[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6623997,"mediaKeyId","2769231-3401399340aaa32adde20802e53568c1","parentId",2769231,"title","Texas Gas Service pauses conservation program as Railroad Commission reviews new filing; commissioners press for franchise-review input","audioSeconds",1072,"startMs",1142000,"endMs",2214000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769231-3401399340aaa32adde20802e53568c1&start=1142&end=2214","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769231-3401399340aaa32adde20802e53568c1/thumbnail_1142000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6623997/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Texas-Gas-Service-pauses-conservation-program-as-Railroad-Commission-reviews-new-filing-commissioners-press-for-franchise-review-input","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623997-bc5cf6ab0e8eaf4ebc6f6bbfeda308f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771101383&Signature=Psv9SpMZlGtoUQMo26wHQsgrVvktscO6UjmO2AdVdB~Ynn75VJD~V~JN9JrhxJqPJjxkoP9lxRjYg6IMAicnSuxsHWJIfDZSbK3q9i8y32-eyG1aokS8-Q4jgVl5GTFJdZLqlEteOJlm5ZanzJvbwGD8qqHtKVYS~x9uy2ZTM8ih~NVMoiOf~6u9uK690O0i6GgRSsfsEEU5reivZ5hygfYKdpF~hnb9UlBNo7Q~rEGePYp1R06X~NKzGvIviP0HtKVypAxMrnbgJW8z06Jql3duzd9NWMgy5tZMIY~nMFvq3RVrIC0Tcnj36yQQmBKWbL4YTIJVsUG1S22oqC2w5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-03-25T00:00:00Z","article","Texas Gas Service representatives briefed the Resource Management Commission on fourth-quarter 2024 activities for the Central Texas Energy Efficiency Program and said the program formally ended Dec. 31, 2024, leaving the company’s pending filing before the Railroad Commission of Texas as the vehicle for any new conservation program.

“Tonight, I’ll be providing an overview of the initiatives that our program undertook during the fourth quarter of 2024,” said Christy Bell, Energy Efficiency Program supervisor for Texas Gas Service. She told commissioners the program was sunset on Dec. 31, 2024, the company withdrew its conservation adjustment clause tariff and removed the program surcharge from customer bills, and that the utility will continue processing residential rebate applications filed within the program’s 180-day application window through June 29, 2025.

Jasmine King Busch, energy-efficiency program manager for Texas Gas Service, said the company had a filing before the Railroad Commission and that a ruling could come in June 2025 “barring any extension.” She added the proposed filing is “very similar to the program that we have in practice.”

Commissioners pressed Texas Gas Service staff about what would replace the conservation funding vehicle and whether the company had met the process expectations in its franchise agreement with the city. Commissioner Silverstein pressed that the commission be informed of the Railroad Commission’s decision and asked the company to brief the commission at its July meeting if a ruling is issued.

“Can you tell us whether the Railroad Commission has acted?” Silverstein asked; company representatives agreed to return to the July meeting to report any decision and to brief the commission on program details if the Railroad Commission approved a filing.

The briefing prompted a broader policy discussion led by Commissioner Robbins on the city’s authority and leverage during upcoming franchise negotiations. Robbins outlined a presentation to the commission on natural-gas utility rates, arguing Texas Gas Service bears most of the city’s gas-customer footprint in Austin and raising concerns about high customer charges, capital-recovery practices and low low-income-assistance funding. Robbins recommended stakeholder hearings as the city prepares for franchise negotiations that may lead to October 2026 decisions.

