[00:00:04]
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
I'M JOHN COURAGE, CHAIR OF THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE.
WELCOME TO OUR MEETING OF, UH, JUNE 3RD.
UH, WE HAVE A VERY SHORT AGENDA TODAY.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, MINUTES, SOME PUBLIC COMMENT, AND WE'LL BE HEARING, UH, BRIEFING BY C P S ENERGY ON THE NEW ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
[Approval of Minutes ]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MAY 24TH, 2022, OUR LAST M E C MEETING.I HAVE A, A MOTION FROM KIBERA, SECOND BY ROCHA GARCIA.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABOUT THE MINUTES? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE MANUALLY AT ON THE DAAS.
WE DO HAVE SOME CITIZENS WHO'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE.
AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD, UH, AT, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY CALL ON ALL OF THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ROLL CALL.
UH, WE SEE IN HERE, EVERYBODY'S HERE, BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER BRAVO IS HERE, VIRTUALLY.
COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL IS HERE.
[Public Comment ]
GO AHEAD AND THEN OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.I HAVE FOUR PEOPLE WHO'VE SIGNED UP.
FIRST INDIVIDUAL IS MR. AL HALLERAN.
AND WE ASK YOU TO KEEP YOUR REMARKS TO THE, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS C P S ENERGY, UH, AND EFFICIENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
UH, WE'RE A TESTING COMPANY AND WE OPERATE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SITES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT COMMERCIAL PHOTOVOLTAIC INCENTIVES ARE GONNA BE PHASED OUT 31 JULY WITH PARTICIPANTS HAVING 180 DAYS THEREAFTER TO ACHIEVE INTERCONNECTION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE REBATES FROM C P SS.
THIS SHORT TIMELINE MAY EFFECTIVELY KILL TWO OF OUR PROJECTS THAT ADD UP TO 1.5 MEGAWATTS.
ONE IN DISTRICT FOUR IS PENDING A ROOF REPLACEMENT BY PORT SAN ANTONIO.
AND ANOTHER IN DISTRICT THREE IS PENDING BUYBACK OF C P SS EQUIPMENT TO CONSOLIDATE METERING.
THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN IN THE WORK FOR OVER EIGHT MONTHS.
WE HAVE ONE, 1.2 MEGAWATT PROJECT IN DISTRICT SEVEN THAT IS LIKELY TO MAKE THE CUTOFF AND WE'RE PUSHING FORWARD FOR IT.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC, I'M DRAWING DOWN SOLAR INCENTIVES, ESPECIALLY RESIDENTIAL AND NET METERING.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COMMERCIAL PHASE OUT EXTENDED.
CONSIDERING THE SCOPE OF PROJECTS IN Q UNDER THE PROGRAM, LARGE CORPORATIONS CANNOT MAKE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS WITHOUT DUE DILIGENCE.
THIS SHORT NOTICE PHASE OUT IS PUTTING PRESSURE ON THAT DUE DILIGENCE AND FORCING CUSTOMERS TO ACT AT A TIME WHEN THE SOLAR COMPONENT MARKET IS UNDERGOING SEVERE VOLATILITY.
COMPOUNDING PANDEMIC RELATED SUPPLY CHAIN, SNARLS IS THE ONGOING DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE INVESTIGATION AND THE CHINESE PANELS COMING THROUGH SOUTHEAST ASIA.
NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THAT, BUT IT'S REALLY TIED UP SHIPMENTS OF MODULES.
I'M HEARTENED TO KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY SOLAR IS GOING TO BE A FOCAL POINT IN THE FUTURE, AND INTERTECH HAS LAND THAT WE ARE LIKELY WILLING TO COMMIT, BUT NEED A CLEAR PATH FORWARD TO DATE.
CONVERSATIONS WITH C P S AROUND A 60 ACRE ARRAY HAVE BEEN MUDDLED AND INCLUDED SUCH HURDLES AS US REGISTERING AS A GENERATOR WITH ERCOT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE NOT IN THE POWER GENERATING BUSINESS.
WE'RE IN THE TESTING BUSINESS, AND REGISTRATION WOULD BE UNIQUELY BURDENSOME.
WE HAVE LAND AND WANT TO BUILD SOLAR, BUT WE NEED HELP GETTING IT DONE EFFICIENTLY.
MR. RUDE, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY BRIAN RAMIREZ.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO, UH, SPEAK ON TODAY IS, UM, UH, THE, UH, THE BOARD MEETING FOR MAY 23RD FOR C P S.
UM, I DIDN'T GET NOTICE THAT, UH, THAT THE STEP PROGRAM, THE, UM, CITIZEN CONSERVATION PROGRAM THAT I WAS ENROLLED IN, UM, THAT THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE, UM, UH, UH, MEETING ITEMS FOR THE C P S BOARD MEETING.
I TRIED TO, UM, SIGN UP FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE REGISTRATION WINDOW WAS VERY SHORT.
IT WAS FROM 7:00 AM UNTIL 1:00 PM ON FRIDAY, MAY 20TH.
I DIDN'T GET THE EMAIL NOTIFYING ME THAT I WAS, YES, I WAS A STEP PARTICIPANT.
I THINK I HAD ENROLLED MAYBE OVER THREE YEARS
[00:05:01]
AGO.IT'S, UH, A LONG-TERM PROJECT, UH, AND, UM, UH, SO UNTIL 8:39 AM SO I WAS ALREADY AN HOUR AND A HALF INTO THE PRE-REGISTRATION, PRE-REGISTRATION WINDOW.
UM, AND, UH, I WAS NOT ABLE TO, UH, MAKE THE ONE O'CLOCK DEADLINE.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I AM VERY INTERESTED IN, UM, AS FAR AS, UH, CONSERVATION, UM, AND, UH, WHERE OUR NEXT SOURCE OF ENERGY IS GONNA COME FROM.
BRIAN RAMIREZ, FOLLOWED BY AARON STEIN.
UH, WE'RE ONE OF THE APPROVED CONTRACTORS FOR THE C P SS REBATE PROGRAM.
UM, MY GOAL TODAY IS JUST TO REALLY IMPRESS UPON THE COUNCIL THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROGRAM FOR NOT ONLY SMALL BUSINESSES AS MYSELF, UH, DIRECTLY AFFECTS US, UH, WHAT WE DO DAY TO DAY, BUT THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UH, WE JUST NOW ARE STARTING TO GET TRACTION WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES AND LARGER COMPANIES THAT ARE REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ENERGY, UH, REDUCTION FROM L E D.
AND THEY JUST NOW ARE STARTING OVER, UH, YEARS OF TRYING AND, AND LOTS OF, UH, ENERGY ARE NOW JUST STARTING TO, TO DO THAT.
SO IF THEY WERE TO GO AWAY, IT WOULD DIRECTLY AFFECT A LOT OF THOSE PROGRAMS, UM, PREVENTING THE REDUCTION OFF THE GRID AND DIRECTLY AFFECTING, UH, SMALL BUSINESS AS MYSELF.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE AND CITY STAFF.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND, UM, I ALSO SERVED ON THE SA CLIMATE READY ENERGY AND BUILDINGS TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP.
I'M PLEASED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF CONTINUING THE STEP PROGRAM.
AND WHILE I WAS HOPING THAT THE C P S ENERGY BOARD WOULD, UM, VOTE TO SUPPORT THE MORE AMBITIOUS OPTION THREE, I AM VERY PLEASED THAT THEY VOTED TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM IN ROUGHLY ITS CURRENT FORM, AT A TIME WHEN THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING IS GOING UP, INCLUDING ENERGY SCHOOL DISTRICTS LIKE OURS ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, SO WE'RE ABLE TO DIRECT NEEDED FUNDS TO SUPPORT OUR CORE MISSION OF EDUCATING STUDENTS.
WHEN I PRESENT TO LEADERSHIP WITHIN S E I S D, I'D LIKE TO REMIND THEM THAT THE CHEAPEST B T E WAS THE ONE WE DON'T HAVE TO PURCHASE.
AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE ABLE TO NOT PURCHASE THAT ENERGY IS THROUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY OR CONSERVATION.
AND SO, PROGRAMS LIKE, UH, STEP REALLY MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF OUR ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WE HAVE COMMITTED TO PURCHASING MORE EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES LIKE HIGH, UH, PREMIUM CHILLERS AND L E D LIGHTING OFTEN, WHICH HAVE A HIGHER UPFRONT COST.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF THE INCENTIVES FROM MORE EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT FROM C P SS ENERGY AND, UH, WHICH HAVE HELPED TORAY THE, THE COST OF THOSE INVESTMENTS.
CUMULATIVELY, WE HAVE REDUCED OUR ENERGY COSTS BY ALMOST $6 MILLION SINCE THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2017.
AND WE'VE BROUGHT IN MORE THAN $1.7 MILLION IN REBATES FOR DEMAND RESPONSE AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
UM, SOME OF WHICH WE HAVE INVESTED INTO ADDITIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES.
SO IT CREATES A, A, A SUSTAINING MODEL, WHICH OF COURSE, RELY ON THOSE INCENTIVES.
THESE UPGRADES NOT ONLY HELP FURTHER ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY GOALS, BUT ALSO PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS MORE CONDUCIVE TO INSTRUCTION AND LEARNING FOR OUR CAMPUS PARTNERS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH SEVERAL CAMPUSES TO INCORPORATE OUR ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS INTO, UH, CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES AND CURRICULUM TO GIVE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THIS EXCITING FIELD.
WE ASK THAT YOU RECOMMEND EXTENDING THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE VALUABLE INCENTIVES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT.
THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT WE HAD SIGNED UP FOR TODAY.
UH, LET ME JUST MENTION, UH, TO OUR, OUR C P S MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE, THAT, UH, IF THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS ANY OF THESE CONCERNS THAT WERE MENTIONED BY THE SPEAKERS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE SAYING SOMETHING TO US AS MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE, UH, BUT YOU'RE THE ONES WHO PROBABLY CAN GIVE THE RESPONSES TO SOME OF THOSE POINTS THAT THEY MADE
[Briefing and Possible Action on the following items ]
AT THIS TIME.WE'RE, UH, HERE TO HEAR A BRIEFING BY C P S ENERGY ON THE NEW ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION PROGRAM, UH, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A STEP PROGRAM.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE MAKING ANY FORMAL VOTE ON THIS, BUT AFTER THE BRIEFING, WE WILL BE ALLOWING COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PRESENT
[00:10:01]
ANY QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE FOR CLARIFICATION.SO, RUDY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GONNA START THIS OFF OR ONE OF YOUR TEAM IS, BUT THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
UH, IN A MINUTE I'LL BRING, BRING RICK LUNA, UH, WHO'S BEEN OUR LEADER, UM, YOU KNOW, SHEPHERDING THE STEP PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE PROCESS FOR, UH, MANY, MANY YEARS NOW.
AND, UH, RICK WILL WILL BE PROVIDING OUR FORMAL COMMENTS.
UH, I DO WANNA SAY A FEW THINGS.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK MY TEAM, UM, WHO HAS REALLY WORKED HARD TO GET US TO THIS POINT, GETTING A FOUR ONE VOTE FROM OUR BOARD.
UH, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT, IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT LIFT.
UH, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF EXTENSIONS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO SERVE, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND THE WAY THAT STEP PROVIDES, UM, RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE, UH, ON THEIR ENERGY BILL.
I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF WHAT A FORWARD-THINKING UTILITY, UH, HAS TO DO FOR THEIR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY A PUBLICLY OWNED, UH, UTILITY TO HAVE AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM, UM, THAT CAN SERVE OUR, OUR CUSTOMERS.
EVERY CUSTOMER IN THE C P S ENERGY SYSTEM PAYS IN TO STEPS.
SO, UM, SO, SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, UH, SHOULD THE COUNCIL FAVORABLY MOVE THIS, UH, REQUEST FORWARD.
UH, WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO, TO CON TO INCLUDE ROBUST PROGRAMS THAT SERVE A BROAD CROSS SECTION, UH, OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
CERTAINLY, UH, WE HAVE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM, UH, THE COMMUNITY FROM FOLKS WHO'VE SHOWN UP, UH, TO, TO OUR OWN PUBLIC COMMENT AT, AT C P S ENERGY BOARD MEETINGS, TO THE RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, TO THE C A C TO YOU, YOU, YOU ALL, AND, AND YOUR OFFICES AND, AND STAFFS ASKING US TO CONSIDER CERTAIN THINGS, UM, THAT WE AGREE ARE, ARE ABSOLUTELY, UH, PIVOTAL TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL, UH, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION PROGRAM.
UH, OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION PROGRAM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A DATA POINT, WE GET 270 MEGAWATTS, 250 TO 270 MEGAWATTS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND DEMAND RESPONSE SAVINGS EVERY SUMMER.
THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS, OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO ONLY GETS 350 MEGAWATTS TOTAL.
SO WE ARE A LEADER IN THIS SPACE.
IT IS, WE ARE AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER, UH, IN, IN WITH OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION EFFORT.
WE'VE WORKED HARD, UH, TO GET WHERE WE ARE.
I'M, I'M THANKFUL TO OUR BOARD FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR HEARING US OUT, UH, THROUGH A, A, A CHALLENGING CONVERSATION, UH, AND ULTIMATELY, UH, UH, SUPPORTING THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU'LL SEE.
I, I TOLD COUNCILMAN BRAVO YESTERDAY IN A CONVERSATION, UM, THAT THIS IS JUST KIND OF THE, THE, THE BEGINNING.
WE NEED, UH, Y'ALL TO AGREE WITH US ON THE LENGTH OF THE TERM OF THE NEW PROGRAM, WHAT THE GOAL IS.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND WE WILL, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENTLY SHOW YOU THE PROGRAMS THAT WE BUILD OUT, UH, THAT WILL SERVE THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.
UH, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT STUDIES WE HAVE.
THERE'S NOT ANY MORE STUDYING OF OUR PROGRAM THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THE CITY AND OUR REGULATOR THROUGH BEN'S OFFICE, WE'VE GOT A VERY, VERY ESTABLISHED, UH, VALIDATION PROCESS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
WE DON'T GET RECOVERING OF STEP EXPENDITURES UNTIL THE CITY HAS AGREED THAT WE DID THE JOB THAT THAT WAS ASKED OF US.
UH, AND, AND I'M, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT, UH, IT'S A GREAT TRANSPARENT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY, UH, TO, TO, YOU KNOW, TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE THINGS THAT THE ORDINANCE WILL, WILL, WILL REQUIRE OF US.
UH, AND AND ON TOP OF THAT, I HAD ONE OF MY OWN BOARD MEMBERS, UH, WHO SUGGESTED THAT WE NEED TO DO KIND OF MORE AUDITING.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA INCLUDE AN AUDITING PROVISION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IN ADDITION TO THE VERIFICATION THAT THE CITY DOES THAT WILL JUST GIVE EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, COMFORT THAT, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S RIGHT, AND WE'RE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
HAVING AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION PROGRAM IN SAN ANTONIO IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT THE RATES WE CHARGE THEM, IT'S ALSO YOU, YOU DEAL WITH UTILITY BURDEN TWO WAYS.
YOU LOOK AT MAKE SURE THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING CHARGED A FAIR RATE, AND YOU HELP THEM SAVE MONEY ON THE BACKEND.
THAT'S THE PROACTIVE STEPS THAT OUR CUSTOMERS, UH, CAN TAKE.
AND WE ARE GONNA REALLY FOCUS IN ON HOW DO WE AMP UP, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAMS FOR THOSE HIGH UTILITY BURDEN CUSTOMERS.
WE KNOW WHERE WE, WHERE THEY ARE.
WE KNOW WHAT CENSUS TRACKS THAT THEY'RE IN.
UH, AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL SEE AS WE, UH, START TO, TO CREATE, UH, THE PROGRAMMING, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU ACTUALLY VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE ON THE 16TH, THAT BEGINS ALL THE PROCUREMENT ACTIVITY THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO GET THE PROGRAMS, UH, UH, ESTABLISHED AND, AND GET 'EM OUT, UH, START MARKETING 'EM AND DOING THE THINGS THAT WE DO TO GET CUSTOMERS INTERESTED.
