project begins at the Jollyville Substation and ends at the Ashton Woods Substation. Funding of $60,962 is available in the Capital Budget of Austin Energy. The motion to recommend approval authorizing a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings and payment to acquire the property interests needed for CKT961 Induction Reduction Project for the public use of mitigating an induced voltage by the Austin Energy Circuit 961 transmission line on the CapMetro Red Rail Line rail requiring the acquisition of a permanent electric transmission and distribution easement consisting ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, April 13, 2026 of approximately 0.1309 acres, was recommended on Commissioner Kirksey’s motion, Commissioner Benavides’ second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez and Blackburn absent. 7. Recommend approval authorizing negotiation and execution of an agreement with UPower Energy LLC, for up to 8 megawatts of electricity from a utility-scale solar facility to be located at the closed City of Austin FM 812 Landfill, in an estimated amount up to $1,500,000 per year, for a term up to 25 years, for a total estimated amount of up to $37,500,000. Funding: $1,500,000 is contingent upon approval of the Proposed Operating Budget of Austin Energy. The motion to recommend approval authorizing negotiation and execution of an agreement with UPower Energy LLC, was recommended on Commissioner Braden’s motion, Commissioner Reed’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez and Blackburn absent. 8. Recommend approval authorizing negotiation and execution of a battery storage agreement with Base Power, Inc., for up to 40 megawatts of electricity power capacity from a distribution- scale battery facility portfolio with approximately a one-and-a-half-hour duration, in an estimated amount of up to $4,080,000 per year, for a term up to 10 years, for a total estimated amount of up to $40,800,000. Funding: $4,080,000 is available in the Operating Budget of Austin Energy. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. The motion to recommend approval authorizing negotiation and execution of a battery storage agreement with Base Power, Inc., was recommended on Commissioner Braden’s motion, Commissioner Rhodes’ second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez and Blackburn absent. 9. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Electric Utility Commission. The motion to approve Commissioner Tuttle as Chair was approved on Commissioner Reed’s motion, Commissioner Braden’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez and Blackburn absent. The motion to approve Commissioner Braden as Vice Chair was approved on Commissioner Reed’s motion, Chair Tuttle’s second on an 8-0 vote with Vice Chair White off the dais, Commissioners Alvarez and Blackburn absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS 10. Staff briefing on the Value of Solar by Tim Harvey, Director, Customer Renewable Solutions. The staff briefing on the Value of Solar was presented by Tim Harvey, Director, Customer Renewable Solutions. 11. Staff Briefing on Austin Energy Transmission Work by David Tomczyszyn, Vice President of Electric System Engineering and Technical Services. The staff briefing on Austin Energy Transmission Work was presented by David Tomczyszyn, Vice President of Electric System Engineering and Technical Services. ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, April 13, 2026 DISCUSSION 12. Presentation and discussion on the Benefits of Rate Review by John Coffman, consumer advocate. (Sponsors: Braden, Reed, White) The commission discussed the benefit of rate review along with John Coffman, consumer advocate. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS • Commission-led discussion on proposed process for rate review case in 2027 • Third-party ownership • Geothermal • Economies of peakers ADJOURNMENT Chair Tuttle adjourned the meeting at 9:05 p.m. without objection. The meeting minutes were approved at the May 11, 2026, meeting on Commissioner Reed’s motion, Commissioner Braden’s second on an 11-0 vote.