The Austin City Council is set to cast a crucial vote next week on Austin Energy’s Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan to 2035, a framework that seeks to balance the city's energy reliability with clean air goals. In a statement to CBS Austin, Lisa Martin, Austin Energy's Chief Operating Officer, emphasized the plan's focus on "guidance for the next decade," during which they aim to enhance utility reliability, especially in times of high demand, while also addressing pollution concerns tied to power plants.
With the specter of two recent destructive winter storms and their subsequent power outages looming over the city, Austinites are grappling to maintain dependable energy sources without turning their backs too quickly on long-standing environmental aspirations. In an attempt to seemingly have both, Austin Energy is contemplating the addition of new gas-fired "peaker units," which according to a CBS Austin report, are "smaller, more modular unit" designed to operate only when necessary, per Lisa Martin's statement. However, reactions to this proposal are divided.
Shane John of the Texas Sierra Club expressed his disappointment to CBS Austin, saying, “The goal was supposed to be to get rid of Fayette by 2022. They failed to do that. Then the mayor set a new goal of 2029. Adding these peaker units does not contribute in any way to meeting that goal. It does not move us forward on retiring Fayette." On the other hand, City Council Member Ryan Alter and Mayor Kirk Watson are in active pursuit of solutions which address both environmental sustainability and energy reliability, as reflected in their engagement with the plan and its amendments.
According to a KXAN article, the council is set to vote on a layout shaped by months of community input and expert analysis from the Webber Energy Group. The group's work highlighted the expected energy demand growth, driven by factors including population growth, electrification, data center expansion, and electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Their findings also identify unmanaged EV charging as a potential major driver of peak demand growth, advocating the importance of smart-charging technologies to potentially reduce peak demand significantly.
Martin reasserted the plan’s intent to prioritize a move toward 100% carbon-free energy by 2035, improve various aspects including reliability and affordability, as well as boost resilience against extreme weather. Alter's proposed amendments and Mayor Watson’s push to shutter Austin's portion of the coal-fired Fayette Power Plant by January 2029 emphasize their commitment to these goals. The Austin City Council plans to convene and cast their vote on the plan during its Dec. 12 meeting, with a full draft available for public consideration.