BUT I THINK THAT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT, UH, I'VE TALKED TO MY TEAM ABOUT IS FOR THOSE HIGH UTILITY BURDEN CUSTOMERS THAT ARE PAYING 20 30% OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, DISPOSABLE INCOME ON UTILITY COSTS, I THINK WE CAN DO MORE FOR THOSE ON THE WEATHERIZATION SIDE.
[00:15:01]
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS HAVING SOME TIERS IN THERE THAT SAY, OKAY, IF YOU'RE IN A, YOU KNOW, IN THIS CENSUS TRACK, YOU'RE HIGH UTILITY BURDEN CUSTOMER, MAYBE WE'LL DO $8,000 A HOME, YOU KNOW, AND HELP YOU TO PUT IN SOME MORE EFFICIENT AIR CONDITIONERS INSTEAD OF THE STANDARD $4,500, YOU KNOW, ALLOCATION.SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY CREATIVE WAYS THAT WE CAN SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND ACHIEVE OUR GOALS AND, AND, AND, AND HELP COUNSEL FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE VOTE THAT THEY'RE GONNA TAKE ON THE 16TH.
SO, UH, I APPRECIATE THE DIALOGUE THAT WE'VE HAD WITH YOUR OFFICES.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME, UH, THAT WE HAVE YOU WITH YOU TODAY.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION, UH, ON THE 16TH.
UH, AND WITH THAT, I'LL STOP THERE, SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF ME, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO RICK.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SAY.
LET'S HOLD OUR QUESTIONS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN GET THE FULL PRESENTATION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, MY NAME IS RICK LUNA, AND, UH, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO, UH, PRESENT TO YOU THE, THE FORMAL PIECE OF THE, ABOUT THE PROGRAM, UH, THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING TO YOU ON, UH, ON, ON JUNE 16TH.
SO, UH, WHAT WE'LL DO IS TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE ROAD TO TODAY, UH, HOW WE GOT HERE, UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF, OF, OF THE STEP PROGRAM AND, AND, AND, AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE WE ACHIEVED THE, THE LAST GOAL.
AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THE ACTUAL PROPOSAL, UH, AND, UH, AND, AND SOME OF THE, THE BUDGET DETAILS, AND THEN THE TARGETS AND WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT, UH, TO COME OUT OF THE PROGRAM, UH, OVER THE FIVE YEARS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
UM, THIS IS A SLIDE THAT WE HAVE SHARED, UH, PUBLICLY, UH, AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UH, THE, THE, THE INTENT REALLY WAS TO SHOW THAT WE WERE DRIVING TOWARDS A SUMMER DECISION, KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A DEADLINE AHEAD OF US.
UH, JULY 31ST IS WHEN THE AUTHORITY UNDER WHICH WE CURRENTLY DELIVER THESE PROGRAMS EXPIRES.
UH, AND SO WE PUT IN PLACE A PLAN TO, UH, REALLY RAMP UP THE ENGAGEMENT, UH, WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, WITH OUR BOARD, UH, WITH THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE RAC, UH, REALLY DRIVING TO DEVELOPING OPTIONS, UH, TO GET IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND INFORM A DECISION THAT THEN WE COULD TAKE TO OUR BOARD.
UH, WE DID THAT, UH, ON MAY 23RD, AND WE DID RECEIVE A COUNCIL, I'M SORRY, A BOARD APPROVAL, UH, ON, ON AN OPTION WHICH WE'LL PRESENT TODAY.
UH, THE NEXT STEP, OF COURSE, IN THAT PROCESS IS, IS CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.
UH, AND, AND IF THAT, IF THAT, UH, IS, IS ABLE, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF WE GET YOUR, YOUR CONSENT, UH, THEN WE WOULD LAUNCH THESE PROGRAMS, UH, TO FOLLOW THE, THE CURRENT PROGRAM WHEN IT EXPIRES JULY 31ST.
SO, SO THIS GOES BACK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN TIME.
UH, IT WAS, IT WAS ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO THAT WE FIRST ACHIEVED THE, THE STEP GOALS.
UH, WE ACHIEVED THEM A A YEAR EARLY.
UH, SO WE HAD A, A METRIC OF 771 MEGAWATTS THAT WE WERE, WE WERE AIMING TO DELIVER.
WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT AHEAD OF TIME.
UH, SUBSEQUENTLY, UH, WE BEGAN, UH, UH, AS AN ASSESSMENT, UH, TO, UH, DELIVER AN OPINION ON WHETHER IT MADE SENSE TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM.
UH, AND WE ENGAGED A CONSULTANT I C F WHO ASSISTED US IN THAT PROCESS.
UH, WE'VE THEN DONE A, DONE A SECOND ASSESSMENT, UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UH, THE BRATTLE GROUP DELIVERED AN ASSESSMENT TO OUR BOARD, UH, AGAIN, ANSWERING THE QUESTION, WHETHER IT MADE SENSE TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM, AND IF SO, WHAT THAT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
UH, SO WE'VE HAD TWO, TWO GOOD ASSESSMENTS THAT HAVE REALLY HELPED GUIDE SOME OF OUR THINKING AROUND HOW TO BUILD THE PROGRAM IN A WAY THAT IS RELEVANT TODAY.
UH, AND, AND, AND, AND MORE CURRENT THAN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN AROUND 12 YEARS.
UH, THERE, THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO IMPROVE AND, AND, AND, AND MAYBE PIVOT TO SOME NEW, NEW OPPORTUNITIES, UM, IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER THE PROGRAMS. OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE HAD TWO EXTENSIONS.
THE CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED, UH, THE FIRST IN JANUARY OF 2020, AND THE SECOND IN JANUARY OF 2021.
THAT SECOND ONE IS THE ONE THAT EXPIRES ON JULY 31ST.
AND SO THAT, THAT, AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVEN THE ACTIVITY HERE TO, TO, TO GET A DECISION IN FRONT OF YOU.
WE, WE'VE TALKED, AND RUDY TALKED ABOUT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T BUILD A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM WITHOUT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS AND FEEDBACK FROM VENDORS, UH, VENDORS WHO HELP US DELIVER PROGRAMS, UH, SMALL VENDORS, UH, BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE HELPED US BUILD A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM OVER THE YEARS.
UH, AND SO WE'VE BEEN OUT TALKING ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
UH, BUT HERE, MORE RECENTLY, WE'VE BEEN IN FRONT OF THE, THE, THE RAC AND THE C A C
[00:20:01]
AS WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING OPTIONS, GETTING THEIR FEEDBACK, UH, AND, AND REALLY SHARING WITH THEM HOW WE WERE THINKING ABOUT THE DECISION, UH, AND, UH, AND THEN INCORPORATING THEIR FEEDBACK.UH, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE, UH, DIRECT, UH, FEEDBACK IN THE FORM OF A VOTE ON THE OPTIONS THAT WE PRESENTED HERE AND AT, IN THEIR MAY MEETING.
SO PRIOR TO OUR BOARD, UH, MAKING A DECISION, THEY HEARD FROM THE CHAIRS OF BOTH COMMITTEES WITH THE OPINIONS OF THEIR MEMBERS.
AND SO I THINK THAT WAS A CRITICAL PIECE IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING CONSENSUS AROUND, UH, WHAT THE FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND OF COURSE, WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH CITY COUNCIL ALL ALONG.
RUDY MENTIONED THAT, UH, WE HAVE HAD ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS WITH EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS OVER THE LAST, UH, MONTH AND A HALF SINCE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, AGAIN, WE'VE, WE'VE TAKEN YOUR FEEDBACK SERIOUSLY.
I HOPE YOU SEE THINGS IN THE PROPOSAL TODAY THAT, THAT, THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR, BECAUSE IN MANY CASES, YOU WERE THE ONES WHO, WHO GAVE US THESE IDEAS, OR, OR AT LEAST HELPED US REFINE SOME OF THE THOUGHTS AROUND HOW WE CAN ACHIEVE THE, THE, THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES.
UH, TRANSPARENCY HAS BEEN ONE OF THE, THE, THE KEY TOPICS.
RUDY, RUDY TALKS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY ALL THE TIME.
UM, REALLY CHALLENGED US TO, TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, SHOW THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, SHOWING THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE DECISION IN FRONT OF US.
UH, AND SO ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IS, UH, RELATED TO THE COST OF THE PROGRAM.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A, UH, LACK OF AWARENESS, UH, AMONG CUSTOMERS THAT, UH, THEY PAY FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION ON THEIR BILL THROUGH OUR FUEL ADJUSTMENT.
UH, IT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, BUT OF COURSE, THEY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, PEOPLE MAY NOT, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS BE PAYING ATTENTION.
AND OF COURSE, EVERYONE HAS BUSY LIVES.
UH, BUT AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, UH, SENT LETTERS TO EVERY SINGLE CUSTOMER THAT TELLS THEM WHAT THE PROGRAM IS, UH, WHAT TYPES OF THINGS ARE INCLUDED IN STEP, UH, AND THEN, AND THEN INDIVIDUALLY.
SO IT'S A PERSONALIZED, PERSONALIZED LETTER, UH, HOW MUCH THEY CONTRIBUTED TO THE STEP PROGRAM IN, IN 2021, IN TERMS OF THEIR UPFRONT COST OF THE PROGRAM.
NOW, OVER THE LIFE OF THE PROGRAM, WE, WE BELIEVE IT'S A GOOD INVESTMENT, AND IT ACTUALLY HAS A POSITIVE R O I FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT, BUT THERE IS THAT UPFRONT COST, AND SO WE WANNA BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT THAT IS.
UM, SO THOSE LETTERS WENT OUT TO ALL CUSTOMERS.
WE ALSO ADDED INFORMATION TO OUR WEBSITE.
AND WHAT I'M SHOWING ON THE SLIDE HERE IS A TABLE THAT WAS ADDED THAT SHOWS THAT THAT COST VARIES BASED ON HOW MUCH YOU USE.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY IF YOU USE MORE ENERGY, YOU PAY A HIGHER PORTION OR A HIGHER, UH, A HIGHER AMOUNT, UH, THAN THAN OTHERS.
AND, AND SO THAT'S CLEARLY ALL LAID OUT.
AND THERE'S EVEN A FORMULA IF A CUSTOMER WOULD LIKE TO CALCULATE THEIR OWN, UH, THEY CAN, THEY CAN DO THAT AGAIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST ANOTHER REINFORCEMENT OF THAT.
UM, SO I'LL TRANSITION NOW TO TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL PROPOSAL AND, AND WHAT IS, WHAT, WHAT YOU WILL BE SEEING ON JUNE, UH, 20, UH, JUNE 16TH.
UH, AND SO WHAT OUR BOARD HAS APPROVED IS A, IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN, UH, AT $70 MILLION A YEAR.
UH, SO $350 MILLION OVERALL BUDGET.
UM, THEY, THEY LOOKED AT MULTIPLE OPTIONS.
THIS WAS THE OPTION THAT, UH, THEY FELT BALANCED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM WHILE NOT INCREASING THE IN WITHOUT INCREASING CUSTOMER BILLS.
SO, UH, IT'S ROUGHLY IN LINE WITH WHAT WE CURRENTLY, UH, DO IN TERMS OF FUNDING.
UH, AND SO CUSTOMERS WILL SEE NO INCREMENTAL COST IMPACT FROM, FROM THIS, FROM THIS SCENARIO.
UH, AND, UH, AND THEN WE INDICATED HERE WITH THE GREEN BORDER, THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS US TO, TO MEET MULTIPLE GOALS THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'LL GET INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON EACH OF THESE.
SO WE FELT LIKE IT WAS, IT WAS A, IT WAS A GOOD COMPROMISE THAT, UH, THAT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER GOOD PROGRAMS AND, AND AGAIN, DO IT IN A WAY THAT, UH, ALLOWS, UH, YOU KNOW, OR, OR HELPS MAINTAIN AFFORDABILITY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
UH, THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT, IS, IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN THESE PROGRAMS HELP US TO ACHIEVE.
UH, YOU KNOW, STEP WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED TO REDUCE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL GENERATION.
THAT IS STILL CENTRAL TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, IS, YOU KNOW, BY INCENTIVIZING CUSTOMERS TO REDUCE ENERGY USE, UH, OR DEFRAY ENERGY USE, MAYBE TO A DIFFERENT TIME OF DAY, WE'RE ABLE TO REDUCE THAT NEED FOR GENERATION CAPACITY TO, TO BE ADDED AS OUR SYSTEM GROWS, AS CUSTOMERS COME ON AND SO FORTH.
UH, NUMBER TWO IS BILL SAVINGS.
UH, AFFORDABILITY IS CRITICAL TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE ENERGY, UH, THEN, UM, THEN THAT'S GONNA DIRECTLY TRANSLATE TO A LOWER BILL FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO, BILL, SAVINGS WAS AB ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT.
AND, AND WE'VE BUILT A METRIC AROUND, UH, ENERGY SAVINGS TO, TO SHOW THAT,
[00:25:01]
UH, EQUITY, UH, HAS BEEN A IMPORTANT THEME.UH, WE HAVE, UH, E SO EQUITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF THE STEP PROGRAM.
UH, IN FACT, WEATHERIZATION WAS, UH, HAS ALWAYS BEEN A, A MAJOR COMMITMENT FOR US.
UH, WE WANNA SEE THAT CONTINUE.
IN FACT, UH, WE ARE PROPOSING TO GROW THAT IN THE, IN THE NEW PROGRAM.
AND WE'LL GET INTO SOME OF THE DETAILS OF, OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
INNOVATION, UH, I TALKED EARLIER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PIVOT INTO SOME NEW AREAS.
UH, WE, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO TAKE OPPORTUNITY, TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UH, WE KNOW THERE ARE THINGS, UH, YOU KNOW, COMING AT US, ENERGY STORAGE, ELECTRIC VEHICLES THAT WILL BE COMING ONTO THE GRID.
AND SO HOW DO WE DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT HELP US EITHER MANAGE OR REDUCE OR MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF NEW, THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES, UH, ON, ON OUR GRID? UM, AND THEN FINALLY, EMISSIONS REDUCTION.
UH, WE, UH, WE WANT TO DEVELOP A PLAN.
UH, WE'VE DEVELOPED A PLAN THAT ALIGNS WITH THE, THE GOALS OF THE CAP IN TERMS OF REDUCING, UH, THE AMOUNT OF CARBON EMISSIONS, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, AND WE'LL SHOW A A METRIC AROUND THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE SHOW YOU HOW THAT LINES UP WITH WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AS THE, THE, THE BUDGET FOR THE $350 MILLION.
UH, AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS SHOW YOU OUR ESTIMATE.
UH, AGAIN, THINGS, THINGS CHANGE, THINGS WILL EVOLVE.
UH, WE, WE PUT ESTIMATED UP THERE ON, ON PURPOSE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT, WE KNOW THAT THINGS WILL, WILL, WILL MOVE.
UH, BUT, UH, THIS IS OUR INTENT AS, AS WE START, IS AGAIN, A HEAVY FOCUS ON WEATHERIZATION AND LOW INCOME PROGRAMS, UH, UH, INCREASED, UH, UH, PORTION OF DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM, THE DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAMS. THAT WAS WHAT RUDY WAS MENTIONING EARLIER.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 250 MEGAWATTS AVAILABLE TO US ON A GIVEN DAY.
UH, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT A LOT OF HEAT COMING UP NEXT WEEK.
UH, WE CAN CALL ON 250 MEGAWATTS OF CUSTOMER LOAD THAT WE CAN REDUCE THROUGH THERMOSTATS, THROUGH AGREEMENTS WITH CUSTOMERS TO REDUCE LOAD.
THAT JUST GIVES US THAT MUCH MORE FLEXIBILITY.
AND, AND IT'S UNLIKE IN TERMS OF SCALE, UNLIKE ANY OTHER UTILITY IN TEXAS.
I MEAN, IT REALLY IS ONE OF OUR, OUR, OUR REALLY SHINING, SHINING PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE PROPOSING TO GROW THAT BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN THE BENEFITS OF HAVING THAT AVAILABLE TO US.
UH, ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, THINGS LIKE L E D LIGHTING, UH, THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT SCHOOL DISTRICTS LIKE, LIKE AARON SPOKE OF EARLIER, UH, THAT IS CAPTURED IN OUR COMMERCIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM.
SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ROBUSTLY FUND THOSE PROGRAMS GOING FORWARD.
UH, AND THEN WE'VE GOT, OF COURSE, THE, THE NEW PROGRAMS AT THE TOP, UH, WHERE WE'VE ALLOCATED DOLLARS TO, TO LAUNCH NEW OPPORTUNITIES, NEW TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS, UH, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD.
AND, AND JUST A LITTLE MORE ON EQUITY, UH, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SUCH AN IMPORTANT THEME AND, AND WE'VE HAD LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS AND, AND WHAT IS THAT GONNA LOOK LIKE? UH, AND SO I'LL, I'LL JUST START BY SAYING THAT, UH, IN THAT INITIAL BUDGET I SHOWED YOU, UH, WE HAVE, UH, 28% OF THE FUNDS EARMARKED OR ALLOCATED TOWARDS, UH, LOW, LOW INCOME PROGRAMS, LOW MODERATE INCOME, UH, CUSTOMER PROGRAMS, UM, THAT COMPARES WITH 16% IN THE ORIGINAL STEP PROGRAM.
SO IT IS, IT IS AN INCREASE, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE TO CALL THAT OUT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY MESSAGES WE'VE HAD IS, IS TO ADDRESS EQUITY.
UH, AND, AND, AND WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE DOING THAT, UH, AND, AND SHOWING THAT WITH THE DOLLAR ALLOCATIONS.
UH, AND, AND SO AGAIN, UH, PARTLY THAT'S WEATHERIZATION, BUT IT'S ALSO BRINGING IN A PORTFOLIO OF OTHER PROGRAMS. UH, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT MULTI-FAMILY WEATHERIZATION.
WE KNOW THAT RENTERS IS GROWING.
UH, RENTERS ARE A GROWING PORTION OF OUR, OF OUR CUSTOMER BASE.
AND, AND WE, WE HAVEN'T HAD A WAY TO ASSIST THEM, UH, WITH REDUCING THEIR, YOU KNOW, IT'S THEIR PERSONAL ENERGY BILL IN MANY CASES THAT THEY'RE PAYING.
AND SO HOW CAN WE ASSIST THEM, UH, THROUGH IMPROVEMENTS IN THE INSULATION, UH, AND, AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP JUST HELP THEM REDUCE THAT ENERGY BILL AND AT THE SAME TIME BE MORE COMFORTABLE, UH, IN, IN, IN THE, IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER OR THE COLDEST DAYS OF WINTER.
UM, OTHER, OTHER PROGRAMS WILL, WILL COME DOWN, YOU KNOW, WILL BE DEVELOPED AS, AS WE GO FORWARD, UH, TO CONTINUE TO GROW THAT PORTFOLIO.
WE MORE, WE KNOW THERE'S MORE WE CAN DO.
UH, WE WILL ALSO LEVERAGE EXTERNAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES LIKE GRANTS.
UH, WE, WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTEN THE MESSAGE ABOUT HOW DO WE INTEGRATE CLOSER TO THAT, UH, BECAUSE IT IS A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY THAT CAN, TOGETHER WITH REBATES, CAN HELP MAKE PROJECTS VIABLE THAT MAYBE OTHERWISE WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T BE.
UM, HOW DO WE USE DATA? HOW DO WE, UH, RUDY TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE USE DATA? WE, WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNOW, UH, WHO, WHO THE CUSTOMERS ARE, HOW DO WE ENGAGE THEM IN, IN THE PROGRAM? MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE CUSTOMERS WITH THE BIGGEST NEED ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ASSIST FIRST.
UH, AND THEN, AND THEN FINALLY EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY.
[00:30:01]
OUR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM, OUR CRITERIA IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE 200%, UH, OR BELOW 200% OF THE, THE POVERTY LIMIT, UH, AT OR BELOW 200% OF THE, OF THE POVERTY LIMIT.WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS TO MAINTAIN THAT, BUT ALSO ADD, UH, OTHER CRITERIA THAT MIGHT EXPAND, UH, ELIGIBILITY.
SO IF A CUSTOMER IS, UH, UH, MEETS A THRESHOLD FOR HAVING A HIGH ENERGY BURDEN, THEY WOULD QUALIFY ON THAT BASIS.
UH, OR IF THEY CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY PARTICIPATE IN ANOTHER FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL, UH, LOW INCOME PROGRAM, THEN, THEN THAT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY THEM.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO QUALIFY, UH, FOR, FOR, FOR THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DEVELOPING.
I JUST, I THINK TWO MORE SLIDES HERE.
SO, UH, WANNA TALK ABOUT, UH, PROGRAM OUTCOMES.
UH, I MENTIONED, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PROPOSING METRICS, OR WE'VE PUT TOGETHER METRICS THAT SHOW WHAT WE CAN DELIVER, UH, WITH, WITH THE FUNDS, THE $350 MILLION.
WHAT DOES THAT TRANSLATE TO, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, THE GOALS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT? SO IN TERMS OF DEMAND REDUCTION, UH, 410 MEGAWATTS, THIS IS ON TOP OF THE 980 THAT WE HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED UP THROUGH TO DATE THROUGH THE STEP PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER 410 MEGAWATTS, UM, UH, 1% ENERGY SAVINGS SYSTEM-WIDE PER YEAR.
UH, THIS IS A NEW, THIS IS A NEW METRIC.
WE HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY HAD A METRIC LIKE THIS, BUT WHAT WE WANNA DO HERE IS SHOW OUR COMMITMENT TO HELPING REDUCE, UH, CUSTOMER BILLS.
UH, AND, AND THIS IS, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE IT WILL SHOW UP.
SO WE WILL TRACK AND REPORT THAT NUMBER.
UM, IN TERMS OF ASSISTING CUSTOMERS WITH THE MOST NEED, UH, WE'VE, UH, UH, WRITTEN IN HERE, UH, GOALS OF 16,000 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, THAT WOULD BE WEATHERIZED AND 20,000, UH, MULTI-FAMILY UNITS, UH, THAT WOULD BE WEATHERIZED OFFER A BILL IMPACT OF $3 AND 50 CENTS FOR A TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER, WHICH, WHICH AGAIN, MEANS NO INCREMENTAL BILL IMPACT ABOVE WHAT IS ALREADY, UH, YOU KNOW, BEING RECOVERED TODAY.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, WE, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE OTHER BENEFITS, UH, SYSTEM BENEFITS.
UH, THIS, THIS IS HOW WE TRACK THAT WE'RE GETTING A SOLID RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT.
UH, AND WHAT IT, UH, WHAT WE WILL DO, WHAT WE WILL TRACK, AND WHAT WE WILL REPORT IS THE LIFETIME AVOIDED FUEL CAPACITY, TRANSMISSION COSTS THAT COME BECAUSE OF THESE PROGRAMS, RIGHT? SO, UH, AGAIN, THEY HAVE OPERATIONAL BENEFITS, THEY HAVE, UH, AVOIDED CAPACITY BENEFITS.
UH, AND, AND AGAIN, WE WANNA SHOW THAT WE WANNA DEMONSTRATE THAT IT DOES HAVE A, A POSITIVE RETURN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN FINALLY, EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO REPORT, UH, THE AVOIDED CARBONS.
AND, AND WHAT WE'VE, UH, PUT HERE IS 1.8 0.5 MILLION TONS IS WHAT WE BELIEVE IS ACHIEVABLE THROUGH THE FIVE YEAR, THROUGH THE FIVE YEAR PROGRAM.
SO, WITH THAT, UH, MY LAST SLIDE IS JUST TO, TO GIVE YOU A PREVIEW OF, OF THE REQUEST THAT, UH, WE WILL, UH, BRING BEFORE YOU ON JUNE 16TH.
UM, AGAIN, WE, WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL FOR THE, UH, THE FUNDING MECHANISM, WHICH IS THE, UH, FUEL SURCHARGE THAT ALLOWS US TO FUND THESE PROGRAMS, UH, AND WOULD ENABLE US TO IMPLEMENT A FIVE YEAR PLAN, UH, WITH $70 MILLION A YEAR, UH, FOR $350 MILLION OVER THE LIFETIME.
UH, AND, AND THAT'S AN, THAT'S AN UP TO, SO IT'S UP TO $350 MILLION.
OF COURSE, WE WOULD TRY TO BE AS EFFICIENT AS WE CAN IN THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS, UH, AND, AND, AND TRY TO OVERDELIVER ON OUR GOALS.
UM, AND WE'VE WRITTEN INTO THE, INTO THE ORDINANCE, UH, 410 MEGAWATTS OF DE INCREMENTAL DEMAND REDUCTION, 1% ENERGY SAVINGS IN 16,000 WEATHERIZED HOMES.
UH, WE'VE ALSO BUILT IN A CHECK-IN AT YEAR THREE TO ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAM IS ON TRACK.
WE WOULD COME BACK BOTH TO OUR BOARD AND TO THE CITY, UH, AND FORMALLY REPORT TO YOU WHERE WE ARE, UH, AND, AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ON TRACK.
AND, AND IF WE WANNA COURSE CORRECT THAT, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY OUR OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
UM, AND THEN, AND THEN FINALLY, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO ANNUAL REPORTING.
WE HAVE, UH, VERY GOOD ACCOUNTABILITY PROCEDURES ALREADY IN OUR STEP PROGRAM.
UH, THESE ARE MANDATED IN, IN THE STEP ORDINANCE, THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE, UH, AND WE'VE WORKED, UH, UH, WITH THE CITY ON, UH, IN, IN A FEW, IN A FEW CASES, TWEAKING THOSE, BUT REALLY MAINTAINING THE, THE, THE CORE OF, UH, HAVING US REPORT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS AND AN ANNUAL BASIS WITH A THIRD PARTY VERIFICATION THAT THE PROGRAMS ARE ACHIEVING THE, THE GOALS THAT WERE SET OUT.
AND SO WITH THAT, THAT'S THE END OF OF MY PRESENTATION.
AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO, UH, YOUR QUESTIONS AND, AND, UH, OUR DISCUSSION, UH, THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON.
I, I DID WANNA ADDRESS A COUPLE THINGS.
UM, FIRST OFF, UH, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS
[00:35:01]
DURING PUBLIC COMMENT MENTIONED, UH, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF THE ABRUPT, UH, END OF THE SOLAR PROGRAM, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BRIDGE THAT THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.I MEAN, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME FINITE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, HOLD, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PHASING OUT TO, UH, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA END JUST ON, ON JULY 31ST.
SO LEMME JUST PUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY'S MIND AT EASE, IS WE WANNA DO THAT THOUGHTFULLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA REPLACE OUR EXISTING PROGRAMS WITH SOME MORE TARGETED PROGRAMS. I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HELP, UH, LOW MODERATE INCOME, UH, CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE NOT HAD ACCESS TO SOLAR, YOU KNOW, INCENT THEM IN SOME WAY SO THAT IF WE DO A NEW COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM, THAT MAYBE WE BUY DOWN THE, THE COST OF, YOU KNOW, OF, OF A, OF A PANEL OR TWO FOR WHATEVER IT IS THEY CAN AFFORD TO, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO, SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SET THE COUNCIL'S MIND AT EASE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOLAR'S NOT GOING AWAY.
UH, WE'RE GONNA STOP INCENTIVIZING THE THINGS WE THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE MATURE AND, AND ARE, ARE READY TO MOVE OFF ON THEIR OWN.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WILL REPLACE THEM THAT I THINK TARGET, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT COUNCIL AND, AND, AND THE COMMUNITY HAS TOLD US ARE IMPORTANT TO 'EM.
SO, UM, AND THE OTHER THING IS THE, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF TRIED TO MIRROR THE PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS FOR THE CITY.
SO WE WERE TRYING TO KIND OF DO HYBRID IN PERSON, YOU KNOW, VIRTUAL, YOU KNOW, AND IT REALLY WASN'T WORKING IN FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE A WINDOW, UH, UH, FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT ON FRIDAY AS, AS THE, THE GENTLEMAN SUGGESTED.
BUT IN THE EVENT YOU MISSED THAT WINDOW, YOU CAN ALSO SEND US AN EMAIL TO THE TRUSTEE INBOX WITH WHATEVER YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, WAS GONNA BE.
AND WE WILL SHARE THAT WITH THE COUNT, WITH OUR BOARD MEMBERS AS PART OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT ANYBODY WHO HAD A, UH, SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HIM, UH, IS HEARD.
SO WE'RE TRYING SOME DIFFERENT THINGS OUT TO, TO MAXIMIZE THE, THE, UH, THE WAY PUBLIC INPUT HAPPENS AT C P S ENERGY BOARD OF TRUSTEE MEETINGS.
UH, BUT, BUT I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO VALIDATE HE'S NOT WRONG.
WE DO HAVE A WINDOW, UH, BUT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE COMMENTS THAT WE THINK ARE ALSO PROVIDE SOME FLEXIBILITY.
I DON'T KNOW, RUDY, IF YOU WANNA STAND BY OR HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE STAND BY TO KIND OF ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS THAT WE MAY HAVE AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS OR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND BEGIN BY, UM, RECOGNIZING COUNCILMAN BRAVO, WHO, UH, WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND KIND OF START OFF WITH SOME QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, COUNCILMAN, IF YOU CAN HEAR US, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, AND THE FIRST IS RUDY, THAT I REALLY WANT C P S ENERGY TO USE DATA TO TARGET THOSE WHO CAN BENEFIT MOST FROM THIS PROGRAM.
UM, AND THO AND TARGET THOSE WHO, UM, BY HELPING THEM, AND WHEN I SAY TARGET, THOSE WHO CAN BE HELPED MOST WITH WEATHERIZATION AND WITH RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
UM, SO LOW INCOME PEOPLE, BUT ALSO THOSE WHO WILL, UH, BY HELP THOSE WHO YOU, IF YOU ASSIST THEM, WOULD ALLOW C P S ENERGY TO ACHIEVE THE BEST RESULTS FOR EACH DOLLAR SPENT.
AND WHAT I MEAN, ACHIEVE THE BEST RESULTS THAT YOU'LL REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION MORE, UM, MEGAWATTS, UM, FOR EACH DOLLAR SPENT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE, IF SOMEBODY IS LOW INCOME AND THEY HAVE A SMALL HOUSE, BUT IT'S AN ENERGY IN, UH, AN IN ENERGY INEFFICIENT HOME, THEY COULD HAVE TWICE WHAT YOUR AVERAGE BILL IS.
SO THEY MIGHT HAVE A $250 BILL, SO THEY'D BE PAYING TWICE AS, UH, INTO STEP, THEY'D BE PAYING MORE, YOU KNOW, TWICE AS MUCH AS THE AVERAGE BILL PAYER.
UM, AND I THINK THE HISTORIC DATA WILL TELL YOU THAT THOSE LOW INCOME PEOPLE ARE, ARE LESS LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS. AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME TARGETING FOR LOW INCOME PEOPLE, UM, BUT I DID SOME ROUGH ESTIMATES BASED ON SOME QUICK INTERNET SEARCHES.
AND I, I CAME UP WITH AN NEXT ESTIMATE THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 266,000 INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN POVERTY IN SAN ANTONIO RIGHT NOW.
AND SO IF THE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE AVERAGE A FAMILY SIZE IS, BUT IF IT'S A FAMILY OF FOUR, THAT'S ABOUT 66,500 HOUSEHOLDS, AND I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE HELPED 30,000 HOUSEHOLDS WITH WEATHERIZATION SO FAR, BUT THAT'S ABOUT HALF.
AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE A TARGETED APPROACH USING DATA.
UM, SO YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE SPECIFICALLY TO ME IS OVERLAYING LOOKING AT WHAT, WHAT YOUR CUSTOMER'S ENERGY CONSUMPTION IS.
OVERLAYING THAT WITH REAL ESTATE DATA, LOOKING AT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE HOUSE.
SO WHAT IS THE ENERGY USE PER SQUARE FOOT? AND LOOKING LOW INCOME ZIP CODES OR LOOKING LOW INCOME, UH, CENSUS TRACKS AND PROACTIVELY TARGET THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
DON'T WAIT FOR THEM TO OPT INTO A PROGRAM, GO AND KNOCK THEIR DOORS, MAKE PHONE CALLS AND LET THEM KNOW, HEY, DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOUR HOME USES MORE ENERGY THAN 90%
[00:40:01]
OF YOUR NEIGHBORS, AND WE HAVE THIS FREE PROGRAM TO UPGRADE YOUR HOUSE SO WE CAN REDUCE YOUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION.UM, AND SO THAT'S THE THE NUMBER ONE APPROACH THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO TAKE WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTIAL ENERGY, GEO RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND, UM, AND WEATHERIZATION.
