Austin Energy says CAP discount program nearly reached enrollment goal; commissioners press for customer counts

Austin Energy told the Electric Utility Commission on Oct. 20 that its expanded customer assistance (CAP) discount program is close to meeting the enrollment target set in a December 2022 City Council resolution, with roughly 500 households still needed to reach the goal of about 83,700 eligible enrollments.

The utility’s deputy general manager and chief customer officer, Carrie Overton, said the CAP expansion was launched after a council directive and that the program now delivers up to $1,400 in combined annual benefits per household when customers receive all city utility services. “That totality is about $38,000,000 a year,” Overton said in a presentation to commissioners, describing the mix of electric, water, wastewater and drainage discounts and related emergency assistance and arrears-management services.

The resol…