[00:00:04]
I THINK WE HAVE A QUORUM BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS, KITCHEN AND TOVA ON THE SCREEN, THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ELLIS AND FONTUS, AND ME, I'M THE CHAIR OF AUSTIN ENERGY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
[CALL TO ORDER ]
AND I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER IT IS 4 21 IN THE AFTERNOON, A LITTLE BIT LATER, START TIME THAN WHAT WE HAD HOPED FOR TODAY.BUT I THINK WE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH OUR ITEMS PRETTY EXPEDITIOUSLY.
AND I WANTED TO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR WANT TO EXPAND ON ANY OF THE ISSUES THAT OUR GENERAL MANAGER IS GOING TO BRING TO US TODAY, AS WELL AS HER STAFF, PLEASE DO CONTACT THEM.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF, I THINK, I THINK OUR GENERAL MANAGER WILL RUN THROUGH SOME RCAS.
THERE'S ABOUT NINE OF THEM AT A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL.
BUT IN ANY INSTANCE WHERE YOU WANT TO DIG IN, UM, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF IS, IS OF COURSE, UM, AVAILABLE TO YOU.
SO WE ARE CALLED TO ORDER AND I'D LIKE TO CALL
[Citizen Communication: General ]
UP MR. PAUL ROBBINS FOR THREE MINUTES.AND IF SOMEBODY COULD RUN A CLOCK FOR THREE MINUTES FOR US TODAY, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL ON PAUL ROBBINS, ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE.
I'LL BE SPEAKING ABOUT AUSTIN ENERGY'S GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM THAT THEORETICALLY ALLOWS CUSTOMERS THE OPTION TO PURCHASE 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY BY PAYING A SURCHARGE ON THE FUEL CHARGE PORTION OF THE BILL.
I'M ADVOCATING FOR A MAJOR CHANGE IN THIS PROGRAM.
I'M ASKING COUNCIL TO REPURPOSE GREEN CHOICE TO FUND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF DISPATCHABLE.
GREEN CHOICE BEGAN OVER 20 YEARS AGO, AS A WAY TO ENCOURAGE GREATER PURCHASES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN ITS PRIME.
PERSONALLY, I'VE BEEN A SUBSCRIBER FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS AS A PRACTICAL MATTER THOUGH, GREEN CHOICE CUSTOMERS CANNOT REALLY BUY 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, WIND AND SOLAR CELLS ARE NOT DISPATCHABLE ON DEMAND.
THERE IS A PRACTICAL LIMIT TO HOW MUCH INTERMITTENT POWER CAN BE PLACED ON THE GRID BEFORE THE ECONOMICS ARE UNTENABLE.
TEXAS DOES NOT HAVE ANY LARGE AMOUNT OF DISPATCHABLE RENEWABLES IN THE FORM OF HYDRO GEOTHERMAL POWER OR BIOMASS TO COMPENSATE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WIND AND SOLAR CELLS ARE BECOMING LESS EXPENSIVE AND CITY POLICY TO CONVERT TO CARBON-FREE POWER IS NOW DRIVING HUGE PURCHASES ANYWAY.
SO GREEN CHOICE HAS OUTLIVED ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE.
WE NEED TO DEVELOP NEW TECHNOLOGIES BY MY ESTIMATE, THIS PROGRAM NETS FIVE TO $6 MILLION A YEAR.
THAT SHOULD BE REPURPOSED TO RESEARCH, ENERGY STORAGE, CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER AND OTHER FORMS OF DISPATCHABLE, RENEWABLE ENERGY.
WELL, THIS IS NOT A GRAND SUM FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED ENERGY CONCEPTS.
THIS IS SEED MONEY THAT WILL ALLOW AUSTIN ENERGY TO LEVERAGE LARGER SUMS OF MONEY AND HOPEFULLY INSPIRE OTHER CLIMATE CITIES TO COLLABORATE WITH US.
THE CONCEPT COULD ALSO OFFER A CHANCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SOME COMPANIES PURSUING R AND D IN AUSTIN OR CENTRAL TEXAS WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO STAY HERE.
IF THE PROJECTS ARE SUCCESSFUL AND HIRE MORE EMPLOYEES, UH, THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO CONSIDER, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD START THE PROCESS OFF TODAY.
[Additional Item ]
AND I THINK MAYOR, I SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING ABOUT US COMING OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.DO YOU HAVE NOT A PROBLEM JUST FOR THE RECORD? UH, WHILE WE WERE IN CLOSED SESSION, UH, WE DISCUSSED PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO AND LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO ITEMS E TWO E THREE AND E 64 WAS WITHDRAWN AND ONE CLICK QUICK HOUSEKEEPING MATTER.
UH, I WOULD LET'S, LET'S ALL TAKE A LOOK AT THE MESSAGE BOARD, UH, TOMORROW NIGHT AND ALSO THURSDAY MORNING.
IT MAY BE THAT IF THERE'S A DELAYED OPENING OF OFFICES,
[00:05:01]
WE DELAY THE BEGINNING OF THE COUNCIL MEETING.SO TAKE A LOOK, UH, WEDNESDAY EVENING AND ALSO THURSDAY MORNING, MADAM CHAIR.
AND BEFORE I CALL FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING, I WANTED TO INVITE JEFF VISE TO COME FORWARD.
AND I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO IS GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS, THIS, UM, SEGMENT HERE.
YOU ALL MAY KNOW THAT THAT JEFF HAS SERVED WITH AUSTRALIA ENERGY FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
AND HE'S MADE QUITE AN IMPRESSION, UM, DURING HIS SERVICE TIME AND THE VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO.
AND I HAD A FEW WORDS, UH, TO SEND MR. VICE OFF APPROPRIATELY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA.
UH, JEFF, IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU AND TO COLLABORATE WITH YOU THROUGH THE YEARS, YOU HAVE DONE SUCH A TERRIFIC JOB OF KEEPING THE COUNCIL INFORMED AND BEING OUR LIAISON BACK TO AUSTIN ENERGY.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE AND I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR COUNCIL MEMBER POOL READ, READ THE PROCLAMATION BECAUSE I THINK IT REALLY CAPTURES, UH, IT REALLY CAPTURES THE SPIRIT THAT YOU BRING TO YOUR WORK.