UM, THE OTHER CONCEPT I WANT TO TOUCH ON IS, UM, I, I WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT AS USUAL, AS USUALLY IS THE CASE, MY TEAM IS RUNNING CIRCLES AROUND ME WITHOUT ME EVEN KNOWING IT.
UH, AND WE ARE GETTING A DATA DUMP FROM THE BEXAR COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO PULL IN SQUARE FOOTAGE, UH, AS YOU SUGGESTED AND OVERLAY THAT WITH THE DATA WE ALREADY HAVE.
SO, UH, THEY, UH, THEY WERE AHEAD OF ME, AND, UH, WE ARE AHEAD OF YOU, SIR, SO WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR, UH, AND WE ARE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT BECAUSE THAT, YEAH, THAT WAS THE FIRST CONVERSATION I HAD WITH YOUR TEAM WHEN I GOT INTO OFFICE.
UM, SO YEAH, I'D, I'D LOVE TO GET UPDATES ON THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU, YOU KEEP THAT AS A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY THERE.
UM, SO THE OTHER THING I WANT TO TOUCH ON, AND I, I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING I'M REALLY WANTING TO SHARE WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, IS THAT A PORTION OF C P S ENERGY'S OF THE CUS A CUSTOMER C P S ENERGY BILLS ARE EQUIVALENT TO A TAX, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU ALL GET C PSS ENERGY, UH, CONTRIBUTES ABOUT $350 MILLION A YEAR TO OUR GENERAL FUND.
SO IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT, THOSE FUNDS, WE WOULD EITHER, UH, INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES OR WE WOULD CUT SERVICES, RIGHT? AND SO WE VERY SOON ARE GONNA BE LOOKING AT, UH, ARE WE GONNA CUT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE? ARE WE GOING TO, UM, ARE WE GONNA GIVE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS OR INCREASE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION? THE STATE DOES NOT PROVIDE US WITH A TOOL TO, TO OFFER ANY KIND OF TARGETED PROPERTY TAX RELIEF TO LOW INCOME PEOPLE.
AND SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT IF C P S ENERGY, IT, YOU KNOW, AND THE EQUIVALENT OF THAT, RIGHT? WE CAN'T REDUCE THEIR PROPERTY TAXES, BUT WE CAN REDUCE THEIR OVERALL, UH, BILL, BILL BURDEN FOR THEIR, THE, THE SUM TOTAL OF ALL OF THEIR BILLS BY REDUCING THEIR ENERGY BILLS SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO IF WE GO INTO LOW INCOME ZIP CODES, LOW INCOME CENSUS TRACKS, TARGET INDIVIDUALS, UH, WHO ARE OUTLIERS FOR ENERGY CONSUMPTION, AND THEN HELP THEM WITH RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY WITH WEATHERIZATION, IF WE CAN TAKE A $250 BILL AND CUT IT DOWN TO $150 BILL OR $125 BILL, WE CAN SAVE THEM SIGNIFICANTLY ON THEIR MONTHLY BILLS, EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T TARGET THEM TO HELP THEM WITH PROPERTY TAXES, WE CAN GIVE THEM SOME FINANCIAL RELIEF IN A TARGETED WAY LIKE THAT.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE MY CONS COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO STRONGLY CONSIDER, UH, THROUGH THIS DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE EVEN IF WE REDUCE THE PROPERTY TAX RATE, IF WE DO THAT, WE HAVE NO WAY TO FORCE ANY, UH, LANDOWNERS, UM, TO, UH, ANYBODY WHO'S, UH, A LANDLORD TO PASS THOSE SAVINGS ON TO RENTERS.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING REALLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE CAN ASSIST LOW INCOME PEOPLE, UM, AND BE ABLE TO HELP REDUCE THEIR FINANCIAL BURDENS.
UM, SO THOSE ARE MY INITIAL COMMENTS.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND RECOGNIZE COUNCILWOMAN COBE HDA AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, RICK, AND, AND FOR TALKING US WITH US TODAY.
RUDY, UM, YOU, YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BRIDGING, UM, TO THE NEW PROGRAM AND, UM, AND I GUESS THE SOMEWHAT MAYBE ABRUPT STOP, BUT HOW ARE YOU GONNA EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON, ON THAT BRIDGE? YEAH, WE'RE ALREADY STARTING THAT PROCESS.
I MEAN, NOW THAT WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, POSITIVE VOTE, UH, FROM OUR BOARD, THAT GIVES US A SIGNAL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN AT LEAST TRY TO START, UH, MESSAGING TO OUR EXISTING POPULATION OF PROGRAMS, THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A TRANSITION.
UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S DEPENDENT UPON, UH, A PROACTIVE VOTE ON THE, BY THE COUNCIL ON THE 16TH.
BUT, UM, BUT, BUT BARREN, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT GOES WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A TRANSITION PROCESS.
THERE'LL BE SOME PROGRAMS. UM, WE'VE ALREADY GOT PROGRAMS IN PLACE FOR COMMERCIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
UH, WE ARE REVAMPING OUR WEATHERIZATION AND, AND RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS. 'CAUSE WE WANTED TO BRING, OUR BOARD HAS GIVEN US DIRECTION.
THEY WANT THAT, UH, TO BE IN-HOUSE SO THAT THE VENDORS THAT ARE PARTS OF THOSE PROGRAMS CAN BE PRIMARY VENDORS OF C P S ENERGY, WHICH HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES GROW INTO LARGE BUSINESSES.
AND IT, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND, AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING TO REVAMP THAT A LITTLE BIT.
BUT THE PROGRAMS, BY AND LARGE, UM, AT LEAST ADMINISTRATIVELY WILL BE SIMILAR TO WHAT, UH, THEY ARE TODAY.
THE SOLAR, THAT'S A, A BIGGER CHANGE.
UM, AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALREADY TALKING TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT I'VE GIVEN MY TEAM DIRECTION,
[00:45:01]
UM, THAT WE'RE GONNA, UH, YOU KNOW, CARVE OUT SOME, SOME DOLLARS TO HELP, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GET THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR IN A, IN A THOUGHTFUL WAY.UM, SO THAT THE INDUSTRY HAS SOME, UH, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THE COMMENT MADE.
THE INDUSTRY NEEDS CERTAINTY, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE PROVIDE THAT, AND I THINK WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT.
SO, UM, SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, AND, AND AS SOON AS WE'VE GOT, UH, SOME OF THE PROGRAMS OUTLINED, WE'LL SEND, START SENDING OUT LETTERS TO, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPANTS AND FOLKS WHO HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF IT SO THEY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE, UH, UM, RESPONDING TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU'RE LISTENING TO PEOPLE AND, AND MAKING CHANGES.
I WAS GONNA ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT, UM, I THINK YOU, YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED THAT.
UH, WE STRUGGLE HERE WITH THE CITY SOMETIMES TOO, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS.
I, UM, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MADAM CLERK, BUT WE, WE, UH, OPEN UP COMMENT UP UNTIL RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING.
AM I CORRECT? DO Y'ALL DO THAT TOO? WE DON'T.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR BOARD IS CONSIDERING AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING SOME DIFFERENT THINGS MM-HMM.
WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT, UH, THE BOARD IS CERTAINLY ENGAGED IN THIS CONVERSATION.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL FOR US.
IT WAS ONE OF THE, UH, COMPLAINTS THAT WE HEARD.
UM, AND, AND, UH, WE HEARD TODAY ALSO FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM PRIVATE CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES ALIKE.
I THINK, UH, MR. RAMIREZ, YOU CAME UP AND SPOKE, UM, ABOUT HOW THE PROGRAM AFFECTS YOUR SMALL BUSINESS.
UM, RUDY, CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT? I'D LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT HOW THIS IS POSITIVELY, OR, OR I GUESS NEGATIVELY ALSO IMPACTING SMALL BUSINESSES.
YEAH, SO IF I CAN START WITH, WITH, UM, THE PROGRAM HE WAS SPEAKING TO FIRST, AND THEN, AND THEN I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE MORE BROADLY.
UM, SO L E D LIGHTING IS, IS ONE OF THE, UM, UH, VENDORS IN OUR, UH, COMMERCIAL PROGRAM.
UH, SO WE OFFER REBATES TO CUSTOMERS TO UPGRADE, UH, AND MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR, IN THEIR BUILDING, THEIR OPERATIONS.
AND SO, UH, THEY WILL WORK WITH A THIRD PARTY, USUALLY A LOCAL ELECTRICIAN OR A, UH, A LIGHTING VENDOR, UH, WHO WILL, UH, BID A PROJECT THAT THEN, AND THEN MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THEM.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE THE DIRECT TIE IN IS, IS THAT, THAT THAT REBATE HELPS MAKE THAT PROJECT AFFORDABLE TO THE CUSTOMER, AND, AND IT'S AN INCENTIVE TO DO THE PROJECT THAT, THAT OTHERWISE MAYBE WOULDN'T HAPPEN.
SO, UH, THE SAME HAPPENS WITH AIR CONDITIONING AND SOLAR AND, AND, AND, AND WEATHERIZATION AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. UH, SO WE, UH, I MENTIONED EARLIER WE DID ASSESSMENTS OF THE PROGRAMS, UH, AND WE ASKED, UH, WE ASKED, UH, UH, THEM TO LOOK AT WHAT WAS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF, OF, OF THE PROGRAMS. AND I, I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT OVER A THOUSAND JOBS A YEAR THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE REBATE PROGRAMS. UM, AND JUST ONE MORE EXAMPLE IS THE SOLAR INDUSTRY.
UH, THERE ARE 90 LOCAL SOLAR INSTALLERS, UH, THAT EMPLOY, YOU KNOW, UPWARDS OF 700 PEOPLE WHO INSTALL SOLAR SYSTEMS, UH, FOR CUSTOMERS.
AND SO THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF, OF, OF THOSE BENEFITS.
UH, AND, AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE PROGRAMS, UH, IT CONTINUES TO, TO, TO PROVIDE, UH, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.
AND YOU USE, UH, LOCAL VENDORS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO, SO IT VARIES IN MANY CASES, UH, AND MAYBE I NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT, ABOUT ONE PIECE IS, UH, THERE ARE VENDORS WHO WORK FOR US.
UH, SO WE MAY HIRE A COMPANY TO HELP US IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM, SO THEY WOULD BE A, A VENDOR DIRECTLY TO US.
AND SO WE WORK WITH OUR, UH, PROCUREMENT OFFICE TO TRY TO MAXIMIZE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LOCAL PARTICIPATION THROUGH THAT ROUTE.
AND, AND IT HAS BECOME A FOCUS OF OURS.
RUDY MENTIONED THE WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PROGRAM WE WANNA REVAMP SO THAT WE CAN GROW THE LOCAL PORTION OF THE, OF, OF THAT, OF THAT PROGRAM, UH, GOING FORWARD.
UM, BUT THE, THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE TODAY SPEAKING ABOUT LIGHTING, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT A DIRECT VENDOR TO US.
THEY ACTUALLY WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CUSTOMER.
AND SO I THINK THAT, THAT MAYBE THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS GET AS MUCH ATTENTION AS THAT.
THERE ARE LOTS OF SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HELP DO THE WORK THAT ENABLES A CUSTOMER TO GET A REBATE.
WELL, WE THANK, UM, MR. RAMIREZ FOR COMING AND POINTING THAT OUT.
UH, I WANNA JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL OUR RAC APPOINTEES, OF COURSE, FOR THEIR, THEIR, THEIR WORK, ESPECIALLY FEMI O AND, UH, OUR DISTRICT SIX APPOINTEE RODRIGUEZ.
IS THERE A VA VARIATION? UM, I THINK THE ORIGINAL STEP OPTIONS WERE 1, 2, 3.
BUT DIDN'T IT CHANGE, UM, TO SORT OF ONE B OR TWO B? WASN'T THERE LIKE A DIFFERENT ITERATION OF IT? AND THEN I'M HEARING HERE TODAY, WAS IT THE ORIGINAL 1, 2, 3, OR NO? WELL, MAYBE, UM, SO WE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED, UH, AN OPTION ONE AND OPTION TWO TO OUR BOARD.
UH, SO IT WAS A $50 MILLION AND A $70 MILLION OPTION.
UH, THE BOARD, I THINK THIS WAS IN APRIL, THE BOARD DID ASK US TO CREATE A MORE AGGRESSIVE OPTION, WHICH WAS OPTION THREE.
UH, THAT WAS A HUNDRED MILLION, THAT WAS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR OPTION.
[00:50:01]
UH, AT OUR BOARD MEETING, UH, LAST WEEK, UH, THEY, THEY LOOKED AT ALL THREE, ALL THREE OF THOSE OPTIONS, AND THEY SELECTED OPTION TWO, WHICH IS, WHICH IS THE ONE, THE $70 MILLION OPTION.UH, SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE APPROVED.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BRINGING TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON, ON JUNE 16TH.
SO THAT THERE WASN'T A DIFFERENT, UM, ITERATION.
NO, I THINK MAYBE SOME OF THE CON UH, SOME OF THE CONFUSION AROUND ONE A AND ONE B AND SO FORTH IS, IS AT THE RAC MEETING, UH, THEY WERE PRESENTED, UH, OPTIONS TO, I THINK THE FIRST OPTION WAS, UH, DISCONTINUE THE PROGRAM.
UH, OPTION TWO WAS, UH, NOT TO, UH, I THINK, I THINK THE WAY IT WAS, I ACTUALLY HAVE THE WORDING HERE.
YEAH, THERE WERE DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF STUDYING, BUT CONTINUING THE EXISTING PROGRAMS, UH, AND THAT WE, THE RAC TRIED TO GIVE THEIR MEMBERS AS MUCH KIND OF LEEWAY TO WEIGH IN AS POSSIBLE.
OUR BOARD WAS PRETTY SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, UM, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LOOK, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA CREATE AN OPTION TO THAT MAYBE SAVES CUSTOMERS A LITTLE MONEY.
WE'RE GONNA CREATE AN OPTION THAT DOESN'T PUT ANY MORE BURDEN ON CUSTOMERS THAN IT ALREADY EXISTS.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CREATE A MORE EXEC AGGRESSIVE OPTION THAT WOULD BE ABOUT A DOLLAR 50, YOU KNOW, MORE A YEAR.
SO THOSE ARE THE, THE OPTIONS THAT THE BOARD CONSIDERED.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND RIGHTFULLY SO, I MEAN, WITH GAS PRICES BEING UP, OUR RATE INCREASE GOING INTO EFFECT, IT'S DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW TO ASK CUSTOMERS TO PAY MORE, UH, THAN WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING.
BUT THE VALUE, UH, THAT WHAT OF, OF WHAT THEY'RE GETTING OUT OF THE CURRENT INVESTMENT, UH, WE FELT WAS, WAS, WAS JUSTIFIED.
AND, AND IT'S A SYSTEM-WIDE BENEFIT WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN WE'RE TAKING A, UH, CARE OF A PERCENTAGE OF OUR OVERALL GROWTH, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT, WE ARE THE HOTTEST GROWING MARKET IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW WHEN, WHEN WE'RE GROWING AT TWO, THREE, 4%, YOU KNOW, BUT OUR LOAD'S ONLY GROWING AT 1%.
WELL, THAT'S ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
THAT MEANS WE DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUILD, UH, UH, FOSSIL FUEL, YOU KNOW, BASED PLANTS, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, TO COVER THAT.
UM, SO, SO THERE'S A SYSTEM BENEFIT THAT I BELIEVE, AND I'VE BEEN A, A STRONG PROPONENT OF STEP FROM THE GET GO, UH, IS JUSTIFIED THAT MAKES SENSE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE BOARD ENDED UP ON IS, IS LET'S NOT ASK OUR CUSTOMERS, YOU KNOW, TO TAKE ON ANY ADDITIONAL BURDEN.
BUT WE BELIEVE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD USE OF RESOURCES.
