Austin’s Community-Owned Electric Utility
JULY 2017
austinenergy.com
Simple Tips to Save Energy and Money
Keep these tips in mind if you want to lower your costs:
A
s we enter the hottest months of
the summer, reducing your electric
use can mean a lower electric bill. Austin Energy’s new year-round
base rate — as of January 2017 — will
help customers save money. With
lower base rates this summer when
compared to last year, these seasonal
savings could lead to lower bills.
Costs for electricity use are
based on a five-tier pricing system for
customers who live in the Austin city
limits. The less electricity a customer
uses, the lower their tier and price.
The more electricity a customer uses,
the higher the tier and price.
H Change your AC filter every month during the summer.
This helps with air flow and air quality.
H Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher when possible.
Every degree higher can decrease your bill by 3 percent.
H Unplug chargers. Turn off power strips when not in use.
Electronics plugged in while “off” create phantom load,
accounting for as much as 10 percent of home energy use.
H Keep curtains and blinds drawn on windows hit by direct sunlight.
The sunlight can raise indoor temperatures 5-10 degrees very quickly.
H Use fans when you are in the room to make you feel
2-4 degrees cooler. Turn off fans when not in the room.
For all of Austin Energy’s energy-saving options, visit savings.austinenergy.com.
Under the Texas Sun
I
f you’ve ever been out to Far West
Texas, you know the region is
a sight to behold. The stark desert
landscape interspersed with interesting geologic formations and the big
sky that seems to cover it all offers a
special glimpse of Texas that you can’t
find anywhere else in the state. But
that big sky also offers other benefits
— lots of sun for solar farms.
For the past two years, at
the direction of the Austin City
Council, Austin Energy significantly
increased its solar portfolio with
projects developed in the Far West
Texas region.
The East Pecos Solar Facility is
the most recent solar investment to
come online and begin delivering
solar power for Austin Energy.
“This adds a third utility-scale
solar plant providing clean, carbonfree energy to our customers,” said
Austin Energy General Manager
Jackie Sargent. “Our City Council
has set ambitious goals for renewable
energy and affordability. Our investment in utility-scale solar energy is
just one part of striking the balance
between those goals. These investments reflect the priorities of our
community in action.”
The East Pecos farm is approximately 1,000 acres with more than
1.2 million panels. The farm is rated at
120 MW and began producing power
in April.
This is just the latest achievement in Austin Energy’s goal to
grow its investments in solar power.
Near the end of 2016, the Roserock
Solar Farm began supplying Austin
Energy with electricity. At the time
of its construction, Roserock was
the largest solar farm in Texas —
clocking in at 157 MW.
Austin Energy’s total producing
solar portfolio is approximately at
270 MW of capacity. But the utility
continues to look to the future in the
solar field. As is consistent with City
Council and community goals, Austin
Energy has plans to reach more than
600 MW of solar generation by the
end of 2018.
With all of its renewable investments, Austin Energy offsets more
than 30 percent of customer load with
renewable energy, positioning the
utility to meet and exceed the goals in
that area.
When balancing public needs like
renewable energy with affordable rates
and low average bills, Austin Energy is
able to bring value to its community.
For more information on
renewable energy, visit
austinenergy.com/go/renewables.
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PowerPlus
TM
THINK YOU NEED A NEW AC?
Start with Austin Energy Resources & Rebates
A
ustin Energy can help you maximize your investment in a new AC
system. Whole-home energy upgrades in houses more than 10 years
old can save you an average of 20 percent on your summer energy bills!
Through Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, homeowners can
benefit from an average of $1,800 in rebates and 3.99 percent interest loans to:
H Replace inefficient, incorrectly sized HVAC equipment
H Correct poorly designed, uninsulated leaky air ducts
H Seal air leaks, weatherstrip doors and add attic insulation and solar shading
H Save money and energy
H Control humidity and reduce the risk of mold
H Decrease airborne pollutants, germs and allergens
H Maintain the same temperature in each room
H Gain remote Wi-Fi thermostat access
H Comply with the Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure ordinance.
Austin Energy’s registered contractors can make custom recommendations for
your house while following quality guidelines to perform these upgrades and
assist with rebates and financing.
Visit austinenergy.com/go/summer or call 512-482-5346 to begin.
Fight the Bite Day and Night
U
nfortunately, mosquito season is here. That’s why Austin Public Health
encourages all residents in Travis County to do their part to limit
exposure to mosquitoes and the diseases they could carry, including Zika and
West Nile viruses. Mosquitoes can breed in as little as a teaspoon of water.
Here’s what you can do to help prevent their development and bites:
• Remove standing water around your home.
• Use EPA-registered insect repellent.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Stay in places with air conditioning or window and door screens.
For more information on mosquitoes, visit austintexas.gov/zika.
Green by Design Workshops
Aug. 3, 10, 17 • 7-9 p.m.
For more information, visit
greenbuilding.austinenergy.com
Session 1: Planning and designing
a green home
Session 2: Green materials, products
and landscaping
Session 3: Green home systems
Data Update for
Drainage Charge
T
he City of Austin’s Watershed
Protection Department has
updated the data used to calculate
the drainage charge. In about 70
percent of cases, the updated data
resulted in either no change to the
drainage charge or a change of
less than one dollar a month. For
others, there was a larger increase or
decrease to the drainage charge.
The drainage charge is calculated
individually for each property,
based on the amount and percent
of impervious cover. Impervious
cover includes rooftops, patios,
driveways, parking lots and other
surfaces that do not absorb rainfall.
Information about impervious
cover is gathered through a combination of aerial photography and building
permit data. The City has recently
updated the aerial photography data
citywide. Building permit data is
updated on an ongoing basis as new
building permits are approved.
For most properties, the
impervious cover used to calculate
your drainage charge can be viewed on
the “Find My Drainage Charge” tool
at austintexas.gov/drainagecharge.
If you are concerned about how
your impervious cover has been
represented, please call Customer
Care at 512-494-9400 and ask for a
review of your drainage charge.
The drainage charge helps
protect our community by reducing
the adverse impacts of flooding,
erosion and water pollution.
Para una Traducción en Español: Si gusta recibir este folleto en español, llame a Austin Energy al 512-972-9523.
© 2017 Austin Energy. All rights reserved. Austin Energy and the Austin Energy logo and combinations thereof are trademarks of Austin Energy, the electric department of the City of Austin, Texas. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Customer Service Phone: 512-494-9400
Walk-In Centers: North Austin Utility Customer Service Center — 8716 Research Blvd., Ste. 115
Rosewood-Zaragosa Neighborhood Center — 2800 Webberville Road, Ste. 110
24-Hour Power Outage Reporting: 512-322-9100
The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. TDD 512-477-3633.
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