SO THANK YOU FOR SO MANY YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE THROUGH SOME REALLY CHALLENGING TIMES FROST AND ENERGY, AND, UH, BETWEEN A REALLY SIGNIFICANT RATE REVIEW, THE FIRST ONE IN A DECADE AND A HALF, AND THEN SUBSEQUENT RATE REVIEWS.
AND OF COURSE THE WINTER STORM, YOU HAVE DONE A DONE A GREAT JOB OF, OF, AGAIN, COMMUNICATING WITH THE COUNCIL AND COMMUNICATING WITH CONSTITUENTS AND KEEPING ALL PARTIES IN THE, IN THE COMMUNICATION LOOP.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
WELL, AND I'LL ALSO SAY THAT I HAVE THIS REALLY GORGEOUS PROCLAMATION TO READ, UM, FOR JEFF AND I, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT THIS PROCLAMATION WAS SPECIALLY WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY HIS COLLEAGUES.
SO HERE WE GO, PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT, WHEREAS FOR MORE THAN 21 YEARS, JEFF VICE HAS SERVED AUSTIN ENERGY AS THE NOTORIOUS GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AND COMMUNITY LIAISON AUTHORITY.
AND WHEREAS JEFF HAS BEEN A LONG TIME VOLUNTEER FOR THE CITY'S MENTOR AND TUTOR PROGRAMS, AUSTIN ENERGY SCIENCE FEST, AND MEALS ON WHEELS, CENTRAL TEXAS.
AND WHEREAS JEFF HAS BEEN A LEADER AND VALUED FRIEND, ALWAYS WILLING TO SUPPORT COWORKERS, ALSO ENCOURAGING THEM NOT TO BE NAUGHTY.
AND WHEREAS JEFF HAS LEFT AN INDELIBLE IMPRINT AT AUSTIN ENERGY AND CITY HALL, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS GRATEFUL FOR HIS TIRELESS SERVICE, DISTINGUISHED CHARACTER AND ACAPELLA SERENADES.
NOW, THEREFORE I, LESLIE POOLE CHAIR OF THIS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, AND ON BEHALF OF MAYOR STEVE ADLER, I DO HERE BY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 1ST, 2022 AS JEFF VICE DAY.
CONGRATULATIONS PICTURES, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE .
Y'ALL DISCUSS PROFICIENCY ABOUT RUNNING LATE.
SO SORRY TO BE A CAUSE OF VARIABLE.
NO, NO, YOU'VE EARNED THIS MANY TIMES OVER.
AND THANKS TO JEFF FOR, FOR ALL OF HIS REALLY, REALLY GREAT WORK.
[1. Approve the minutes of the November 16, 2021 meeting of the Austin Energy Utility Oversight Committee. ]
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.UH, I SEE, UH, MAYOR ADLER, UH, ANY SECOND, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM ALTER ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES.
IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S UNANIMOUS ON THE DAYAS.
[2. General Manager’s Report -Upcoming Recommendations for Council Action -Innovations, events, awards. ]
SERGEANT UPCOMING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COUNCIL ACTION, INNOVATIONS EVENTS AND AWARDS IN YOUR REPORT.GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, UM, VICE CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M JACKIE SERGEANT AUSTIN ENERGY, GENERAL MANAGER.
UM, IF YOU COULD BRING UP MY SLIDES AND GO TO THE SECOND SLIDE, PLEASE.
I HAVE NINE CONSOLE ARE NINE ITEMS FOR COUNCIL ACTION.
[00:10:01]
UH, I'LL GO THROUGH THOSE RATHER QUICKLY.UH, THE FIRST ITEM IS TO AUTHORIZE A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION AND $18.6 MILLION CONTRACT INCREASE WITH ORACLE AMERICA.
THIS COVERS LICENSING COSTS AND ENHANCEMENTS TO OUR DIGITAL SELF-SERVICE CUSTOMER PORTAL.
UM, IT'S ALSO THE, THE LICENSING FOR THAT.
THE NEXT ITEM IS TO AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATION EXECUTION OF A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH POWELL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE 15 K E K V AUTOMATIC THROW OVER SWITCH GEAR FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED 1.2 MILLION.
THE NEXT ITEM IS TO AUTHORIZE TWO FIVE-YEAR CONTRACTS WITH TECH LINE AND WESTCO DISTRIBUTION.
THE CONTRACTS PROVIDE CAPACITOR BANKS AND ASSOCIATED PARTS FOR A TOTAL OF $3.5 MILLION.
THE NEXT ITEM IS TO AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATION EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH BURNS AND MCDONALD ENGINEERING COMPANY AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1.2 MILLION.
UH, THE CONTRACTOR WILL EVALUATE THE TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND RESOURCE PLANNING NEEDS TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF AUSTIN ENERGY'S RESOURCE GENERATION AND CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN TO 2030.
THE STUDY WILL IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS AND ENSURE THE CONTINUED, SAFE, AND RELIABLE DELIVERY OF POWER WITH A FOCUS ON RISK MANAGEMENT AND RESILIENCY.
THE NEXT ITEM IS TO AUTHORIZE A NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A FIVE-YEAR $68.8 MILLION CONTRACT WITH APPLE ONE EMPLOYMENT.
THE CONTRACTOR PROVIDES STAFFING FOR BOTH AUSTIN 301 AND THE UTILITY CA CUSTOMER CARE TEAMS. AUSTIN ENERGY IS TRANSITIONING MANY CONTRACTS, EMPLOYEES TO CITY EMPLOYEES IN ALIGNMENT WITH CITY COUNCIL'S 2019 RESOLUTION.
THE TRANSITION HAS STARTED AND WILL CONTINUE OVER THE LIFE OF THE CONTRACT.
THE NEXT ITEM IS AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATION EXECUTION OF A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH POWER GRID ENGINEERING FOR $6 MILLION.
THIS CONTRACT WILL PROVIDE FOR RELAY ENGINEERING SERVICES ON AN ADD NEEDED BASIS.
THE NEXT ITEM IS TO AUTHORIZE AN AMENDMENT TO EXISTING CONTRACT WITH BURMA X FOR AN INCREASE IN $15.4 MILLION.
AND TO EXTEND THE TERM BY 48 MONTHS, AUSTIN WATER, AS YOU KNOW, IS CONVERTING MANUAL READ METERS TO REMOTE ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE OR AMI CONTINUED WITH, WITH FOR METER READING IS NEEDED UNTIL THE AMI CONVERSION IS COMPLETE, WHICH IS EXPECTED IN 2025.