WAS THAT THE RAC REC RECOMMENDED TO YOU AND THE ADDITIONAL, WELL, THE, THE, I THINK BOTH AT THE RAC AND THE C A C, THERE WAS NO, THERE WAS NO PUSH THAT, THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, THE, I MEAN THE RAC KIND OF DEBATED, YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED TO STUDY IT MORE? AND THAT'S KIND OF WHY I STARTED WITH MY COMMENTS FROM THE GET GO.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND WHERE THE RACK WAS COMING FROM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MORE STUDYING TO BE DONE.
WE'VE DONE AN INDEPENDENT, YOU KNOW, STUDY THAT WE PAID A, A PRETTY GOOD PENNY FOR BRATTLE TO DO ON OUR BEHALF.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WAS ASKING FOR IS, LOOK, EITHER YOU, YOU, YOU AGREE WITH THE, THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM AND YOU GOTTA TELL US WHAT SCALE YOU WANT US TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO DO IT AT, OR, OR, OR WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO END IT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THIS UNCERTAINTY IN THE MARKET UNCERTAINTY WITH OUR EMPLOYEE BASE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I ASKED THE BOARD EITHER, YOU KNOW, DISCONTINUE THE PROGRAM ALTOGETHER OR VOTE ON IT FOR SOME SCALE.
THE, THE RAC WAS A LITTLE MORE SQUISHY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT THEY THOUGHT LONG TERM WE SHOULD CONTINUE IT, BUT THEY DID AGREE IT WAS A GOOD PROGRAM.
UM, I MEAN, I DO HAVE A LITTLE CONCERN, YOU KNOW, THE RAC WAS, YOU KNOW, THE RAC WAS, IS, UM, THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, RIGHT? OUR, OUR, UH, THE WAY OUR, OUR GENERAL CITIZENRY IS, IS INFORMING, UH, THE C P S BOARD AND, AND ULTIMATELY US AS A COUNCIL IN SOME WAYS.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE THEY'RE BEING HEARD AND THEIR CONSIDERATIONS ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
BUT I, I THINK I'M HEARING THAT.
UM, SO JUST FINALLY, UM, THIS MIGHT BE FOR YOU, RICK, BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE, UH, HOW APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE, ARE, ARE CHOSEN FOR WEATHERIZATION, THE MULTIFAMILY WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM.
WELL, I, I'LL ANSWER AT LEAST THE BEGINNING AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE STILL GOTTA BUILD THAT OUT.
SO LET ME JUST, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HEDGE A LITTLE BIT THAT WE'VE GOT TO PUT THAT PROGRAM TOGETHER.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I CALLED ERIC A COUPLE WEEKENDS AGO AND I SAID, HEY, BASED ON MY NUMBERS, I THINK 40% OF OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER BASE IS, IS, UH, OUR RENTERS.
AND SO WE DIDN'T HAVE A, A MULTIFAMILY PROGRAM, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY ASKED US TO ADD, BECAUSE THERE ARE MULTI-FAMILY PROGRAMS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT WE THOUGHT MADE SENSE FOR SUCH A TRANSIENT, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, SET OF, OF, OF CUSTOMERS IN OUR, UH, SERVICE AREA.
SO FOR US, IT WOULD BE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE PAYING THEIR OWN BILL.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA GO IN SO THAT THE CUSTOMER PAYING THE BILL GETS THE BENEFIT OF THE WEATHERIZATION EFFORT.
UH, AND WITH 40%, THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG KIND OF TARGET OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, FOR US THAT WE BELIEVE JU WAS JUSTIFIED IN A MULTI-FAMILY PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE ADDING A MULTI-FAMILY PIECE, UH, TO IT.
WE DON'T HAVE IT NECESSARILY DEFINED YET, BUT IT WILL GO, IT WILL, IT WON'T GO TO NECESSARILY PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE PAYING THE BILL.
WE WANT IT TO GO DIRECTLY TO BENEFIT THE CUSTOMER
[00:55:01]
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE, YOU KNOW, FOR PAYING THE BILL IN THAT, IN THAT APARTMENT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION AS WELL AND JUST KINDA GET THEIR POINT OF VIEW FROM, UM, AS YOU, AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH A, A PLAN.
UH, NOW I'LL TURN TO, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBER ANAS SANDOVAL.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NOW'S YOUR TIME.
UM, I DO HAVE, UH, A FEW QUESTIONS.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RUDY.
AND, OH, ACTUALLY RUDY WASN'T THERE, BUT, UM, YOU HAD A GREAT TEAM THERE GIVING US A ONE-ON-ONE, UM, A ONE-ON-ONE PRESENTATION, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I REQUESTED PRIOR TO US TAKING THE VOTE IS COULD WE SEE THE IMPACT OF THE STEP FEE BY RATE CLASS AND QUINTILE? UM, I DID SEE THAT YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY HAS AN AVERAGE, UH, BUT IT IS ALSO HELPFUL FOR US TO SEE, UH, HOW THAT RANGES BASED ON, UM, CUSTOMER TYPES.
AND I APOLOGIZE IF THIS WAS BROUGHT UP WHEN I STEPPED AWAY FOR A SECOND.
UM, I'D ALSO, UH, LIKE TO SEE, UM, A SIDE BY SIDE OF THE CURRENT PLAN AND WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TODAY.
WE DID SEE THE SIDE-BY-SIDE OF THE THREE OPTIONS, UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE SEEN THIS SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE CURRENT, WITH THE CURRENT, UH, STEP PROGRAM, WE'RE SPENDING ABOUT $70 MILLION A YEAR TODAY, UH, AT LEAST OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF, OF STEP BRIDGE PROGRAMS. AND SO THE FUTURE PROGRAM IS GONNA MIRROR, AT LEAST SPEND WISE, UH, WHAT WE'RE SPENDING TODAY.
BUT WE CAN BREAK DOWN, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE RATE CLASS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN CREATE A QUINTILE LOOK.
UH, WE JUST GOTTA DO THE, WE'VE GOTTA DO THAT WORK.
SO, UH, THE QUINTILE LOOK, UH, BUT MAYBE YOU COULD WRITE DOWN, UH, OR SUMMARIZE WHAT'S DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE CURRENT PROGRAM AND THE ONE YOU'RE PROPOSING.
YEAH, WE, WE WILL FIGURE THAT OUT.
BECAUSE I, I THINK YOU'RE REDUCING SOLAR, IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH.
UH, OUR SOLAR PROGRAM WILL CHANGE.
WE'RE NOT ELIMINATING IT ALTOGETHER.
IT'S JUST GONNA BE REFOCUSED TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY FOCUS IN ON, YOU KNOW, TARGET, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMERS THAT REALLY HAVEN'T HAD ACCESS TO SOLAR IN THE FUTURE.
BUT I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE WANTING.
YOU'RE WANTING TO KIND OF BY PROGRAM, WHAT DOES THE CURRENT PROGRAM LOOK LIKE VERSUS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FURTHER THE NEW, AND SO, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL GIVE YOU THAT.
AND YOU INDICATED THAT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY WAS SET ASIDE FOR LOW INCOME PROGRAMS. UM, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW, HOW THAT WORKS? IS IT, IS IT A DOLLAR AMOUNT OR ARE THE PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE OF A CERTAIN INCOME LEVEL? YES.
UH, THE NUMBER, UM, WE SHARED A NUMBER OF 28% THAT WE SAID WOULD BE, WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO, OR THAT WOULD BE, UH, GOING TOWARDS LOW-INCOME PROGRAMS. SO THAT'S A COMBINATION OF, UH, SO WEATHERIZATION, UH, IS, IS OF COURSE A DIRECT, UH, PROGRAM FOR, FOR LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS.
UH, MULTIFAMILY, LIKEWISE, MULTIFAMILY WEATHERIZATION WOULD LIKEWISE BE EXCLUSIVELY FOR, UH, CUSTOMERS.
AND, AND, UH, AND THEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CREATING, UH, SOLAR OPTIONS FOR, UH, THAT WOULD ADDRESS A BARRIERS TO AFFORDABILITY THERE.
UH, AND SO, SO BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE FUNDS THAT WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO, TO THOSE, THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. UH, THE OTHER ONES WOULD BE, UH, DISCOUNTS ON PRODUCTS THAT ARE ENERGY EFFICIENT, UH, THAT WOULD BE, UH, TARGETED AT AREAS THAT ARE LOW INCOME, UH, WHERE WE KNOW THAT FOLKS LIVE, WHO, WHO MAYBE NEED TO HAVE L E D LIGHTS OR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A MORE EFFICIENT WINDOW UNIT AND SO FORTH.
SO, SO WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING IS WHAT WE WOULD SPEND ON, IN, IN, IN THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THEN IN RELATION TO THE OVERALL BUDGET, SO THAT THAT'S HOW THE 28% WAS ARRIVED AT.
SO IS THAT A LIMIT ON HOW MANY PEOPLE, UH, WHO ARE AT A LOW INCOME LEVEL CAN, CAN ACCESS, OR HOW MUCH OF THE MONEY CAN BE ACCESSED BY PEOPLE OF, UM, IN THAT INCOME BRACKET? NO, NO.
WE'RE NOT APPROACHING THAT AS A LIMIT.
UH, WHAT THAT IS, THAT IS OUR ESTIMATE OF, OF THE, THE FUNDS THAT WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO THOSE PROGRAMS. SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE STILL TO BE BUILT.
AND, AND SO, UH, WE WILL LEARN AS WE GO, AND IT MAY BE THAT WE HAVE MUCH HIGHER UPTAKE THAN, THAN WE ANTICIPATED, IN WHICH CASE WE WOULD ADJUST AROUND THAT.
SO, UH, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL REPORT, YOU KNOW, EXACTLY HOW MUCH WE SPEND ON THOSE PROGRAMS, AND WE WILL TRACK THAT.
AND, AND THEN I THINK WE CAN ADJUST, UH, BASED ON EXPERIENCE.
AND IT MAY AND MAY END UP BEING MORE, UH, WE MAY HAVE TROUBLE IN SOME AREAS GAINING TRACTION.
SO I THINK, UH, THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO REPORT IT SO THAT IT'S VISIBLE, UH, AND THEN, AND THEN WE WILL, WE WILL, WE WILL ADJUST AROUND THAT.
BUT IT IS, IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A LIMIT.
UM, MY OTHER QUESTION, UM, OR, OR REQUEST
[01:00:01]
FOR INFORMATION WOULD BE, COULD YOU ALSO PROVIDE A SUMMARY, A COMPARABLE SUMMARY OF WHAT'S PROVIDED THROUGH GUA VERDE, THROUGH THE GUA VERDE PROGRAM PROGRAM? HOW MUCH MONEY, UH, IF USED IN THAT, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HELPED AND WHAT TYPES OF PROGRAMS IT HAS? AND ARE THOSE THE ONLY TWO, UH, PROGRAMS YOU HAVE, UH, STEP ANDUH, AND, UH, YEAH, WE, WE CAN, WE CAN PROVIDE THE DATA THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING FOR, UH, THAT WOULD, UH, HAVE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL AROUND WHAT, WHAT IS INCLUDED, WHAT MEASURES ARE INCLUDED WHEN WE ARE, ARE THE MOST COMMON MEASURES WHEN WE WEATHERIZE A HOME.
UH, YEAH, WE HAVE ALL OF THAT DATA AND WE CAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY SHARE THAT.
SO, UM, I'M SORRY, YOU SAY WEATHERIZATION A LOT? UM, UH, BUT SO IT IS INCLUDED IN BOTH CASA VERDE AND IN THE STEP PROGRAM.
YEAH, I, I, I SHOULD BE CLEAR.
SO CASA VERDE, WHEN I SAY, WHEN I SAY WEATHERIZATION, I MEAN CASA VERDE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S ONE AND THE SAME.
SO THAT SAYS WEATHERIZATION IN THE STEP PROGRAM.
SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT IS CASA VERDE OR IS IT A SEPARATE PROGRAM? THAT IS CASA VERDE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER REVENUE SOURCES OR BUDGET SOURCES THAT YOU'RE USING FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY? OH, WE HAVE, UM, COULD WE GO BACK TO THE SLIDE DECK REALLY QUICKLY? UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE TWO CHARTS THAT WERE IN THE APPENDIX THAT MIGHT BE, MIGHT BE HELPFUL HERE.
SO, SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE ARE PI UH, TWO PIE CHARTS THAT SHOW, UH, THESE ARE THE, THE MAJOR PROGRAM CATEGORIES IN THE STEP PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS HOW THE DOLLARS WERE ALLOCATED HISTORICALLY OVER THE, OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS.
AND SO IF, IF YOU LOOK ON THE LEFT, THESE ARE THE DOLLARS.
SO $838 MILLION, UH, WE LABELED IT WEATHERIZATION HERE.
UH, THAT, THAT IS CAS VERDE, THAT, THAT'S THE CAVE PROGRAM.
SO THE $138 MILLION, I THINK IT 138 MILLION IS WHAT WE HAVE SPENT ON THAT PROGRAM, UH, TO DATE.
UH, AND THAT'S 16% OF OUR OVERALL SPEND.
AND SO, UH, GOING BACK TO THE 28% I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT, UH, WITH THE CONTINUATION OF CAVEDA PLUS THE ADDITION OF OTHER LOW-INCOME PROGRAMS, THAT THAT SHARE WOULD GROW TO 28% OF THE OVERALL BUDGET.
BUT THEY'RE ALL INCLUDED IN THE STEP PROGRAM.
MAKE SURE IN THE STEP PROGRAM.
DO WE HAVE THE FULL, THE FULL PICTURE OF THAT, UM, CHAIR? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE FIVE MINUTES, IS THAT RIGHT? I'D LIKE TO, UH, COME BACK IN IF I COULD.
CERTAINLY, YOU CAN COME BACK IN IF YOU'D LIKE.
I'LL, I'LL BE GLAD TO CONTINUE RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANT.
UM, RICK, THAT WAS A A I'M SO GLAD YOU CLARIFIED THAT FOR ME.
UM, THE, I HAVE A, A FEW MORE COMMENTS.
SO, UM, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN WHO SPOKE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING, UH, SOME SOLAR PROJECTS HAPPENING IN DISTRICT FOUR AND ANOTHER ONE IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO REQUEST IF WE COULD FOLLOW UP, UM, MAYBE MY OFFICE AND, AND RICK, SOMEONE FROM YOUR TEAM, JUST TO ENSURE THAT THAT PROJECT GETS COMPLETE IN IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
AND, UH, AND, AND JUST TO REITERATE WHAT RUDY SAID IS THAT, UH, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NO CONFUSION ABOUT WHEN DEADLINES ARE AND THAT PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE.
UH, AND THE LAST THING WE WANNA DO IS, YOU KNOW, UH, JEOPARDIZE A PROJECT THAT WAS ALREADY, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE WORKS.
AND SO, WE'LL, WE'LL BE SURE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
UM, UH, THIS, THIS QUESTION IS, IS, UH, OR SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT FOR YOU, AND, UH, MAYBE WE CAN ALSO LINK THIS WITH OUR, UM, OUR HOUSING BOND.
A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THAT MONEY WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR, UM, UH, MAINTAINING EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND SOME OF IT WILL BE MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING.
AND, UH, I THINK WE COULD LEVERAGE SOME OF THAT WITH, UM, WITH THE, THE STEP MULTIFAMILY, UH, WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM.
UM, SO I, I HOPE THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
THEN, UH, I DO WANNA GO BACK TO THE, THE PACE PROGRAM THAT YOU DID MENTION.
AND, AND SOMEONE SAID YOU GOT THE MESSAGE.
I'M VERY GLAD TO TO HEAR THAT.
UM, I KNOW, UM, UH, MR. ENA MENTIONED
[01:05:01]
LEVERAGING THEM, BUT, UH, I, I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR WHAT I, WHAT I'M HOPING TO SEE WILL HAPPEN BY, UH, BY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE PACE PROGRAM.SO I THINK THAT THE STEP PROGRAM SHOULD PRIORITIZE THEIR FUNDING.
IT'S FUNDING FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PACE FOR SOME REASON.
UM, PACE, AGAIN, IS, UM, IS ANOTHER SORT OF, UH, FUNDING SOURCE.
