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Residents and advocates urge Austin Energy to drop methane peakers, cite inequitable rate impacts
Summary
Several public speakers told the oversight committee that proposed gas peaker plants pose health, climate and equity harms; Austin Energy staff said no peaker recommendation will be made until the All‑Resource RFP is analyzed and defended fixed‑charge and avoided‑cost calculations.
Public speakers at the Jan. 20 Austin Energy oversight committee meeting urged the utility to remove methane‑fired peaker units from its 2035 plan and raised equity concerns about recent rate increases.
Paul Robbins, describing himself as an environmental activist and consumer advocate, told the committee that Austin Energy’s rates had become “more regressive” since 2012 and said overall electric rates rose about 29% since 2022. “You have the power to do this right now,” Robbins told council members, urging them to apply rate increases proportionally across monthly…
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