THE NEXT ITEM WILL BE COMING FROM THE OFFICE OF REAL ESTATE SERVICES FOR AUTHORIZATION TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT FOR WAREHOUSE AND LAY DOWN YARD.
THIS FACILITY HAS BEEN CONTEMPLATED IN AUSTIN ENERGY'S FACILITIES.
THE NEW FACILITY WILL ALLOW US TO CONSOLIDATE OPERATIONS FROM VARIOUS FACILITIES, INCLUDING THE TRANSITION AWAY FROM RYAN DRIVE.
UM, WE WILL BE USING A SIMILAR APPROACH THAT WE DID FOR THE AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS FOR THIS TRANSACTION.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A RELATED ITEM FROM REAL ESTATE IN MARCH OR APRIL FOR A LEASE EXTENSION AT TODD LANE FOR THE METER SHOP.
WE NEED THAT LEASE EXTENSION SO WE CAN GET THE WAREHOUSE UP AND RUNNING.
AND THE FINAL ITEM IS TO APPROVE RATIFICATION OF A $1.5 MILLION CONTRACT WITH TRAIN US, INC.
THE CONTRACT WAS AUTHORIZED ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS TO PURCHASE AND INSTALL REPLACEMENT ABSORPTION CHILLER AT AUSTIN ENERGY'S MUELLER ENERGY CENTER.
THE EXISTING CHILLER WAS DAMAGED DURING WINTER STORM URI.
UM, AND SO MUELLER, UH, ENERGY CENTER PROVIDES CHILLED WATER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL RESEARCH LAB, DELL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND AUSTIN ENERGY.
IT ALSO PROVIDES STEAM AND ELECTRICITY TO THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE COMMITTEE OF THE PLAN 2022 RATE REVIEW.
AUSTIN ENERGY IS REQUIRED BY CITY, UH, FINANCIAL POLICY TO CONDUCT A PERIODIC RATE REVIEW TO ENSURE RATES ARE DESIGNED TO GENERATE SUFFICIENT REVENUE, TO MEET THE FULL COST OF OPERATIONS AND TO MEET, TO MEET TWO TIMES OUR DEBT SERVICE REQUIREMENTS.
WE LAST CHANGE BASE RATES IN JANUARY OF 2017.
WHEN WE DECREASE THEM BY AN AVERAGE OF 6.7%, IT WAS A DECREASE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY PREPARING A COST OF SERVICE ANALYSIS AND PUBLIC PROCESS, AND WE'LL BRING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION.
LATER THIS YEAR, JOHN DAVIS, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, WILL BE COVERING OUR FINANCIAL POSITION WITH THAT.
I'LL PAUSE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THE QUESTION LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GOOD.
[3. First Quarter Financial Briefing. ]
AND OUR NEXT SPEAKER, THIS IS A BRIEFING ON OUR FIRST QUARTER FINANCIALS.GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE ON JOHN DAVIS AND I'M DIRECTOR OF FINANCE FOR US ENERGY.
I'M GOING TO BE GIVING A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE QUARTER ENDED DECEMBER 31ST, 2021.
SINCE THE DATA BEING PRESENTED INCLUDES FORECASTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION, WE MUST INCLUDE A DISCLAIMER TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT ACTUAL RESULTS WILL VARY FROM THE FORECAST.
FOR CONSISTENCY SAKE, WE PROVIDED TO YOU OUR STANDARD REPORT, WHICH PRESENTS THE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOLLOWED BY A SECTION ON
[00:15:01]
MARKET AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS WHERE WE'LL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE TRENDS THAT ARE IMPACTING AAE, SUCH AS GENERAL MANAGER, JUST REFERRED TO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.IN OUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, WE REPORT AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER, UH, AND DID, UM, DECEMBER 31ST, 2021.
WE'RE GENERALLY COMPLIANT WITH ALL FINANCIAL POLICIES.
ALTHOUGH OUR CONTINGENCY AND CAPITAL RESERVE BALANCES ARE STILL SITTING BELOW THE MINIMUMS. ONCE WE CONSIDER THE ADDITIONAL WORKING CAPITAL AVAILABLE, WE EXCEED THE MINIMUM REQUIRED RESERVES OF 480 MILLION.
OUR OPERATING REVENUE FOR THE FIRST QUARTER WAS 359 MILLION OR 6% MORE THAN BUDGET WHILE OUR OPERATING EXPENSES WERE 344 MILLION OR 18% MORE THAN BUDGET.
THIS RESULTED IN INCOME FROM OPERATIONS OF 15 MILLION.
THE INCREASE IN REVENUES AND EXPENSES WERE MOSTLY DUE TO A WEATHER DRIVEN, INCREASE IN USAGE FOR THE QUARTER.
AND THE TIMING OF WHEN EXPENSES WERE BUDGETED VERSUS WHEN THEY WERE INCURRED.
WHILE WE DON'T ILLUSTRATE THIS ON THIS SLIDE OUT OF THAT OPERATING REVENUE OF 359 MILLION, WE MADE TRANSFERS TO SUPPORT THE CITY AS WELL AS OTHER AUSTIN ENERGY SPECIFIC TRANSFERS TO COVER DEBT SERVICE AND TO FUND THE CASH PORTION OF OUR CONSTRUCTION EXPENDITURES.
ALL OF WHICH NETS AN ACTUAL DEFICIENCY OF 84 MILLION, WHICH YOU'LL SEE LATER IN THE PRESENTATION VERSUS A BUDGETED DEFICIENCY OF 50 MILLION AT THE END OF DECEMBER, OUR CASH BALANCE IS 286 MILLION, WHICH IS A DECREASE OF 118 MILLION FROM A YEAR AGO.
AUSTIN ENERGY CONTINUES TO MEET OUR TARGET S AND P BOND RATING OF AA.
HOWEVER, WE DO SEE DECLINES IN KEY METRICS THAT WERE REQUIRED RATE CHANGE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
IF WE ARE TO MAINTAIN THAT AA RATING, YOU'LL SEE LATER IN THE MARKETING INDUSTRY ANALYSIS IS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET THAT WE PRESENTED A PATTERN OF DECLINING SALES ON A PER CUSTOMER BASIS THAT HAS BEEN COMPOUNDED BY THE ECONOMICS OF THE PANDEMIC.
OUR GOAL OF LOWER ENERGY CONSUMPTION THROUGH BETTER BUILDING CODES, EFFICIENCY, AND APPLIANCES AND MOTORS AND CONSUMER CONSERVATION IS BEING ACHIEVED.
