Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, August 10, 2026 ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION REGULAR CALLED MEETING MINUTES Monday, August 10, 2026 The Electric Utility Commission convened in a regular called meeting on Monday, August 10, 2026, at Austin Energy Headquarters, 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723. Chair David Tuttle called the Electric Utility Commission meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Commissioners Benavides; Commissioner Chris Gillett; and Commissioner Chris Kirksey. in Attendance: Commissioner Dave Tuttle, Chair; Commissioner Cesar Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Commissioner Al Braden, Vice Chair; Commissioner Lauren Bellomy; and Commissioner Jonathon Blackburn. Commissioners Absent: Commissioner Raul Alvarez; Commissioner Cyrus Reed; and Commissioner Kaiba White. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL David Levesque- upcoming candidate forum, hackathon update, supports item 8, and why did the contract increase for items 4, 5, and 10. 1. Approve the minutes of the Electric Utility Commission Regular Called Meeting on July 20, 2026. The motion approving the minutes of the Electric Utility Commission meeting on July 20, 2026, were approved on Commissioner Kirksey’s motion, Commissioner Gillett’s second on 7-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez, Reed, and White absent, and one vacancy. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Recommend approval authorizing the negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement with Texas Engineering Experiment Station for updates to the International Code Compliance Calculator and related technical and research services, for an initial term of five years with up to three one-year extension options in an amount not to exceed $183,211. Funding: $33,504 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 the negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement with Texas Engineering Experiment Station for updates to the International Code Compliance Calculator and related technical and research services, ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, August 10, 2026 was approved on Commissioner Benavides’ motion, Chair Tuttle’s second on 7-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez, Reed, and White absent, and one vacancy. 3. Recommend approval authorizing two contracts for engineering services and staff augmentation for the 2026 Engineering Services and Staff Augmentation for Electric Service Delivery Rotation List with HDR Engineering, Inc. and Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc., for a total contract amount not to exceed $105,000,000, divided among the firms. Funding: $1,540,000 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 two contracts for engineering services and staff augmentation for the 2026 Engineering Services and Staff Augmentation for Electric Service Delivery Rotation List with HDR Engineering, Inc. and Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc., was approved on Commissioner Benavides’ motion, Chair Tuttle’s second on 7-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez, Reed, and White absent, and one vacancy. 4. Recommend approval authorizing an amendment to a contract for continued Splunk cybersecurity software products and services for supporting threat detection, log management, operational intelligence, and regulatory compliance monitoring activities for Austin Energy with GTS Technology Solutions, Inc d/b/a GTS Technology Solutions, to extend the term by six months and increase the amount by $476,000 for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $1,676,000. Funding: $39,666 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 an amendment to a contract for continued Splunk cybersecurity software products and services for supporting threat detection, log management, operational intelligence, and regulatory compliance monitoring activities for Austin Energy with GTS Technology Solutions, was approved on Commissioner Benavides’ motion, Chair Tuttle’s second on 7-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez, Reed, and White absent, and one vacancy. 5. Recommend approval authorizing an amendment to a contract for continued Cascade Utility Asset Management Software Solution for monitoring critical assets, tracking age, usage, and maintenance history for Austin Energy with DNV Energy Insights USA Inc., to increase the amount by $469,000 for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $1,269,000. Funding: $65,363 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 an amendment to a contract for continued Cascade Utility Asset Management Software Solution for monitoring critical assets, tracking age, usage, and maintenance history for Austin Energy with DNV Energy Insights USA Inc., was approved on Commissioner Benavides’ motion, Chair Tuttle’s second on 7-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez, Reed, and White absent, and one vacancy. 6. Recommend approval authorizing a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings and payment to acquire a permanent electric transmission and distribution easement for Austin Energy needed for the CKT961 Induction Reduction Project requiring the acquisition of an easement consisting of three parts totaling approximately 0.6267 acres (27,298 square feet) being a portion of Lot 1, Block A, Resubdivision of Lot 1, Block A, Davis ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, August 10, 2026 Spring Commercial Section 2, a subdivision of record in Document No. 20111058775, Official Public Records, Williamson County, Texas, said Lot 1 conveyed to AT&T Services, Inc., by Special Warranty Deed Non Material Correction Affidavit Under Sec. 5.028, Texas Property Code, dated May 29, 2012, as recorded in Document No. 20120400342, Official Public Records, Williamson County, Texas, currently appraised at $283,279 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 