UM, SO I, I DON'T WANNA USE OUR LIMITED STEP DOLLARS, UH, FOR THAT.
UM, NUMBER TWO, UH, WOULD YOU CONSIDER USING SOME OF THESE FUNDS TO HELP COMPANIES ACCESS PACE? UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, UH, WHAT I'VE HEARD IS IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT CUMBERSOME TO, TO ACCESS THE MONEY.
I KNOW WE DO SOME OUTREACH WITH ACOG.
UM, BUT PERHAPS ANOTHER ROLE OF SOMEONE, UH, DOING THE FACILITATION COULD, COULD ALSO BE HELPFUL.
UM, THEN LASTLY, UM, OR NO, NOT LASTLY.
SORRY, I HAVE A LOT OF COMMENTS HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PRESENTED TO THE RAC, THERE WAS COMMENTS ABOUT CONTINUING TO STUDY, AND RUDY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT, THE PROJECT OR ALL THE WORK THAT THE, THAT THIS PROGRAM DOES HAS BEEN STUDIED, UM, BY, BY CONSULTANTS.
I, I THINK WHAT THE QUESTION REALLY WAS IS HOW CAN WE, AS A COMMUNITY, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THE SUCCESS OF THE STEP PROGRAM, SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY, RIGHT? LIKE, NOT HAVING TO WAIT UNTIL THE ANNUAL AUDIT IS DONE, BUT SEEING WHAT PARTS OF TOWN ARE, ARE GETTING THE HELP.
WHERE ARE WE LACKING SOME OF IT? AND I AM SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS INSIDE YOUR TEAM.
UH, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT MAYBE WE DO THAT, UM, ALSO WITH SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS, IF YOU WANNA TAKE SOME, A SUBSET OF THE C A C OR A SUBSET OF THE RAC, UH, BUT ALSO, UH, MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY REPRESENT OR MAY BE USERS OF, OF THE STEP PROGRAM WHO CAN ADVISE ON HOW TO, UM, REACH CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS OR REACH CERTAIN POPULATIONS.
AGAIN, I KNOW YOUR STAFF DOES THAT ALL THE TIME, BUT, UH, I, I DO THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO ALSO HEAR FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND, UH, RUDY, YOU HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS.
I, I, AGAIN, WE, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT IS INTERESTED IN ENGAGING WITH US.
SO IF WE WANNA SET UP A ANNUAL STEP SUMMIT, YOU KNOW, OF SOME KIND TO, YOU KNOW, JUST CHECK IN AND, AND GET FEEDBACK, I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT.
UH, WE WILL PUT IT ON THE LIST, UH, WHAT, WHAT THE BOARD HAS ASKED US TO DO, UH, WHICH WE WILL FOLLOW THROUGH ON, NOT ONLY AT THE BOARD LEVEL, BUT ALSO WITH THIS COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL.
IF, IF, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA DO A B SESSION ONCE A YEAR IS CHECK IN ANNUALLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST THE THREE YEAR CHECK-IN, THE THREE YEAR CHECK-IN IN REALLY IS, WE JUST WANNA VALIDATE THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THROUGH THE FIVE YEARS ANNUALLY, PROBABLY NEXT FEBRUARY, YOU KNOW, AT THE, AT THE TURN OF OUR FISCAL YEAR, WE'LL COME IN AND LAY OUT HERE ARE ALL THE PROGRAMS AS WE'VE DESIGNED THEM THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH TO, TO EXECUTE ON, ON OUR, OUR NEW STEP PLAN.
BUT THEN AS EVERY YEAR AFTER THAT, WE WILL COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND SAY, HERE'S, HERE'S HOW IT'S GOING.
AND WE CAN DO THAT AT THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE, AND WE CAN, WE CAN HOLD A, SOME TYPE OF PUBLIC MEETING AS WELL TO, TO, TO YOUR POINT, UH, TO GET FEEDBACK.
UM, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT'S SORT OF A COLLABORATIVE WORKING GROUP THAT WOULD LOOK AT YOUR RESULTS AND NOT WAIT A WHOLE YEAR TO, TO DO THAT.
I THINK, I THINK THERE, IT KIND OF TAKES IT, DOING IT MONTHLY, I'M NOT SURE MAKES SENSE.
COUNCILWOMAN, I'M JUST GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I, I WOULD, WE CAN FIGURE OUT PERIOD, WHAT, AT WHAT ITERATION DOES MAKE SENSE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR US, IT'S GONNA TAKE US A GOOD SIX MONTHS, RICK PROBABLY TO GET ALL OF OUR DUCKS IN AN ORDER, UH, FOR THE NEW PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE GOTTA IMPLEMENT 'EM BEFORE WE HAVE SOME, SOME DATA.
SO LET'S JUST SAY WE'LL WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
I, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S NOT A, A, YOU KNOW, ANNUALLY, BUT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE A MONTHLY CONVERSATION, I GUESS IS MY POINT.
I, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR IF THAT WORKS.
UM, YEAH, LET'S KEEP THAT CONVERSATION, UH, IN MIND, JUST, JUST BASED ON WHAT I HEARD FROM, FROM THE RAC COMMENTS.
UH, I, I THINK THIS IS WHAT, UM, WHAT THEY WERE ALLUDING TO.
UM, SO, AND THEN LASTLY, I, I KNOW YOU'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE TYPES OF OUTREACH THAT YOU DO.
IS THAT A WRITTEN DOCUMENT, UH, THAT'S ALREADY DEVELOPED, YOUR STRATEGY DOCUMENT FOR HOW YOU'RE GOING TO CONDUCT THE OUTREACH FOR THIS NEXT PHASE OF STEPS? NOT, IT'S NOT, WE'VE GOTTA PUT THE PROGRAMS TOGETHER AND THEN COME UP WITH A MARKETING STRATEGY TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO DO THE
[01:10:01]
OUTREACH.SO THAT'LL BE PART OF THE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE WITH ANYBODY INTERESTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE HITTING THE RIGHT NOTE THERE.
SO, UM, SO YEAH, WE'VE STILL GOT SOME WORK TO DO ON THAT.
SO I NOTICED YOU, YOU USED THE WORD MARKETING, AND I, I KNOW MY COLLEAGUE, UH, DR.
BROCHE GARCIA CAN SPEAK A LOT TO IT, BUT DOES THAT ALSO INCLUDE THE GRASSROOTS OUTREACH, OR WHEN, WHEN I THINK OF MARKETING, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE, MORE COMMERCIAL LIKE BILLBOARDS OR AT LARGE, BUT NOT REALLY LIKE ONE-ON-ONE.
I MEAN, JUST ON JUST AN ON, UH, CREW TEAM.
ANYTIME THEY'RE VISITING WITH THE CASE FROM YOUR OFFICES AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE OPTIONS OF ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE, CAS I'VE ADDED THAT THROUGH, THROUGH THE STEP PROGRAM, IS ONE OF THE TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX THAT WE OFFER TO CUSTOMERS ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE STILL KNOCKING ON DOORS, UH, AS WE COMMITTED TO, AS PART OF, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PANDEMIC RESPONSE THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, UH, DOING AS WE GO FORWARD.
AND SO, AS WE'RE KNOCKING ON DOORS, YOU KNOW, CASA VERE IS GONNA BE A TOOL IN OUR TOOLBOX, UM, THAT WE'LL ALWAYS USE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST SEND YOU A LETTER, HOPE YOU CALL US BACK.
WHEN WE HAVE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE SITTING IN FRONT OF US, WE WILL TRY TO GET THEM INTO OUR PROGRAM AS A MEANS TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR BILLS.
SO, UH, SO YES, IT ABSOLUTELY IS GRASSROOTS.
OKAY, SO THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR.
UM, BUT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US IS WE WILL BE ASKED TO APPROVE THIS FEE THAT GOES ON CUSTOMERS, UM, BILL, WITHOUT SEEING AN OUTREACH PLAN FIRST.
AGAIN, WE'VE GOTTA DESIGN THE PROGRAMS THAT ACHIEVE THE SAVINGS THAT, THAT IS IN THE ORDINANCE.
SO WE DON'T EVER ASK COUNCIL APPROVE PROGRAM, A, B, C, D, AND E, YOU KNOW, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT, AND PRESENT YOU WITH A SET OF PROGRAMS THAT ACHIEVES THE ANNUAL SAVINGS THAT WE'VE AGREED AS A COMMUNITY WE WANT TO, UH, ACHIEVE.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, UM, SO RIGID THAT, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA WEATHERIZE AS MANY HOMES AS WE CAN GET IN THE PIPELINE, RIGHT? SO WE'RE GONNA PUT THE DOLLARS WHERE THE OPPORTUNITY IS.
UH, BUT, BUT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE WILL COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, EITHER THROUGH WRITTEN COMMUNICATION OR, UH, THROUGH PRESENTATION, AND WE'LL LAY OUT THE DESIGN OF THE PROGRAMS, WHAT WE THINK IT'LL ACHIEVE, AND SHOW YOU THE MARKETING MATERIALS.
SO WE'RE JUST, WE CAN'T START THAT WORK UNTIL WE HAVE AN APPROVED, SOME APPROVED GOALS THAT ALLOW US TO, YOU KNOW, TO START WORKING ON THE SPECIFICS.
AND THEN, UM, LASTLY, I DID GET THE LETTER OR THE EMAIL FROM C P S ABOUT, UH, THE STEP PROGRAM AND THE INVESTMENT THAT I HAD MADE IN IT.
IT, IT CALLS IT AN ESTIMATE, IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY SAY THIS IS WHAT YOU PAID INTO THE STEP PROGRAM.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THAT, WHY THAT IS, WHY IT'S AN ESTIMATE ONLY? WELL, I LOOKED AT MY, I LOOKED AT MINE AND ADDED IT UP AND IT WAS PRETTY CLOSE, SO
HI, COUNCILWOMAN, THIS IS DEANNA HARDWICK.
UH, WHENEVER WE SENT OUT THOSE, UH, COMMUNICATIONS, WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY, UH, ON THE FINANCE SIDE.
SO THE ESTIMATE IS REALLY ON THE COST PER KILOWATT HOUR.
SO WE TOOK THAT, THAT, THAT AVERAGE COST PER KILOWATT HOUR AND THEN MULTIPLIED IT PAT BY YOUR ACTUAL USAGE FOR 2021.
SO IT'S JUST THAT, THAT ESTIMATE IS JUST 'CAUSE OF, OF A ROUNDING DUE TO THE KILOWATT HOUR COST.
AND, UM, ALSO, UM, IN ADVANCE OF THE VOTE, COULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE THE COMMENTS, UM, PROVIDE PROVIDED BY THE CAC ON THE STEP PROGRAM? SO I WAS NOT THERE.
I MAY NEED KATHY TO PHONE A FRIEND HERE.
YVONNE, YOU WANNA COME UP? ARE YOU THERE? OKAY.
RICK CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
AT THE, UH, CITIZENS ADVISORY, UH, COMMITTEE, THEY VOTED, UH, SEVEN, SEVEN MEMBERS SUPPORTED OPTION THREE AND FOUR MEMBERS, UH, SUPPORTED OPTION, UM, TWO.
SO THEY WERE, THEY WERE, THEY LEND, UH, UH, LEANED, UH, TO THE, THE MORE AGGRESSIVE OPTION.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN, UH, COUNCILMAN ROCHA GARCIA.
AND I'LL START OFF BY ECHOING, UM, THE COMMENTS THAT MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL MADE ABOUT, UM, THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP TODAY.
IN PARTICULAR, I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE, THE DISTRICT FOUR PORT SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO, UM, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN GET OFFLINE AND, AND, AND HAVE THAT INFORMATION LATER.
BUT, UM, CAN YOU REMIND ME, WHAT DOES BRAD DO FOR C P SS ENERGY? I KNOW THAT THEY'VE DONE STUDIES, BUT WHAT OTHER CONTRACTS DO THEY HAVE WITH C P SS ENERGY? THE, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE BRATTLE NOT BEING AS INDEPENDENT AS, UH,
[01:15:01]
AS THEY ARE.WE, WE ONLY HIRED BRATTLE FOR ONE PURPOSE, AND THAT'S TO PROVIDE DIRECT CONSULTING, YOU KNOW, GUIDANCE TO THE RAC TO THE RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO THEY PROVIDED SOME KIND OF GENERAL RATE DESIGN EDUCATION TO THE RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND THEN, UH, WHEN WE WERE GETTING PUSHED BY ONE OF MY BOARD MEMBERS, UH, ON, YOU KNOW, SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME ANALYSIS ON THE STEP PROGRAM, WE, YOU KNOW, BRATTLE WAS ALREADY THERE THAT HAS THE EXPERTISE TO DO THAT EVALUATION.
I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, WEREN'T NECESSARILY FOLLOWING OUR GUIDANCE.
WE WANTED, YOU KNOW, TO, TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT WAS NOT C P SS ENERGY STAFF LETTING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GIVING THE RACK, YOU KNOW, PERSPECTIVE ON HOW RATES CAN BE STRUCTURED, YOU KNOW, UH, IN THE UTILITY WORLD.
SO, UM, SO BRATTLE ONLY OUR CONTRACT WITH THEM IS TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, FEEDBACK TO THE RACK AND THE STEP IS A RATE.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY CONTRACT THAT THEY HAVE WITH C P S ENERGY.
IT'S THE ONLY, THEY'RE ALSO DOING OUR COST OF SERVICE STUDY.
OH, UH, YES, THEY ARE, UH, DOING OUR UPDATED COST OF SERVICE STUDY, THE PROVIDE WHAT DOES, WHAT THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY IN ENTAIL.
SO WHENEVER WE ARE LOOKING EVERY, ABOUT EVERY FIVE YEARS, YOU LOOK AT ALL THE COST IT TAKES FOR US TO PROVIDE SERVICE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU UPDATE IT, RIGHT? SO COST, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF MATERIALS CHANGE, THE COST OF LABOR CHANGE, YOU KNOW, THE COST TO EXTEND SERVICE CHANGES.
AND SO, UM, SO, UH, ABOUT, SO EVERY, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, ABOUT EVERY FIVE YEARS, WE'LL UPDATE OUR COST OF SERVICE THAT SAYS, OKAY, IT COSTS, I DON'T KNOW, COREY, YOU KNOW, $10 BILLION, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, $10 BILLION TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, NOW THAT NUMBER'S $11 BILLION, RIGHT? SO THAT, THAT, THAT GENERALLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING FOR US IN THAT REGARD, SO, AND IS THAT THE ONLY, UM, SORRY, I GOT, MY EARRING GOT STUCK THERE.
IS THAT THE ONLY, UM, COMPANY THAT DOES THIS? LIKE, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY LIKE WHAT, SO THEY'RE RECOMMENDING, TECHNICALLY THEY, THEY WOULD RECOMMEND PRICE INCREASES, RIGHT? MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ULTIMATELY.
SO THEN THEY'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING THESE OPTIONS, THE OPTIONS WERE RECOMMENDED BY THAT? NO.
SO ANYONE WHO'S DOING A COST OF SERVICE DOESN'T NECESSARILY RECOMMEND A PRICE INCREASE.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND JUST PROCESS OKAY.
SO, UM, SO I'LL NEED TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT PRAL BEFORE MAYBE THE, THE COUNCIL VOTE ON THE 16TH.
BUT THEN ALSO, DO YOU HAVE A SCATTERER, UH, PLOT OR SCATTER MAP OF WHERE ALL THE PARTICIPANTS ARE FOR THE DIFFERENT WEATHERIZATION PROGRAMS? I REMEMBER SEEING ONE ON SOLAR PANELS AND I, I NOTICED THAT THEY WERE MOSTLY CONCENTRATED ON THE NORTHERN PART OF SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AND JUST BY DRIVING AROUND, UH, THE, THE, MY DISTRICT, RIGHT, I COULD SEE THAT THERE'S VERY LIMITED USE OF SOLAR PANELS IN THE ZIP CODES THAT ACTUALLY HAVE THE HIGHEST POVERTY.
AND SO, UM, SO I WAS TRYING TO SEE, DO YOU HAVE THAT SOMEWHERE ON A MAP THAT YOU CAN SEND? WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, WE'VE GIVEN 4 MILLION REBATES OVER THE COURSE OF, IN THAT RIGHT.