THIS TRIM WILL INFORM AND IMPACT OUR NEXT RATE REVIEW AND HOW WE STRUCTURE.
I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT AT THE END OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, AND WE'LL BE PRESENTING THIS SAME PRESENTATION TO THE EEC ON VALENTINE'S DAY.
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
[4. First Quarter Operations Briefing. ]
ITEM FOUR IS THE FIRST QUARTER OPERATIONS BRIEFING.GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE CHAIR, UTILITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I AM SYDNEY JACKSON, THE DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER AND CHIEF OPERATIONS AT AUSTIN ENERGY.
AND IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE QUEUE ONE FISCAL YEAR OPERATIONS REPORT, THE Q1 TIMEFRAME REPRESENTS THE OPERATIONS PERFORMANCE FOR THE MONTHS OF OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER FROM AN OPERATIONS PERCEPTS PERSPECTIVE.
THESE MONTHS ARE CRITICAL AS THEY REPRESENT WHAT IS TRADITIONALLY CALLED THE SHOULDER MONTHS, MEANING THE POST SUMMER AND GENERALLY THE PRE WINTER SEASON.
ALSO THIS TIMEFRAME IS OFTEN CONSIDERED THE PLANT POWER PLANT OUTAGE SEASON OR POWER PLANT MAINTENANCE ARE PERFORMED, OR OUTAGES ARE OFTEN DONE TO ASSURE THAT WE HAVE READINESS FOR THE COMING WINTER SEASON OR THE POST DECEMBER SEASON.
MOVING TO SLIDE NUMBER TWO, I WILL AGAIN BE PRESENTING SOME BRIEF HIGHLIGHTS ASSOCIATED WITH POWER PLANT OPERATIONS, RENEWABLE GENERATION PERFORMANCE.
AND I WILL CONCLUDE WITH A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE WINTER STORM URI AFTER ACTION REPORT, MOVING TO SLIDE NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE.
POWER PLANT PERFORMANCE REMAINS HIGH OVERALL AUSTIN ENERGY POWER PLANT AVAILABILITY AS IS AS EXPECTED AUSTIN ENERGY POWER PLANT PERFORMANCE WAS AN IMPRESSIVE, UH, NEAR A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR THE QUARTER THAT JUST ENDED Q4.
UH, HOWEVER, THE CURRENT QUARTER THAT WAS JUST COMPLETED PERFORMANCE WAS AS EXPECTED, BUT LOWER THAN THE A HUNDRED PERCENT THRESHOLDS PRIMARILY IMPACTED DUE TO SCHEDULED OUTAGES.
AND LASTLY, ON THIS GRAPHIC, UH, RELIABILITY AND AVAILABILITY OF OUR PEAKER GENERATION UNITS WAS AT A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, AGAIN, UH, CONFIRMING THE RELIABILITY OF THOSE UNITS.
MOVING TO SLIDE NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE LOOKING AT SYSTEM LOAD AND POWER GENERATION BY FUEL TYPE THE GRAPHIC IN THE LOWER HAND, RIGHT SIDE OF FIRMS, AUSTIN ENERGY'S RENEWABLE GENERATION AS A PERCENT OF CONSUMPTION AT A ROBUST 49% OR OVER 1.5 MILLION MEGAWATT HOURS.
AGAIN, LOOKING AT RENEWABLE GENERATION, UH, RECALL MARCH, 2021 WAS OUR HIGHEST ALL-TIME MONTH AT 70% THRESHOLD, DECEMBER, 2021.
[00:20:03]
WE APPROACHED THAT THRESHOLD AS WE REACH 60% RENEWABLE GENERATION FOR THAT MONTH.AGAIN, ROBUST, RENEWABLE GENERATION, UH, MOVING TO SLIDE NUMBER 17.
AND I'LL CONCLUDE WITH THIS SLIDE AS IT IS A REVIEW OF OUR AFTER ACTION REPORT, AS YOU'RE AWARE, ONCE A STORM YURI AFTER ACTION REPORT WAS A SIGNIFICANT UNDERTAKING BY THE UTILITY TO COMPREHENSIVELY INFORM OF THE REQUIRED UTILITY ACTIONS IN THE AFTER ACTION REPORT, THERE WERE 19 OPERATIONAL CATEGORIES, 116 DISCREET FOLLOWUP ITEMS. AND AS THE GRAPHIC SHOWS, 55% OF THOSE ITEMS ARE COMPLETE.
AS MANY OF THOSE INITIATIVES WERE STARTED IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE WINTER STORM.
UH, AND ALSO THEY WERE STARTED, UH, PRIOR TO THE REPORTS IT'S ISSUANCE, OBVIOUSLY 22% ARE ONGOING AS THOSE ACTIONS ARE BEING INCORPORATED INTO, UH, RECURRING OPERATIONAL PROCESSES AND PRACTICE.
AND 22% ARE IN PROGRESS COMMITTEE CHAIR THAT CONCLUDES THE AUSTIN ENERGY'S Q4 OPERATIONS REPORT.
I THINK THERE'S A QUESTION FOR YOU FROM THE MAYOR.
WOULD I FIND THE GENERATION LEVELS FOR THE BIOFUELS GENERATION LEVELS FOR BIOFUELS BIOFUELS? THERE ARE NOT IN THE REPORT.
UM, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE US TO INCLUDE IN THE FUTURE OR SOMETHING THAT'S OPERATIONAL? I WOULD BE CURIOUS.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S CLUED IN THE RENEWABLE AGGREGATE, BUT IT'S NOT BROKEN OUT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW DIFFICULT THAT IS OR WHAT PERCENTAGE THAT IS, BUT, UM, I THINK NOW THAT WE'RE HAVE THAT OPERATIONAL, IT SEEMS LIKE WE OUGHT TO, TO HAVE, I CAN, I CAN MAKE THAT AVAILABLE AND, UH, I WILL SEND IT TO HAVE IT SENT OUT.
AND HOW DID THAT, CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO HOW THAT STARTUP AND THAT TRANSITION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BIOFUEL, THE START-UP, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THAT? UM, PAT SWEENEY OUR POWER SUPPLY, OUR PRODUCTION VP IS HERE.