Austin Energy and Texas Gas Service staff clarified regulatory roles: franchise agreements require coordination on energy-efficiency programs, but oversight of statewide natural-gas program approval now rests with the Railroad Commission following state legislation. Commissioners requested that Texas Gas Service and Austin Energy return with a briefing on the Railroad Commission outcome and program details for the July meeting. No formal votes were taken.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - Resource Management - Mar 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Texas Gas Service told the Resource Management Commission its customer-facing energy-efficiency program was sunset Dec. 31, 2024, and rebate requests for work completed in 2024 will be processed through June 29, 2025.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6623993,"Commissioners debate changes to Austin Energy rooftop-solar rules; inspection and consumer-protection provisions draw opposition",2855,2489000,5344000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769231-3401399340aaa32adde20802e53568c1&start=2489&end=5344","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769231-3401399340aaa32adde20802e53568c1/thumbnail_2489000.jpg","/articles/6623993/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Commissioners-debate-changes-to-Austin-Energy-rooftop-solar-rules-inspection-and-consumer-protection-provisions-draw-opposition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6623993-4ff910c65a5e36315889047b0bdf31ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771101383&Signature=VlwESJeY061kFibECAfpJByqH~nsOC6jkpnnR~uvCp6fNrGYiHsQ-CuTu9E~huwl20JUvDilBfJCgX8t~L4WmXvaUKjquveHwOfaBb8q6rbD~dfzMjiwhZQUFX8W~VvfGwb2tMN~kGt5jMaSyLdOWdphfdlYaPyTP2m3hpR4z7fNneO4vdmzp~LMMSnLnvY6H~fLbPsgmRMEKJwBQ9G9bLqr8FQL5UUX~Jt-8varlOAdsEkN-I-CG6jTQgOrpWBPgZdbolnsVLK68OjHTGtBeGgeMJbhLNIwGQDAdsViAmK9EHJat5yDv~T6kEOmDhaDmqlvxuQXoq7hjLKdDPeofQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A proposed resolution that would revise Austin Energy’s residential rooftop solar program drew sustained discussion at the Resource Management Commission, with proponents urging streamlined permitting and asynchronous inspections to lower soft costs and critics — including Austin Energy staff — warning that virtual inspections risked undermining safety and quality control.

Commissioner Saceridis, a co-sponsor of the resolution, said the changes aim to turn residential solar “from a luxury good into a commodity good,” reduce nonmaterial installation costs and expand uptake. Key elements in the redlined proposal include removing or simplifying certain Austin-only sizing approvals, raising the allowed total-solar-resource-fraction (TSRF) threshold for small systems, standardizing approval steps to match neighboring jurisdictions, converting the mandatory solar course and quiz to a short video plus a reference card for consumers, and permitting asynchronous or virtual final inspections to reduce scheduling friction.

“The objective is to break out of the luxury-solar cycle,” Commissioner Saceridis told the commission, arguing that lower friction and clearer consumer information could increase adoption and competition and reduce room for bad actors. He also proposed that reference price guides and clearer 10-year warranty specifications be made available to consumers to improve transparency.

Austin Energy staff and several commissioners pushed back on asynchronous inspections. Tim Harvey, Austin Energy Customer Renewable Solutions, said the utility had tested virtual inspections during the COVID period and found they did not reliably replace on-site inspections for safety: “In the last three weeks, we found two examples of where that device failed…because it wasn't manufactured right. And because it wasn't manufactured right, it would not open up if the grid went down,” he said, noting the life-safety implications for line crews and first responders. Harvey asked the commission not to mandate remote-only inspections without further piloting and documentation of safeguards.

Commissioner Silverstein, while endorsing several consumer-protection additions to the proposal (including clearer warranty specifics and a short reference card for customers), urged a mixed approach: preserve some in-person inspections for training and quality control while piloting video-based inspections and random in-person audits. “We should probably modify this to…have some minimum number [of in-person inspections] and/or random audits,” Silverstein said.

Commissioners and Austin Energy agreed not to vote on the resolution at the meeting. Commissioner Saceridis said he would revise the draft to incorporate feedback, and co-sponsors signaled they would continue discussion at the next meeting; staff requested time to provide specific evidence about past virtual-inspection pilots and safety incidents for commissioners to review.