WE'VE GIVEN 4 MILLION REBATES TO SOMEBODY, UH, IN OUR SYSTEM.
SO IT'S GONNA PROBABLY BE, YOU KNOW, A MAP THAT LOOKS ALL RED BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE EVERYWHERE.
NOW, ON THE SOLAR SIDE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO AFFORD A SOLAR PROGRAM IS GONNA DRIVE WHETHER OR NOT THEY PUT ONE OKAY.
UH, ON, SO YOU WOULD EXPECT IT'S GONNA BE MIDTOWN UP.
YOU KNOW, NORTH, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME ON THE SOUTH SIDE AS WELL.
A LOOK, MAYBE WHAT WE'LL DO IS BUY PROGRAM, GIVE YOU A SCATTER PLOT FOR THAT PROGRAM.
SO, SO YOU CAN SEE YES, THE DIFFERENCES.
AND THEN LET ME ASK YOU, WHEN YOU GO BACK, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU TALKED TO ABOUT THIS, BUT WHEN YOU GO BACK AND YOU REALIZE THAT THE, UM, PROGRAM MAYBE ISN'T WORKING AS IT WAS INTENDED TO WORK, OR MAYBE BECAUSE THERE WAS CHANGES, RIGHT? DO YOU THINK THAT IT WAS A MARKETING MISS? OR DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S A FINANCIAL MISS? YEAH, SO I THINK WE'VE HAD TOTAL 51 DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, REBATES OR PROGRAMS OF SOME KIND.
AND YOU KNOW, YOU, IN SOME CASES IT'S A BEHAVIORAL PROGRAM, SO YOU DO 'EM UNTIL YOU SEE THE BEHAVIOR LIKE, YOU KNOW, UH, CHANGE, YOU KNOW, GIVING AWAY, YOU KNOW, UH, L E D LIGHT BULBS FOR INSTANCE.
RIGHT? THAT'S ALL, THAT'S THE ONLY LIGHT BULB YOU CAN GET NOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO TO LOWE'S HOME DEPOT.
SO THERE'S NO REASON, YOU KNOW, TO CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM.
SO NATURALLY SOME PROGRAMS FALL OFF JUST 'CAUSE IT'S KIND OF MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
IN OTHER CASES, MAYBE IT WAS A PROGRAM STRUCTURE, MAYBE THE MARKET DIDN'T, UH, RESPOND THE WAY WE THOUGHT IT DID, AND SO WE REALLY WEREN'T GETTING THE SCALE AND THE SAVINGS THAT WE WERE HOPING TO GET.
SO YOU TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO I THINK THAT'S BEEN PART OF OUR VERIFICATION PROCESS, IS WHEN WE SEE A PROGRAM THAT'S NOT PERFORMING, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL DISCONTINUE IT AND WE'LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING NEW.
AND WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY DONE THAT OVER THE 12 YEARS OF STEP TO DATE.
MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, HAS THERE BEEN A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS CONDUCTED OF HOW MUCH HAS BEEN CONTRIBUTED IN DOLLARS IN THE FUEL ADJUSTMENT FEE PER CENSUS TRACT?
[01:20:01]
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE BROKEN IT DOWN BY CENSUS TRACT, BUT IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING WE COULD DO.DO, MAYBE, YEAH, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT.
I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT.
I WANNA SEE HOW MUCH MY RESIDENTS ARE CONTRIBUTING THROUGH THE FUEL ADJUSTMENT FEE AND THEN HOW MUCH THEY'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAMS. AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE VERY TELLING.
UM, AND, AND SO THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING.
NO, I NEED TO SEE THAT, UM, IF YOU'RE GONNA EVEN REMOTELY GET MY VOTE ON JUNE THE 16TH, AND SO, SO PLEASE.
UM, AND THEN ON, UH, THE OTHER ONE, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE FIVE YEAR PLAN BECAUSE, AND LEMME TELL YOU WHY, AND A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE, HAVE KIND OF REFERENCED IT, AND I SEE 10 PEOPLE FROM THE RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WANTED SOME ADDITIONAL STUDIES, BUT I HEARD YOU TODAY SAY, WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE STUDIES, BUT THERE WAS 10 PEOPLE WHO SAID YES.
AND SO I'M, I'M WONDERING, SO WHAT, HOW, WHY DID, WHAT WAS THE DECISION? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I WASN'T THERE.
SO WHY WAS THE DECISION MADE TO CONTINUE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL STUDIES? EVEN THEN? TECHNICALLY, 10 OF THEM HAD REQUESTED ADDITIONAL STUDIES.
I THINK IT WAS TWO THAT WANTED TO SUSPEND THE PROGRAM ALTOGETHER AND CONTINUE STUDIES.
BUT THERE WAS EIGHT THAT WANTED TO CONTINUE THE STUDY AND CONTINUE THE PROGRAM AT THE SAME TIME.
COUNCILWOMAN, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T DO IT TODAY.
BUT BOTH THE RATE ADVISOR COMMITTEE AND MY BOARD MEETING, I PUT ON THE TABLE ALL THE REPORTS THAT HAVE EVER BEEN DONE ABOUT STEP, AND IT TOOK THREE TABLES TO, TO, TO COVER 'EM.
YOU KNOW, THE, WE'VE GOT A PROCESS FOR, FOR VERIFYING THE, THE, THE, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE PROGRAM THAT OUR CITY REGULATOR, YOU KNOW, HAS AGREED WITH US IS THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, PROCESS FOR VALIDATING WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, FROM ONE YEAR OR ANOTHER, WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE ALLOWED TO, TO RECOVER.
SO, YOU KNOW, FROM A STUDY STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AN AWARD-WINNING PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT VALIDATION FROM OUR REGULATOR THAT THE ACHIEVEMENTS THAT WE'VE SAID WE, THAT, THAT WE BELIEVE THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN CALCULATED.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, THAT THE, THE REQUEST TO STUDY, IN MY OPINION WAS BECAUSE SOME, SOME MEMBERS OF THE IRAQ, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DON'T AGREE WITH STEP, BUT THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY GONNA TAKE A VOTE TO, TO END STEP.
SO THEY SAID, LET'S STUDY IT MORE.
YOU KNOW, MY, MY HOPE IS THAT COUNCIL WILL AGREE THIS IS A GOOD PROGRAM.
AND YOU KNOW, FROM MY STANDPOINT, CARING, HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE ORDINANCE PROCESS EVERY YEAR TO GET A NEW PROGRAM, IT'S NOT EFFICIENT.
WE NEED A, WE NEED SOME CERTAINTY SO WE CAN GO OUT AND, AND ISSUE CONTRACTS TO VENDORS THAT NEED MORE THAN JUST A ONE YEAR SURE.
YOU KNOW, UH, UH, UH, UH, PROGRAM TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND HIRE PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND, AND ACQUIRE, YOU KNOW, BUILD PROGRAMS. SO FOR ME, IT WAS ABOUT THE EFFICIENCY OF RUNNING A PROGRAM THAT, YOU KNOW, AND WE, WE DIDN'T ASK FOR 10 YEARS.
WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR, 10 YEARS IS TOO LONG, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO, YOU KNOW, OUR BOARD WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH ANY MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.
AND WE ADDED THE THREE YEAR CHECK-IN PROCESS, JUST IN CASE THEY, THEY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD END IT BEFORE THEN.
SO I THINK BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE GOT AT THE RAC AND THE C A C AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT HAS PROVIDED FEEDBACK, WHAT WE'VE OFFERED IS A GOOD BALANCE OF, YOU KNOW, THAT REFLECTS THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MORE STUDYING TO DO.
OUR STEP PROGRAM WAS SUCCESSFUL.
WE VALIDATED THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN THROUGH A REGULATORY PROCESS.
THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO STUDY.
AND THEN HOW ARE YOU DEFINING SUCCESS? BECAUSE TO, UH, AND LIKE I GAVE YOU THE EXAMPLE EARLIER, TO ME, THIS IS NOT SUCCESSFUL FOR MY RESIDENTS.
I GET TO GET VOTED OUT IF I'M NOT SUCCESSFUL FOR MY RESIDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M ASKING ABOUT THIS.
I'M ASKING LIKE, SO, UM, THE ADVOCACY LEVEL, LIKE HOW DO I PROVE, UM, THAT THIS IS SUCCESSFUL, RIGHT.
FOR EVERYONE? OR THAT THERE WAS EQUITY IN, IN THE OUTCOME.
SO I GUESS, WHAT ARE YOUR MEASUREMENTS OF, OF SUCCESS? SO THE ORDINANCE, WHAT THE ORDINANCE ASKS FOR IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IS SAVINGS ACHIEVED? DID WE ACHIEVE THE DEMAND SAVINGS THAT WE, UH, THAT WE LAID OUT, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS AGO OR 12 YEARS AGO WHEN WE, WE AT THE ONSET OF THE PROGRAM? AND, AND THAT'S WHY WE GO THROUGH THE ATION PROCESS.
'CAUSE IT, IT VALIDATES THAT YES, YOU SAVED THE AMOUNT OF, OF, OF DEMAND.
AND WE ACTUALLY, WE SAVED MORE.
WE, WE ACHIEVED MORE SAVINGS UNDER BUDGET AND AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEFINE SUCCESS ANY BETTER THAN THAT.
AND, AND THAT'S HOW WE WILL DEFINE IT GOING FORWARD.
WE'VE ALSO ADDED A KILOWATT HOUR, AN ENERGY SAVINGS GOAL, WHICH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY REALLY CHALLENGED US ON, YOU KNOW, OF 1%.
SO NOW WE HAVE TO ACHIEVE BOTH THE DE BOTH THE, THE, THE DEMAND SAVINGS, WHICH D WHICH DRIVES OUR CAPACITY NEEDS FOR POWER GENERATION AND ENERGY KILOWATT HOUR SAVINGS, WHICH ACTUALLY IS, IS A MEASURE OF USAGE, WHICH IS REFLECTED IN CUSTOMERS' BILLS.
SO NOW WE HAVE TO ACHIEVE BOTH.
[01:25:01]
THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF ESTABLISHED, WE'LL VALIDATE WHETHER OR NOT WE, WE MADE IT OR NOT.AND IF WE DON'T DO WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GONNA DO, THEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THOSE DOLLARS ARE AT RISK FOR BEING RECOVERED.
AND THEN, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT, UM, YOU ALL BY THE WAY, UM, MENTIONED 16% TO 28%.
SO I, I DO THINK THAT THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD START.
UM, I, I, I'M STILL, AGAIN, SO, BUT WE HAVE TIME.
AND SO, AND I, I, I'D LOVE TO SEE, LIKE I SAID, MORE INFORMATION.
UM, ONE OTHER QUESTION SPECIFICALLY.
WELL, ACTUALLY I HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS, BUT SUBSTANTIAL WEATHERIZATION FOR MULTIFAMILY UNITS IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND SO I KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT IT.
AND SO, UM, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FOCUSED ON THAT.
BUT ALSO, UM, ARE THESE PROJECTIONS THAT, THAT, THAT WITH THE, WITH THE, AS YOU, UM, I GUESS, UM, ARE, ARE FORECASTING AHEAD, ARE THESE PROJECTIONS AND THE STEP PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS? I RECALL A CONVERSATION DURING OUR COUNCIL MEETING WHEN WE WERE VOTING FOR THE RATE INCREASE, SAYING THAT YOU ALL MIGHT COME BACK IN A FEW YEARS FOR ADDITIONAL INCREASE.
IS THIS INCLUDING AN ADDITIONAL RATE INCREASE? UM, OR NO.
OR THIS DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT NO, THIS KEEPS THE, THIS KEEPS THAT ENERGY CHARGE THAT'S IN THE FUEL FACTOR IN THE FUEL PORTION OF THE BILL THE SAME.
SO, UH, THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL, UH, RATE BURDEN ON FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM.
GOT WELL, NO, I, I THINK THAT MY, MY QUESTION IS MORE OF, SO EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T, SO IF, IF CITY COUNCIL, WHENEVER YOU ALL CAME FOR A RATE INCREASE IN LET'S SAY THREE YEARS, IF CITY COUNCIL VOTED NO, THIS WOULDN'T AFFECT THIS, CORRECT? NO, THAT WOULDN'T AFFECT THIS.
NOW, YOU KNOW, I, WE DO HAVE SOME THERE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN OUR, THE CHAIR OF OUR RATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE US TO PULL THIS, UM, THIS, UH, PROGRAM OUT OF THE FUEL FACTOR AND ACTUALLY, UH, EMBED IT INTO THE RATE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, WHATEVER THE PRICE PER KILOWATT HOUR THAT YOU PAY FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR POWER, IT WOULD INCLUDE 50 OR $70 MILLION OR WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT NOT BEING FUELED.
SO THE NEXT RATE, YOU KNOW, IF WE EVER COME IN AND RESTRUCTURE RATES, I WOULD, I, I WOULD BET THAT THAT'S GONNA BE A PROPOSAL THAT THE, THAT THE RACKS SUGGESTS IS TO PULL IT OUT OF FUEL AND PUT IT IN YOUR BASE RATE.
WHICH AGAIN, FOR ME, IT'S 6, 6 0 1 HALF A DOZEN, THE OTHER.
AND THEN, UM, ON THE AUDITS, UM, I, I KNOW THAT THERE, YOU SAID THAT THERE WAS SOME, SOME SORT OF AN AUDIT ON THE PROGRAM.
AND SO HOW DOES THAT AUDIT, OR, OR WHEN, WHEN DOES, WHEN WAS THAT AUDIT? DID WE HAVE THAT AUDIT AGAIN? THE OLD PROGRAM IS OVER.
YOU KNOW, THE VALIDATION PROCESS WITH OUR CITY, WITH OUR CITY REGULATOR.
THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE VERIFICATION THAT WE DID, WHAT WE, WHAT WE SAID WE'RE GONNA DO, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS GOING FORWARD.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA AUDIT ANYTHING GOING PAST THE PROGRAM ENDS JULY 31ST, YOU KNOW, BUT WE WILL INCLUDE, WHETHER IT BE AN INTERNAL EXTERNAL AUDIT, WE WILL INCLUDE AN AUDIT PROVISION GOING FORWARD SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION ANYMORE.
UM, WELL, ACTUALLY, I, I THINK YOU'LL STILL HAVE TO HAVE
UM, I STILL THINK, UH, OF COURSE, THE INVESTMENT IN UNDERSERVED, UM, COMMUNITIES IS IMPORTANT.
AND I, I FEEL BAD BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK MY, MY REC COMMITTEE MEMBER, UM, PETER RE AND SO, AS YOU KNOW, HE BRIEFS ME REGULARLY.
AND, UM, I KNOW THAT HE HAS BEEN, UM, UH, PUSHING FOR THE FIFTH QUINTILE FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS.
AND SO I THINK COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL MENTIONED IT.
AND SO I, I JUST WANTED TO, TO, UM, IF YOU ALL KEEP MOVING IN IN THAT OR HAVE ANY CONVERSATIONS, I'D LOVE TO JUST KIND OF LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I, I, I THINK IT WAS COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL THAT MENTIONED IT, BUT, UM, ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS ON HOW WE'RE, UM, HELPING THE MOST VULNERABLE? WELL, LOOK, FROM A, FROM A PROGRAM PERSPECTIVE, THE ENTIRE, EVERY CUSTOMER IN OUR SYSTEM BENEFITS FROM THE STEP PROGRAM.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BREAK IT DOWN, YOU KNOW, UH, I MEAN, IT'S NEVER GONNA BE EXACTLY EQUAL.
I MEAN, WE DON'T SAY EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT IS GONNA GET THE EQUAL AMOUNT BECAUSE DEMAND MM-HMM.
AND WE'VE GOT MEGAWATTS TO ACHIEVE WHEN WE SAVE MEGAWATTS.
THAT MEANS AS A SYSTEM, EVERY CUSTOMER BENEFITS FROM NOT HAVING TO SPEND THAT NEXT INCREMENTAL DOLLAR, YOU KNOW, DO THE, THE ENERGY NOT USED IS THE CHEAPEST FORM OF ENERGY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND EVERYBODY BENEFITS IN, YOU KNOW, THAT 70 MEGAWATTS OR THAT $70 MILLION THAT WE SPEND, AND WE SAVE WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, YOU KNOW, THREE, FOUR, YOU KNOW, OR A HUNDRED MEGAWATTS A YEAR.