HE CAN TALK TO THAT A LITTLE MORE THOROUGHLY, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UH, SO THE NACADOCIOUS PLANT WAS BROUGHT OUT A SEASONAL MOTH BALL LAST MAY AND IT'S RUN SUBSTANTIALLY SINCE THAT TIMEFRAME, THE MARKET HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
AND SO WE'VE GOTTEN QUITE A BIT OF PRODUCTION.
I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER RIGHT HERE FOR YOU, BUT WE CAN SUPPLY THAT AS SIDNEY POINTED OUT.
SO WE'VE HAD REALLY GOOD OUTPUT FROM IT OVER THE LAST NINE OR SO MONTHS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AS YOU HAVE IT.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS FINE FOR IT.
[5. Austin Energy Fire Mitigation & Vegetation Management Update. ]
ITEM FIVE, AUSTIN, ENERGY FIRE MITIGATION AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT UPDATE.WHO DO WE HAVE FOR THAT? GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING JEFF BICE, HIS INCREDIBLE CREDIBLE CONTRIBUTION, NOT ONLY AUSTIN ENERGY, BUT THE CITY IS JUST AN INCREDIBLE, SO THANK YOU FOR DIGGING THAT TIME.
UH, AND THE SAKE OF TIME, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE HAD THE SLIDE.
SO IF YOU WANT, I CAN JUST GO TO ANY QUESTIONS OR I CAN GO THROUGH WHICHEVER YOU WOULD LIKE WANT TO SEE THE SLIDE.
SO I'M MILTON RICHARD VICE-PRESIDENT OF FIELD OPERATIONS, AND THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER'S REQUEST BACK IN SEPTEMBER ON A FOLLOW-UP.
IF YOU'LL REMEMBER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 2021, I SPOKE TO YOU AND I COMMITTED TO OF THE HIGH RISK FIRE, A WILDFIRE MITIGATION CIRCUITS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND SHE HAD LIKE, SHE WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
UH, SO FIRST OF ALL, AUSTIN INDUSTRY HAS CONTINUED A VERY STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT ON THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CIRCUITS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE AREA AND TRACKED BY THE DISTRICT THAT THEY'RE IN.
I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE 10 WILDFIRE CIRCUITS THAT WE COMMITTED TO IN 2021 OR ALL COMPLETED INTO 2021 TIMEFRAME, THE, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE ENCOUNTERED NOT ONLY AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, BUT GOING INTO THIS YEAR IS YOU GRACIOUSLY GAVE US THE CONTRACT ON THE BUDGET MONEY.
UH, BUT TRYING TO FIND A LABOR FORCE IS CONTINUING TO BE A CHALLENGE.
WE'RE A CHALLENGE USUALLY AT ABOUT 15 TO 20 TOTAL CONTRACT CREWS EACH MONTH, DEPENDING ON THE LABOR RESOURCES.
ALSO COVID, SINCE THESE CREWS DO WORK IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER, BUT WE DID DO THE 10 WILDFIRE CIRCUITS WHO'D WE COMMITTED TO AND UNDER THAT SAME PRESENCE, IF YOU GO AHEAD AND GO TO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THIS SHOWS THE ONES BY AREA.
IF THERE IS A DISTRICT ASSOCIATED WITH IT, SOME OF OUR NON DISTRICT AREAS, AND THESE WERE THE 10 THAT WE DID IN THE 2021 TIMEFRAME.
[00:25:01]
SO MAINTAINING THAT SAME VIEW THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU, I WANTED TO DO THE SAME THING FOR 2022.SO THIS IS THE 2022 CIRCUITS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT WILDFIRE MITIGATION IN COOPERATION WITH AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AS TO HIGH RISK.
NOW, THESE ARE ALL BASED CURRENTLY ON THE OPERATIONAL PRESENCE RIGHT NOW THAT COULD CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUIT CHANGES IN THE FUTURE.
BUT THESE ARE ATTENDED WITH CONCENTRATING ON FOUR OF THESE 10 ARE ALREADY AT 90% COMPLETE, WE'VE GOT FIVE THAT WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW.
AND FOUR OF THEM ARE ALREADY AT 90, 90% COMPLETE.
SO I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THESE 10 IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE REST OF THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT FOR 2022.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION PENDING ANY QUESTIONS? YES.
UM, SO THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM AND I APPRECIATE YOU PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, DETAILS ON THE THINGS THAT YOU DID.
I HAVE, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THE, UH, PROMISE WAS TO COMPLETE ALL OF THE HIGH RISK, LOWER LIABILITY CIRCUITS BY A CERTAIN DATE.
UM, SOME OF THESE ARE NOT AS HIGH RISK, UM, WHICH IS FINE.
I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND IF WE WERE NOT ONLY COMPLETING THE 10 BY THE YEAR, BUT THAT ALL OF THE HIGH RISK, LOW RELIABILITY, UH, NO, MA'AM, I CAN SAY I'VE NEVER COMMITTED IT.
UH, SOME OF THOSE ARE IN THE WILDFIRE AREA, SO THERE'S NO WAY I COULD SAY I COULD COMMIT TO THIS AMOUNT.
WHAT WE DID IS WE ARE DOING MORE THAN, THAN THE 10 AS WE GET CIRCUITS IN, BUT WE'RE BASING IT THE HIGH RISK, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE UNDER PERFORMANCE CIRCUITS SO WE CAN GET THE RELIABILITY ALONG WITH THE WILDFIRE.
SO THOSE TWO SEPARATE ONES, SOMETIMES THEY OVERLAP, BUT, BUT NOT ALWAYS.
SO AS AN EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR, WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING 44 CIRCUITS TOTAL FOR THE YEAR, WE'VE GOT THE 10 HIGH RISK THAT HAD A WILDFIRE.
THEN ANOTHER 34 THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT.
SOME OF THOSE WILL BE A DUAL, COULD BE A WILDFIRE AND A RELIABILITY, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE OPERATIONAL REVIEW THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN WE SET THESE UP.
UM, WE CAN SIT DOWN AND HAVE A MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE GOAL WAS, UM, TO GET THE HIGH WILDFIRE, LOWER LIABILITY CIRCUITS, WHICH IS NOT GOING TO BE EVERY CIRCUIT, UM, DONE WITHIN A SHORTER PERIOD.
WELL, THE THERE'LL BE, IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, YOU'RE SAYING YOUR UNDERSTANDING WAS TO CONCENTRATE ON THE WILDFIRE AND UNDERPERFORMING.
AND IF THAT STATEMENT IS WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
WE ARE BASING OUR 44 FOR THIS YEAR.
