The Environment

Update on Austin Energy's Resource, Generation, and Climate Protection Plan

Austin Energy, the city-owned and managed electric utility, is moving toward presenting a proposed update to its 10-year plan. The new plan is expected to contain major updates to the current plan and could either accelerate the transition to clean energy or eliminate the commitment to carbon-free energy. The League has been monitoring the ongoing public meetings between Austin Energy, various stakeholders, and environmental leaders. When the proposed plan moves to the City Council this fall, League members will be encouraged to weigh in with their individual Council representatives.

The current plan, adopted by the City Council in 2020, established that the utility would reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2035 using a combination of wind, solar, energy efficiency, and other clean energy resources to replace fossil fuel generation. It called for shutting Austin Energy’s portion of the Fayette coal-burning power plant by the end of 2022. Fayette has not been shut down, and as of 2022, it generated 16% of Austin’s electricity and was responsible for 23% of the Austin community’s greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, Austin Energy proposed building a new gas-burning power plant, which could transition to burning hydrogen when the technology is available.

Environmental leaders have been working with Austin Energy to add large battery storage installations and create more local renewal power sources to help reduce the cost of transmission to Austin residents.

The League will continue to update members as this important plan moves forward to the City Council and members will have an opportunity to weigh in with their individual Council representatives.