Our most recent City of Austin bills had the usual insert this month, but mentioned the rate review that is currently underway. Austin Energy will be modifying their rates to "keep the electric utility financially strong."

I tried to briefly locate more information on their website listed in the insert - http://www.austinenergy.com, but really couldn't find anything. But I also didn't spend a lot of time digging around.

There's a bit more info at http://www.rates.austinenergy.com

There is a 14-member Public Involvement Committee (PIC) representing the different rate classes to provide communication and feedback during the rate review process.

I know you are all going to be surprised by this, but I am your representative on the PIC for those of you with solar panels!

There's not a lot of information out there yet, but the public will get reading materials when I do. You guys are welcome to go to the meetings, but cannot speak to the panel or Austin Energy, but there will be ways to communicate your concerns. If there is anything I can help with, please let me know! I'll try to keep everyone posted as I can!

Thanks!
Kathy

It will be interesting to see how the normal rates play out compared to the locked-in rates in Green Choice.

Michael, if you'll allow me to throw out some mis-information without researching its verity, I beleive the the rate review, also called a rate case, only affects the customer charge, and has no bearing on the fuel charge, which is the rate the Green Choice customers lock in. So this rate review will affect all Austin Energy customers equally...Green Choice or not.

It will, however, make your solar investment look a little better.

Dusty - I think you're right. I believe we address this in April. I'll let you guys know what I find out, but keep an eye on that website up there. All the white papers that we get will be posted, so you guys can read them as well. The papers come out about a week prior to the monthly meeting.

Kathy

Just a reminder that our next meeting on April 6 will discuss residential rates. If anyone has any ideas, concerns, questions, or comments, please let me know!!

rates.austinenergy.com

Kathy

I guess my concerns and ideas are fairly generic -

Affordable rates
Continued and increased rebates for rooftop Solar
Continued investment in conservation programs (insulation, energy eff appliances, solar screens, etc.)
They can turn of the street light in front of my house to save $

100000000X to that

For those of you with time on your hands, I'd like to offer up our latest White Paper for our next PIC meeting this Wednesday. I almost fell on the floor when I looked at the proposed increases to our base rate.

http://tiny.cc/c0fze

Please let me know if you have any comments or thoughts on the proposed changes.

Kathy

Kathy -

I hate to be lazy, but I guess I am - can you net out the major changes to the rates?

Shellie

From a quick scan of the document, it appears that the proposal is to raise the base rate from $6.00/month to $33.00/month!! The document does not make clear what the marginal rate will be, only it proposes changing the current 2-tier pricing structure into either a 3- or 5-tier model where the first tier in all plans matches the first tier in the current plan of from 0 to 500 kWh. At Mueller, I think we will primarily be faced with how far we dip into the second tier as even in the 5-tier model, the 2nd tier ends at 1250 kWh. Table 3 which would make clear the new pricing model, leaves the vague "Block 1-3(or 5)" with the comment that

"Due to the complexity of these changes, the preliminary results for block energy rates based on preliminary cost of service results will be presented at PIC Meeting #4."

What concerns me a bit as I'm currently having solar panels installed on my house is what changes lie in the new "Net Metering Option". I believe net metering is currently what we enjoy in that excess solar power is delivered back to Austin Energy and we pay for the net power delivered to our home.

So, I guess Kathy will come back from the meeting with more data to fill in these gaps.

Jim