THEY ARE ALL EITHER A UNDER-PERFORMANCE CIRCUIT OR A WILDFIRE RISK.
SO WE ARE DOING THE ONES THAT ARE EITHER A RELIABILITY ISSUE OR TO WILDFIRE.
THOSE ARE THE ONES WE'RE DOING FIRST.
SO AT SOME POINT IT'LL GET DOWN TO THE ONES THAT WE'RE JUST DOING.
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ON THAT ARE NOT A RELIABILITY ISSUE, PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY RELIABILITY AND NOT A WILDFIRE.
THOSE WOULD BE AT THE VERY END OF THE PROGRAM.
SO IF THAT IS YOUR QUESTION, THAT IS CORRECT.
MIKE, WE CAN TAKE THIS OFFLINE, BUT MY QUESTION WAS MORE ABOUT, UM, THERE ARE LINES AND MANY OF THE ONES IN MY DISTRICT ARE HIGH, WELL FIRE RISK AND LOW RELIABILITY, PRECISELY BECAUSE THE VEGETATION HASN'T BEEN MANAGED WELL.
AND SO THOSE WERE THE ONES THAT WERE AMONG THE GROUPS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS PRIORITIZE.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THEM ON HERE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE IT'S DONE.
UM, THE OTHER PIECE THAT I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO BE PART OF THIS IS WE ARE DOING THIS FOR A REASON.
UM, IT'S NOT JUST FOR THE HIGH WILDFIRE, IT'S ALSO FOR THE RELIABILITY ISSUES.
AND I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH US SOME OF THE DATA THAT YOU'RE SEEING THAT BY TAKING THESE STEPS WITH RESPECT TO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, THAT WE ARE IMPROVING RELIABILITY.
AND IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING ANECDOTALLY, PREVIOUSLY THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE REALLY SEEING CHANGES.
AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS ONE LINE THAT HAD BEEN DONE SINCE THIS PROCESS STARTED BEFORE THE STORM THAT EXPERIENCED LESS ISSUES DURING STORM YEAR.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT PIECE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS, CAN, I CAN SPEAK TO THE PIECE THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS NORTH ON 13 AND PRIOR TO THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ON IT, IT WAS COMPLETED IRONICALLY IN JANUARY, RIGHT BEFORE HIM STORE YURI.
AND ON THAT WHEN THERE WAS ONLY THREE OUTAGES DURING THE WHOLE TIMEFRAME, AND NONE OF THOSE WERE VEGETATION RELATED WHERE BEFORE, UH, ANOTHER ONE THAT I KNOW THE COUNCIL IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE STECCO SEVEN, WHICH WE USED TO TALK ABOUT QUITE OFTEN.
AND NOW THAT, THAT ONE'S BEEN CLEANED UP ON THE VEGETATION, WE DON'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS IT'S EQUIPMENT.
UH, BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO ON THAT AND COUNCIL MEMBER, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO GO BACK AND GET SOME OF THE HIGHER ONES THAT ARE UNDERPERFORMING AND THEN SHOW A COMPARISON SINCE THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN DONE.
AND I THINK THAT'D BE A BETTER VISUAL THAN ME JUST TRYING TO TELL YOU THE CIRCUITS.
[00:30:01]
THAT'D BE GREAT.CAUSE I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEE THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEING MADE AND THE DIFFERENCE THAT IT'S MAKING, UM, AND THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE BOTH OF THESE GOALS OF, OF, OF SECURING US VIS-A-VIS WILDFIRE RISK AND IMPROVING THE RELIABILITY.
MY QUESTION IS, IS OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGY COMPLETELY FOCUSED ON THE CIRCUITS AND AS PART OF THAT STRATEGY, ARE WE DOING A, UM, YOU MENTIONED 44 CIRCUITS THIS YEAR AND 22, BUT ARE WE TAKING IT, UM, LIKE BY TRAUNCHES OF CIRCUITS FOR OUR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT? WELL, THE PROBLEM IS IF WE IT'S ABOUT US, IT'S A SEVEN YEAR PROGRAM TO GET ALL THE CIRCUITS TO STANDARD.
AND THEN IN THAT SEVEN YEARS, WE GO IN AND WE DO A MIDTERM CUT ON THE FAST-GROWING DUE TO THE ISSUES PRIOR TO LAST YEAR ON THE VEGETATION REQUIREMENTS, IT'S GOING TO TAKE US SEVEN YEARS TO GET BACK TO A NORMAL CYCLE.
SO IN SEVEN YEARS FROM 2021, WE WILL HAVE A NORMAL VEGETATION CYCLE.
UH, AND WE CAN ONLY DO SO MANY OF THOSE A YEAR.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TO 44 IS DRIVEN UPON THE TOTAL NUMERICAL VALUE THAT WE HAVE ON THE CIRCUITS.
THAT'S WHERE THE 44 CAME FROM.
WHAT I BROUGHT UP FORWARD AVAILABILITY IS JUST GETTING THE LABOR OUT THERE.
WE'VE GOT MONEY, WE JUST CAN'T GET THE WORKERS TO DO IT, BUT WE'RE DOING THE 44 A YEAR ON A SEVEN-YEAR PLAN.
WE WOULD MAINTAIN A CONTINUOUS VEGETATION CYCLE WHERE IT ALWAYS STAYS AT THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
SO IT'D BE SEVEN YEARS FOR US, AGAIN, TO COMPLIANCE PER OUR NEW UPDATED SETBACK STANDARDS.
AND, UM, AT THIS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SCENARIOS IN WHICH WE CAN ACCELERATE OUR EFFORTS OR IS IT ABSOLUTELY.
I'VE GOT MY VEGETATION MANAGER.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, IS SINCE WE HAVE THAT CONTRACT DOLLARS, EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T SPEND IT YESTERDAY, OR YES, LAST YEAR, IT'S STILL IN THE CONTRACT.
SO AS WE COME OUT OF COVID AND LABOR INCREASES, AS PEOPLE START TAKING THE JOB, THEN WE'LL START DRAWING AND GETTING MORE CREWS THAN THE 60 THAT WE, THAT WE WERE BUDGETED FOR.
SO AS WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE MONEY THAT YOU GAVE US TO TRIM THIS, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY ACCELERATE IT WHEN WE CAN GET THE LABOR.