No formal votes or new approvals were taken. Commissioners requested a follow-up briefing and said the resolution would return to a future agenda after revision and additional joint meetings with Austin Energy staff.","A proposed resolution to streamline Austin Energy’s rooftop-solar processes and permit asynchronous inspections drew support from commissioners interested in expanding solar adoption but drew safety and quality concerns from Austin Energy staff and other commissioners.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6624002,"Commissioners say Austin Energy offered limited data on district cooling; outside firm signals interest",259,249000,508000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769231-3401399340aaa32adde20802e53568c1&start=249&end=508","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769231-3401399340aaa32adde20802e53568c1/thumbnail_249000.jpg","/articles/6624002/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Commissioners-say-Austin-Energy-offered-limited-data-on-district-cooling-outside-firm-signals-interest","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624002-d87837b26018666cc6bca302d44fa860/orig.mp4?Expires=1771101383&Signature=CIyDIlIXD-MmzVQ-8g5mvcQ4Sm3hlBu6RiSFtyeUCaaFGfCVMoFfXCpl5eFI6JFlW1xn8H4ZJDD-MLjgFuB~7R7-CHVnUxMfFyRzNALUD59ZqgyB7A6Vpp176bIOZhHfMVWZXPhhZCZumUGcah9T-Q~f0y6aEMaymZ8PYUKRbhAlAkxKL~26KGeyuND8NZVQUfwtCdTXIfIrpogdO-YKIy8LvKh0Uoq5eL1fLv4o~ryKI8e0EbH~6k3wm5Qk4jj~84peR83qrQWU0YULlxxfGhBm6ujk9I~OWOz0xg~1XU6fAQxvhmzWhsg7K1P-6t59UWYEBlWYE-SECgE1kL2oFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A sub quorum briefing with Austin Energy staff about the utility’s district cooling system produced assurances that the utility is not currently pursuing a sale, but commissioners said the meeting delivered little additional financial detail and that formal public information requests may be needed to get records.

Commissioners raised transparency concerns after a March 11 sub-quorum meeting. Commissioner Davis, who sponsored the briefing, said Austin Energy staff “did assure us that they are not at this time seeking a sale, but rather that they wanted to explore how to expand, to grow the system,” and added the system is not yet operating on a “sustainable financial level.”

Vice Chair Robbins told fellow commissioners he had been unable to obtain requested customer and financial data informally and was told Austin Energy would treat such requests as requiring an attorney-general opinion. “I was told that if I wanted some of this information, I would have to make a formal public information request, which would then be submitted to the attorney general for an opinion,” Robbins said, adding that a new request could take “three plus months” for a determination. Robbins said he is considering asking City Council to assign its audit department to obtain data the commission cannot access directly.

Commissioner Silverstein, who also attended the March 11 meeting, said the briefing covered the district-heating-and-cooling plant’s status and a separate request for system data. He urged Austin Energy to provide a timeline for financial analysis and options so the commission, the Electric Utility Commission and City Council could consider whether to retain and expand the system or invite private partners to build under conditions that preserve staff and service. “I would like to be hearing pretty soon from you about the timeline for the analysis and the timeline for the decisions that you have ahead of you on the district heating and cooling system,” Silverstein said.

At the start of the meeting, Richard Riopelle introduced himself on behalf of Cordia Energy, a private district- and distributed-energy developer backed by KKR. “We see ourselves as partner of communities,” Riopelle said, adding Cordia is interested in exploring partnerships with Austin Energy for district cooling and distributed energy investments.

Commissioners did not take formal action on the briefing. They discussed next steps, including additional information requests and possibly a formal resolution directing further review or recommending an audit. No motion to refer or vote on a recommendation was recorded.

The commission did not identify a timetable for receiving new analysis from Austin Energy during the public portion of the meeting; several commissioners urged staff to provide an anticipated timeline for the utility’s internal analysis and options.","At a Resource Management Commission meeting, members reported that Austin Energy’s district cooling team said it is exploring growth rather than an immediate sale, but commissioners said staff provided limited financial data. A private district-energy firm, Cordia Energy, introduced itself and said it is open to partnering with Austin Energy.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Texas Gas Service pauses conservation program as Railroad Commission reviews new filing; commissioners press for franchise-review input

Commissioners debate changes to Austin Energy rooftop-solar rules; inspection and consumer-protection provisions draw opposition

Commissioners say Austin Energy offered limited data on district cooling; outside firm signals interest