Item 5- Recommendation Audit of the Austin Energy District Energy and Cooling System — original pdf

Backup

Resource Management Commission Resolution on Austin Energy District Energy and Cooling System WHEREAS, the City of Austin established its first District Energy and Cooling system plant in 2001; and WHEREAS, this system has now expanded to seven plants around Austin, and currently shifts about 28 MW during peak demand while providing air conditioning and refrigeration at a savings to at least 73 commercial customers; and WHEREAS, this system would not have been built without Austin Energy's support; and WHEREAS, the peak load reduction from the District Energy and Cooling System lowers Austin Energy’s wholesale electricity purchase costs for all Austin Energy customers; and WHEREAS, expansion of the District Energy and Cooling system is an important strategy to save more energy and reduce carbon emissions as the new Austin Energy generation plan is implemented; and WHEREAS, a transparent understanding of the District Energy and Cooling system’s financial health is necessary to evaluate continued public investment and long-term planning; WHEREAS, Austin Energy has not released detailed information and data relevant to the financial viability of the district chilling system and the timeline by which a sale or other alternatives for the system might proceed; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Resource Management Commission recommends that the City Council: 1) Commission an audit of Austin Energy's District Energy and Cooling system to identify the drivers of its financial underperformance, assess the cost- benefit of future expansion or divestment, and to suggest potential actions Austin Energy may take to ensure its long-term financial viability; 2) Direct Austin Energy to publicly share a strategic roadmap detailing the timeline, rationale, and evaluation criteria for any planned expansion or divestment of the District Energy and Cooling system and deliver a public status report no later than September 30, 2025.