DO YOU HAVE A, THE FULL LIST ANYWHERE AVAILABLE? OR COULD YOU SEND THAT TO ME? I'M JUST CURIOUS SINCE IT LOOKS LIKE SOME OF THE WORK, UM, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE IT ALL BEING LAID OUT, BUT SEEING WHERE THE HIGH WILDFIRE RISK AREAS ARE, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR US TO JUST HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN CASE CONSTITUENTS, START REACHING OUT AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHEN IS SOMETHING NEAR ME GOING TO BE TRIMMED, UM, FOR THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PART OF THIS, UM, DO YOU HAVE THE FULL SEVEN YEAR PLAN ANYWHERE? W WE DO, BUT THE PROBLEM COUNCIL MEMBER COMES INTO AND THE SAME THING, WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER RUINED WHEN WE WERE PRESENTING HER CONSTITUENTS, WE TRACK IT BY CIRCUIT.
WE DON'T TRACK IT BY DISTRICT.
SO IT'S TWO DIFFERENT, COMPLETELY MAPS.
SO I COULD SAY STECCO SEVEN, BUT THAT MEANS NOTHING TO THE INDIVIDUALS.
UH, SO IF YOU'D LIKE MUCH THAT WE DID WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GET WITH ME SEPARATELY AND WE CAN LAY OUT WHAT'S INSIDE YOUR DISTRICT AND SEE WHERE THOSE CIRCUITS ARE, THEN WE CAN LAY OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, WE TRY TO STAY ONE YEAR OUT ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT AS THE RELIABILITY CHANGES AND WE HAVE MORE VEGETATION ISSUES THAT SOME OF THAT CAN CHANGE AS IT GOES THROUGH.
SO THE ONE-YEAR PLAN IS WHAT WE'RE PRETTY SOLID WITH.
WE'RE WAITING TO SEE IF ANY OF THE RELIABILITY CHANGES, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
I, I LOVE ALL THE INFORMATION YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH ME.
I KNOW OF OTHER WORK THAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS DOING IN THE DISTRICT THAT WOULD JUST REACH OUT AND I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU WHATEVER INFORMATION I CAN GIVE YOU.
VERY GOOD, MR. RICHARDS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. RICHARDS? GREAT.
[6. Decker Creek Power Station Workforce Planning. ]
ITEM SIX IS THE DECKER CREEK POWER STATION, WORKFORCE PLANNING ITEM.HELLO AGAIN, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, PAT SWEENEY.
VICE-PRESIDENT OUR PRODUCTION, A VERY QUICK UPDATE ON OUR DECKER TRANSITION.
UM, WE ARE ON TRACK TO RETIRE DECKER UNIT TWO, BY THE END OF MARCH 31ST.
WE'VE CONTINUED OUR TRAINING AND JOB SHADOWING PROGRAMS WITH OUR TEAM.
AND SINCE WE MET WITH YOU BACK IN NOVEMBER, WE'VE HAD ADDITIONAL FOLKS TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETIRE AS WELL AS NEW POSITIONS WITHIN THE WORKFORCE.
UH, AND WITH THAT, AND WITH THE ONES CUMULATIVE, WE'RE VERY MUCH ON TRACK TO GET EITHER AT, OR VERY CLOSE TO OUR NUMBERS THAT WE'RE TARGETING CURRENTLY FOR THE WORKFORCE, UH, POST RETIREMENT.
I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, UH, REMIND COUNCIL THAT WE DO HAVE FOUR GAS TURBINES THAT WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE AFTER MARCH 31ST.
SO WE'RE NOT CLOSING OUT THE ENTIRE SITE AND REMOVING
[00:35:01]
THE ENTIRE WORKFORCE.WE ARE STEPPING IT DOWN AND AGAIN, WE'RE ON TRACK AS WE'VE BEEN AND CONTINUE TO BE ON TREND TO GET TO THE NUMBERS THAT WERE, THAT WE'RE HOPING FOR.
THIS WAS AN ITEM THAT WE WERE CONTINUING TO TRACK THAT YOU REQUEST.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SWEENEY? OH, THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU, MR. SWEENEY.
SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO FINISHING UP WITH DECKER.
WELL, GENERAL MANAGER, SERGEANT, DO YOU WANT TO, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO OFFER? OKAY.
[7. Identify items to discuss at future meetings. ]
FUTURE ITEMS IS ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.AND, UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PASS ALONG TO ME? YES.
IF WE, IF WE COULD, WE'RE GETTING SOME MEDIA INQUIRIES ABOUT PROGNOSIS OF POWER OUTAGES OR THE LIGHT WITH THE STORMS THAT ARE COMING UP.
UH, I PROBABLY SHOULD'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION DURING THE GENERAL MANAGERS REPORT EARLIER.
IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS? UH, FOR US JACKIE SERGEANT GENERAL MANAGER.
I'LL DO MY BEST IF I CAN'T, I HAVE PLENTY OF STAFF HERE, WE CAN CALL THEM.
AND, AND I THINK THAT THE QUESTION IS EITHER YOU OR JUST FOR THE STAFF.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE JUST REMEMBERING WHAT HAPPENED A YEAR AGO AND LOOKING AT THE STORMS THAT ARE COMING IN, ARE WE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE THAN WE WERE LAST TIME? UH, DO YOU ANTICIPATE, UH, UH, OUTAGES BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WITH THE WEATHER, JUST A MEASURE OF COMMENT ON THAT TOPIC FOR THE, SO RIGHT NOW, ALL THE INDICATIONS THAT WE HAVE FROM ERCOT, THE PUC AND THE STATE OF TEXAS IS THAT WE ARE IN A GOOD POSITION, UH, TO BE PREPARED FOR THE WEATHER THAT'S COMING IN.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE STATE HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY AND THEY HAD MANY PEOPLE, UH, TALK IN THE DIFFERENT AREAS.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO WAY TO MAKE A GUARANTEE OR PROMISE BECAUSE IT'S SITUATIONAL AND THOSE SITUATIONS COULD, COULD CHANGE.
BUT WITH THAT SAID, AUSTIN ENERGY IS WELL-PREPARED, UH, WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED OUR INCIDENT COMMAND.
UH, WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATIONS, UM, AND WE ARE HAVING OUR TEAMS PREPARED IN STANDBY MODE.
AND THEN ALSO WHAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF OUR GENERATION, AS YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR DURING THIS EVENT, OUR GENERATION OVERALL PERFORMED VERY WELL.