AT&T Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation. The property is located at 9825 Spectrum Dr., Bldg. 4, Austin, Texas, 78717. The general purpose of this project is to mitigate an induced voltage by the Austin Energy Circuit 961 transmission line on the Cap Metro Red Line rail. The general route of the project begins at the Jollyville Substation and ends at the Ashton Woods Substation. Funding: $283,279 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 a permanent electric transmission and distribution easement for Austin Energy needed for the CKT961 Induction Reduction Project requiring the acquisition of an easement consisting of three parts totaling approximately 0.6267 acres (27,298 square feet) being a portion of Lot 1, Block A, Resubdivision of Lot 1, Block A, Davis Spring Commercial Section 2, a subdivision of record in Document No. 20111058775, Official Public Records, Williamson County, Texas, said Lot 1 conveyed to AT&T Services, Inc., by Special Warranty Deed Non Material Correction Affidavit Under Sec. 5.028, Texas Property Code, dated May 29, 2012, as recorded in Document No. 20120400342, Official Public Records, Williamson County, Texas, was approved on Commissioner Benavides’ motion, Chair Tuttle’s second on 7-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez, Reed, and White absent, and one vacancy. 7. Recommend approval authorizing a contract for communication equipment, including hardware, software licensing and maintenance, installation, and training services for the utility’s substation relay protection and control system for Austin Energy with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc., for an initial term of three years with up to two one-year extension options in an amount not to exceed $2,015,000. Funding: $1,565,060 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 communication equipment, including hardware, software licensing and maintenance, installation, and training services for the utility’s substation relay protection and control system for Austin Energy with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc., was approved on Commissioner Benavides’ motion, Chair Tuttle’s second on 7-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez, Reed, and White absent, and one vacancy. 8. Recommend approval authorizing negotiation and execution of a wind power purchase agreement extension with Whirlwind Energy LLC, for the purchase and sale of up to 60 megawatts of electricity in an estimated amount of up to $10,000,000 per year, for a term of up to 20 years, for a total estimated amount of up to $200,000,000. Funding is contingent upon budgetary approval in future budgets. The motion to recommend approval authorizing negotiation and execution of a wind power purchase agreement extension with Whirlwind Energy LLC, for the purchase and sale of up to 60 megawatts of electricity was approved on Vice Chair Braden’s motion, Commissioner ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, August 10, 2026 Kirksey’s second on 7-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez, Reed, and White absent, and one vacancy. 9. Recommend approval authorizing a contract for software upgrades, maintenance and support services, for managing the distribution grid and supporting customer-facing applications responsible for outage restoration status tracking and communication, for Austin Energy with Schneider Electric Smart Grid Solutions, LLC, for an initial term of five years with up to three one-year extension options in an amount not to exceed $17,500,000. Funding: $1,400,000 is available in the Capital Budget and $940,000 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 software upgrades, maintenance and support services, for managing the distribution grid and supporting customer-facing applications responsible for outage restoration status tracking and communication, for Austin Energy with Schneider Electric Smart Grid Solutions, LLC, was approved on Commissioner Benavides’ motion, Chair Tuttle’s second on 7-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez, Reed, and White absent, and one vacancy. 10. Recommend approval authorizing an amendment to a contract for continued Meter Data Management System support and maintenance services for Austin Energy with Landis+Gyr Technology Inc, to increase the amount by $1,200,000 for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $1,728,370. Funding: $1,200,000 is contingent upon approval of the Fiscal Year 2026- 2027 Austin Energy Operating Budget. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. The motion to recommend approval authorizing an amendment to a contract for continued Meter Data Management System support and maintenance services for Austin Energy with Landis+Gyr Technology Inc, was approved on Commissioner Benavides’ motion, Chair Tuttle’s second on 7-0 vote with Commissioners Alvarez, Reed, and White absent, and one vacancy. STAFF BRIEFINGS 11. Staff Briefing on the Third Quarter Operations Report by Lisa Martin, Deputy General Manager and Chief Operating Officer. The staff briefing on the Third Quarter Operations Report was presented by Lisa Martin, Deputy General Manager and Chief Operating Officer. 12. Staff briefing on the Third Quarter Financial Report by Stephanie Koudelka, Chief Financial Officer. The staff briefing on the Third Quarter Financial Report was presented by Stephanie Koudelka, Chief Financial Officer. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS • DC fast chargers • Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday, August 10, 2026 • Big 5 (efficiency, demand response, local solar, local batteries, and transmission) dashboard • Geothermal ADJOURNMENT Chair Tuttle adjourned the meeting at 6:36 p.m. without objection. The meeting minutes were approved at the September 14, 2026, meeting on Commissioner Kirksey’s motion, Commissioner Bellomy’s second on an 8-0 vote, with Commissioner Alvarez, Nasser, and Reed absent.