AND THE REASON THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR POWER SUPPLY ADJUSTMENT NOVEMBER 1ST BY SIX AND A HALF PERCENT.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT WITH THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED FROM THE STORM, UM, ALL OF THE ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED IN THE AFTER ACTION REPORT TO DATE, UH, THE ATTENTION THAT THIS HAS GOTTEN ON A STATEWIDE BASIS, AND THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A SITUATION FROM A WEATHER PERSPECTIVE, THAT IS NOT A IMPACT FROM THE NORTH POLE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE GULF COAST.
SO IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SCENARIO.
WE ARE EXPECTING FROM AN ERCOT PERSPECTIVE, HIGHER LOADS.
UM, AND THEN WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT THAT GENERATION RESOURCE.
SO IF, UH, THE FORECAST HOLDS IF THE GENERATION PERFORMS AND IF ERCOT, UM, IS NOT IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY NEED TO REQUIRE, UH, UM, UH, MANDATED LOAD SHED SITUATION, WE FEEL THAT WE'RE WELL POSITIONED GOING INTO THIS.
I WOULD ALSO SAY, AND I WOULD REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT THIS REALLY IS A COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS EFFORT.
AND SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
UH, WE NEED TO PRACTICE THAT PLAN.
UM, WE NEED TO STOCK UP ON SOME RESOURCES AND, AND HAVE EXTRA THINGS LIKE FOOD AND NON-PERISHABLE FOOD AND WATER, UM, BATTERIES, A BATTERY OPERATED, RE RADIO, UM, AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY GET OUT THERE AND KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M SO PROUD OF FROM THIS COMMUNITY IS HOW EVERYONE, EVERYONE CAME TOGETHER AND THEY LOOKED OUT FOR EACH OTHER AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE MADE IT THROUGH AND WE ARE PREPARED AND WE ARE HERE AND WE ARE STANDING BY AND READY, GREAT GENERAL MANAGER.
I THINK YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE PRECAUTIONS THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING.
I THINK THE ONE THAT, UH, YOU, UH, THAT ALSO I'VE SEEN IT, AND WE'VE TRIED TO READ THAT, IS THAT IN ORDER TO KEEP PEOPLE'S PIPES FROM FREEZING BEST, THEY TAKE ONE FAUCET SOMEWHERE AND RUN IT ON, UH, JUST TO, TO, TO, TO DRIP THROUGH.
AND THERE'S A STRATEGIC WAY TO DO THAT.
AND AUSTIN WATER ON THEIR WEBSITE HAS REALLY GOOD INFORMATION ON HOW TO DO THAT.
AND THE OTHER THING YOU WANT TO KNOW IS HOW TO TURN OFF YOUR WATER IN THE EVENT THAT YOU HAVE A WATER LEAK.
AND SO YOU NEED TO GO TO THE MAIN, THERE'S A SPECIAL KEY THAT YOU NEED, AND YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
[00:40:01]
ON THAT ON YOUR WEBSITE TOO, AS A MATTER OF FACT, FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO REFER TO.YOU DO MAYOR PRO TEMP AND THEN A COUNCIL MEMBER TURBO.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK FOR FUTURE ITEMS, IF WE CAN TALK AGAIN ABOUT THE, AN UPDATE ON THE WINTER STORM AFTER ACTION REPORTS THAT A FUTURE MEETING AND THE PROGRESS THAT YOU'VE MADE.
YES, WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF THAT TODAY, BUT I THINK SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE FOCUSED AND COUNCIL MEMBER TOHO.
UM, THIS REALLY DOESN'T APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE AUSTIN ENERGY MEETING.
IT REALLY APPLIES TO OUR COUNCIL WORK SESSION AND MAYOR THIS MORNING.
UM, I WAS AT A, ANOTHER WORK EVENT AND MISSED THE INTRO WHERE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT PROCEDURE FOR THURSDAY.
SO I WILL GO BACK AND WATCH THAT, BUT I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU HAD PROVIDED ANY CONVERSATION, ANY, ANY GUIDANCE TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT TO DO, WHAT TO WATCH FOR, UM, IF THEY WERE INTENDING TO COME DOWN AND PROVIDE IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT ON THREE .
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US ANOTHER CHANCE TO MENTION THIS AT THE END OF OUR, OUR MEETING, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE ASKING EVERYBODY WHO'S SIGNING UP TO SPEAK, TO SIGN UP, TO SPEAK REMOTELY, UH, WHETHER THEY INTENDED TO TRY TO SPEAK IN PERSON OR NOT.
UH, WE KNOW THAT IF SOMEONE IS NOT HERE ON THURSDAY AND SPEAKING, UH, REMOTELY, UH, IT MEANS WE HAVE LESS STAFF THAT HAS TO COME DOWN.
UH, AND WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO DO THAT NOT ONLY FOR THEIR SAFETY, BUT FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR, OF OUR STAFF.
UH, WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE BEATING COULD START LATE OR AT A DIFFERENT TIME THAN THE 10 O'CLOCK NOTICE TIME.
UH, AND WE'LL TRY TO POST THAT INFORMATION WEDNESDAY NIGHT, AND IF NOT EARLY THURSDAY MORNING, SO PEOPLE CAN CAN SEE THAT, BUT THE WEATHER IS SUPPOSED TO BE BAD.
SO WE WANT EVERYBODY TO STAY HOME AS BEST THEY CAN HAVE OCCURRED.
EVERYBODY ON THIS DAY HAS TO PLAN ON DOING THE MEETING REMOTELY, UH, ON, ON THURSDAY, WHENEVER THE MEETING IS CALLED, THANK YOU, THAT PHOTO.
AND AS I BRING THIS MEETING TO IN A GERMAN, I'LL JUST NOTE THAT OUR NEXT MEETING FOR THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR AUSTIN ENERGY IS APRIL FIVE.
WE'LL BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WINTER WEATHER.
AND I WOULD ASK OUR GENERAL MANAGER BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING.
IF YOU COULD GIVE US A MEMO UPDATE ON HOW THINGS PROCEEDED.
UM, IF ANYTHING, UNTOWARD HAPPENED, UM, AS WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, SOME BAD WEATHER LATER THIS WEEK, JUST KEEP US IN A LOOP.
AND WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 5 0 3 FOR THE AUSTIN ENERGY UTILITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, AND ALSO AT 5 0 3 WE'RE ADJOURNING THE, UH, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETING AS WELL.