WHAT IS THE ANNUAL SAVINGS IN THIS PART OF THIS PROGRAM? WHAT'S THE ANNUAL, UH, 80 MEGAWATTS.
SO WHEN WE SAVE 80 MEGAWATTS, THAT IS A SYSTEM BENEFIT FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE.
SO I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOTTA, YOU KNOW, JUSTIFY THIS TO MY PROGRAM.
I WILL TELL YOU, WE SENT LETTERS TO EVERY CUSTOMER IN OUR SYSTEM IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
[01:30:01]
YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T GET AN INFLUX OF CALLS FROM CUSTOMERS WHO WERE UPSET ABOUT THIS.CUSTOMERS UNDERSTAND THAT THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM IS A GOOD THING, SO, GOT IT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN NEGATIVE FEEDBACK.
BECAUSE WE DID THAT NOT, AND WE GOT SOME COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS THAT ARE PAYING 20, $30,000 A MONTH, YOU KNOW, FOR, YOU KNOW, TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.
SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY TELLING.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ASKING THIS QUESTION EVERY WEEK SINCE WE SENT THOSE LETTERS OUT.
WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE NOT GETTING MUCH.
AND THEN THE, MY FINAL QUESTION IS, DO Y'ALL DO PRE AND POST OR WERE YOU, HAVE YOU DONE KIND OF LIKE A, UM, WHAT THE CUSTOMER, UM, ACHIEVED AS FAR AS RESULTS? YES.
IS IT MONTHLY? IS IT DONE MONTHLY? YEAH, THAT'S PART OF THE VERIFICATION PROCESS.
I MEAN, EVERY, EVERY PROJECT WE VALIDATE THAT THEIR BILLS WENT DOWN, YOU KNOW, 15, 20%, WHATEVER, WE'RE EXPECTING 'EM TO GO DOWN.
AND THAT'S ALSO, UH, POWER CONSUMPTION.
THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW, CHAIR.
I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO, UH, COUNCILMAN BRAVO.
UM, SO RUDY, WHEN, UH, THE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL AND COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA REMINDED ME THAT I WANTED TO ASK, I'D LOVE TO SEE A HEAT MAP OF WHERE WEATHERIZATION HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND A HEAT MAP OF WHERE RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN THE PAST.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA TELL US A LOT.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I WANT TO, I DON'T WANT US TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN'T DO, UM, ENERGY EFFICIENCY RETROFITS, UH, OR ANY KIND OF, UH, PROJECTS BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S HOUSE IS NOT UP TO CODE.
AND SO WE NEED TO FIND A WAY OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT TELLING PEOPLE, I'M SORRY, YOU'RE TOO POOR FOR US TO HELP YOU BECAUSE YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO GET YOUR HOUSE UP TO CODE.
AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ON THIS PROJECT.
I KNOW THAT WE CAN COUPLE, UH, YOUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM, UH, PROGRAM WITH, UH, SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE, UM, TO FOR RESIDENTIAL REPAIR, BUT WE HAVE LIMITED DOLLARS THERE.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FINDING A WAY THAT WE CAN DO, DO SOME KIND OF A WORKAROUND.
AND SO I HAVEN'T ASKED FOR, UH, UH, FOR COUNCILWOMAN ROCHA GARCIA THAT WE MIGHT TAKE THAT UP IN P C D C TO FIND OUT WHAT CAN WE DO, HOW, HOW'S, IS THERE ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THIS? UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT TELLING, TURNING PEOPLE DOWN FROM AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM.
'CAUSE THEIR HOME IS NOT UP TO CODE.
COUNCILMAN BRAVO, UH, I WOULD JUST TELL YOU THAT, UH, BUT THE ONLY KIND OF COMPLICATION THAT ARISES FROM TIME TO TIME IS WHEN A CUSTOMER HAS A LEAKY ROOF.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S REALLY NOT CODE, YOU KNOW, UH, ISSUES THAT'S GONNA PREVENT US FROM GOING IN AND UPGRADING THE INSTALLATION.
BUT THERE MAY BE SOME STRUCTURAL ISSUES THAT DETERMINE HOW EFFECTIVE IT MIGHT BE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO THEN SPEAKING OF ROOFS, UM, IF THEY DON'T HAVE AN OR LEAKY ROOF, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS WHERE WE GO IN AND WE PAINT THEIR ROOFS WHITE.
UH, YOU KNOW, PAINTING SOMEBODY'S ROOF WHITE IS A HUGE WAY TO REDUCE THEIR, THEIR ENERGY CONSUMPTION.
UH, IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I LEARNED WHEN I WORKED FOR AUSTIN ENERGY'S, UM, GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM 22 YEARS AGO.
UH, ON A HUNDRED DEGREE DAY, A YOUR, UH, STANDARD ROOF SHINGLES WILL GET UP TO 165 TO 170 DEGREES, BUT A WHITE SHEET METAL ROOF WILL ONLY HIT 120 DEGREES.
AND SO YOU CAN GET SOMEWHERE CLOSER TO THAT 1 1 20 BY PAINTING THOSE, THOSE, UH, SHINGLES WHITE, IT'S NOT REALLY EXPENSIVE.
AND IT ALSO PRESERVES THE LIFE OF THAT, THOSE OF THOSE ROOF SH SHINGLES.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'D LIKE US TO EXPLORE.
UM, WE DO HAVE A, WE DO HAVE A COOL ROOF PROGRAM, COUNCILMAN, SO THAT, THAT IS PART OF OUR PROGRAM.
WELL, I, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT BE A BIG PART OF THIS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LOW INCOME AREAS.
UM, SO THEN, UH, RUDY, I, I DID GET, UH, AN EMAIL FROM, FROM A C P S ENERGY CUSTOMER SAYING THAT, UM, C P S ENERGY IS TARGETING NON CO COINCIDENT PEAK DEMAND RATHER THAN COINCIDENT, COINCIDENT DEMAND THROUGH YOUR STEP PROGRAM.
AND, UM, I WANTED TO HEAR FROM YOU WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS AND, AND WHY YOU, WHY YOU CHOOSE TO, UH, TARGET NON COINCIDENT PEAK DEMAND THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
THE FACT IS, WE, WE TARGET BOTH, RIGHT? SO OUR DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM, RIGHT? SO OUR DEMAND RESPONSE, WE UTILIZE OUR DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM TO HELP, YOU KNOW, WE HIT THAT BUTTON WHEN WE THINK, YOU KNOW, AS A SYSTEM, UH, OUR LOAD SHARE FOR THE ENTIRE ERCOT SYSTEM IS DETERMINED.
WHAT, WHAT OUR PEAK IS WHEN ERCOT SETS ITS PEAK FOR THE MONTHS OF MAY, JUNE, JULY, OR JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, MAY, JUNE, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
SO WHEN WE HIT OUR PEAK AND ERCOT HITS THEIR PEAK, YOU KNOW, THAT NUMBER'S SET, AND
[01:35:01]
THEN THEY AVERAGE THOSE FOUR PEAKS TOGETHER AND WHATEVER OUR PERCENTAGE IS, YOU KNOW, ASSOCIATED WITH ERCOT, UH, YOU KNOW, OVERALL LOAD, YOU KNOW, IT'S, AND IT'S ABOUT 7%, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN.SO THERE IS A BENEFIT BOTH FOR PEAK SAVINGS THROUGH DEMAND RESPONSE.
'CAUSE IF WE CAN LOWER THAT AND GO FROM SEVEN TO 6.7% THAT EVERYBODY BENEFITS SAVINGS WISE, 'CAUSE THAT FACTORS IT INTO THE TRANSMISSION COST THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, THAT OUR CUSTOMERS, UH, YOU KNOW, SEE ON THEIR BILL.
SO THERE, SO THERE'S BOTH, UH, UH, COINCIDENT PEAK, YOU KNOW, KIND OF STRATEGY AND THEN A NON COINCIDENT PEAK STRATEGY.
'CAUSE WE STILL HAVE TO ACHIEVE SAVINGS, YOU KNOW, THE REST OF THE MONTH.
SO, SO THE, THE FACT IS IT'S BOTH NOT, IT'S NOT ONE OR THE OTHER.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS AVOID HAVING TO INVEST IN ANOTHER POWER PLANT.
AND SO REALLY WE, WHAT, WHAT WE, WE WANNA REDUCE PEAK USE, RIGHT? AND SO ONE WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS BY SPREADING OUT DEMAND.
AND ONE TOOL FOR SPREADING OUT DEMAND IS A TIME OF IMPLEMENTING A TIME OF USE RATE.
WE'RE C P S ENERGY ON IMPLEMENTING A TIME OF USE RATE.
THAT'LL BE, AND WE HAVE A TIME OF USE RATE.
NOT A LOT OF CUSTOMERS UTILIZE IT TODAY.
UH, BUT THAT WILL BE PART OF THE RATE RESTRUCTURING CONVERSATION THAT THE RATE ADVISORY WILL GET INTO ONCE THEY GET PAST THE GENERATION CONVERSATION.
IT'LL BE HOW CAN WE RESTRUCTURE RATES, YOU KNOW, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SMART METER DATA THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE THAT CAN SEND DIFFERENT SIGNALS TO CUSTOMERS.
IT'S, WE JUST HAVEN'T GOTTEN THERE YET.
SO, BUT WHEN YOU SAY YOU HAVE IT, IS IT, YOU HAVE IT AS A PILOT TIME USE? I THINK THERE'S ONE CUSTOMER ON IT, SO I, IT JUST HASN'T BEEN A REAL ATTRACTIVE RATE, YOU KNOW, AT ANY LEVEL.
THERE NOT, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF CUSTOMERS ON ANY UTILITIES.
AUSTIN ENERGY HAS AN INCLINING BLOCK RATE WHERE THEY KIND OF FORCE THE ISSUE.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMERS JUST REAL AREN'T REAL INTERESTED.
UH, IN THAT RATE, AT LEAST THEY HAVEN'T BEEN UP TO NOW.
I THINK, UH, WE WILL PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE DATA WE HAVE WITH OUR SMART METERS.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING IS, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HAD SOME, UH, YOU'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH WITH SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ABOUT, UH, WHEN YOU REPORT STUFF BACK TO US, WE RECENTLY HAD ESSAY READY TO WORK COME TO US AND I ASKED, UM, THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ABOUT WHEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO LEARN, UH, UPDATES ABOUT, UM, HOW THEIR PROGRAM IS BEING IMPLEMENTED AND, UH, WHAT THEIR PROGRESS IS.
AND HE SAID THEY'RE GONNA CREATE A WEBSITE AND WE'LL, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE UPDATING IT IN REAL TIME.
AND SO WE CAN GO TO THAT WEBSITE AT ANY TIME AND SEE WHAT THE LATEST, UM, WHAT THEIR LATEST PROGRESS IS.
AND SO I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TALK TO HAVE YOUR TEAM TALK TO SA READY TO WORK AND SEE, UH, WHAT EXACTLY THEY'RE DOING WITH A, AN ONLINE DASHBOARD AND SEE IF THEY'RE, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO MIMIC SOME OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
YEAH, I, I, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, UPGRADING OUR SYSTEM.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT DURING THE RAPE CASE.
WE'VE GOT A 22 YEAR OLD SYSTEM, UM, THAT'S SOMEWHAT LIMITING, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY, UH, FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SHARE INFORMATION MAYBE MONTHLY OR MAYBE WHATEVER ITERATION MAKES SENSE TO SHOW YOU HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY HOMES WE WEATHERIZE AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON, ON OUR PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, AND AS REAL TIME AS, AS OUR SYSTEM WILL ALLOW US TO DO.
SO I, I, I THINK THAT THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, I JUST HAVE A, A COUPLE OF THINGS TO ASK ABOUT.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT YOU SIGN UP TO SPEAK AT MEETINGS.
I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT IT'S ONLY A FRIDAY MORNING FROM SEVEN TO ONE AND, UH, YOU CAN TELL YOUR BOARD MEMBERS, THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
AND I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE MORE, UH, OPENNESS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SIGN UP AND SPEAK AT THE MEETINGS.
AND SO I, I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT OUT THERE.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT USING THE RACK AND THE CAC, I THINK THEY'RE IMPORTANT COMMITTEES, BUT WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE EXPLAINING THIS PROJECT, I THINK IT TAKES MORE COMMUNITY INPUT, OR AT LEAST BETTER COMMUNITY EDUCATION ABOUT HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK AND WHAT THE BENEFIT IS.
EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE HAVE HAD IT FOR YEARS, THEY PROBABLY DON'T EVEN KNOW IT.
THEY PROBABLY HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN IT ON THEIR BILL.
THEY PROBABLY DON'T REMEMBER THE DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE 12 YEARS AGO ABOUT IT.
BUT THEY'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT IT NOW AND THEY'LL WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO, UH, A MUCH CLEARER JOB OF EXPLAINING IT, UH, TO ALL OF THE CUSTOMER BASE SO THAT THEY'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
THEY'LL RECOGNIZE WHAT THE VALUE IS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I LOVE THE PEOPLE WE'RE SERVING ON THESE COMMITTEES, BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY GO OUT INTO ALL OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND TELL EVERYBODY, RIGHT, EVERYTHING THEY KNOW.
SO IT'S UP TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM TO EXPLAIN THIS IN VERY SIMPLE, CLEAR
[01:40:01]
TERMS, UH, FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S GOING TO BE IMPACTED.THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTINUING A CHARGE.
SO TO SOME PEOPLE IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S AN INCREASE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WE RE IF WE TOOK IT AWAY, THAT WOULD BE A DECREASE IN PEOPLE'S BILLS.
RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THEIR BILL BECAUSE WE JUST WENT THROUGH A RATE CHANGE.
AND ALTHOUGH THAT WAS, WHAT, TWO OR $3, UH, YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE MUCH, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT GOING FORWARD AS FAR AS CONTINUING SERVICE, THE COST OF SERVICE, UH, RESOLVING THE LAWSUITS THAT ARE GOING ON OVER THE FEBRUARY STORM.
SO THERE VERY WELL MAY BE A NEED FOR A FUTURE INCREASE.
FROM WHAT I'M HEARING AND WHAT I UNDERSTAND, C P S IS DOING BETTER THAN WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE DOING SIX MONTHS AGO OR A YEAR AGO.
THAT MAY MEAN THAT THAT CONTINUES TO BE A GOOD TREND.
SO MAYBE WE DON'T COME BACK IN TWO YEARS AND SAY WE NEED ANOTHER THREE OR 4% INCREASE.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE NEED TO ALWAYS LOOK AT WHAT THE BILL IMPACT IS FOR EVERYBODY.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING, YOU KNOW, REDUCING $3 AND 50 CENTS A MONTH OFF SOMEBODY'S BILLS, YOU KNOW, IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THEM.
SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, IF THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE, I HOPE THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE ADD ON TO THAT IN SIX MONTHS, ANOTHER UNFAVORABLE CONDITION THAT COMES ALONG, UH, AND IT ALL ADDS UP.
SO IT'S JUST AN OPINION, THAT'S ALL.
UH, THE ONE THING I DO WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT THOUGH, IS WEATHERIZATION.
AND I THINK THAT IS A VERY KEY ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE WORK ON.
I'M PLEASED TO HEAR THAT WE'VE HELPED 30,000 HOMES.
UH, BUT I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THERE'S PROBABLY AT LEAST THAT MANY MORE THAT NEED THAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE TO HELP CONTROL THEIR COST OF ENERGY.
AND I KNOW THIS PROGRAM IS GEARED TOWARDS THAT, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE, AND I HOPE THAT'LL BE A MAIN, UH, EFFORT THAT GOES THROUGH.
COUNCILMAN, LEMME JUST POINT OUT, RICK SAID IT, I WANT TO PUNCTUATE IT.
WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOING FROM ABOUT FOUR OR 5,000 HOMES A YEAR, WEATHERIZATION TO 16,000, GIVE OR TAKE.
SO, UM, SO WE'RE GONNA MAXIMIZE, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN GET THROUGH WEATHERIZATION.
IT'S A, IT'S A PIECE, I MEAN, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, TO, FOR US TO ACHIEVE THE, THE GOALS WE'VE SET FORTH IN THE, IN THE PROGRAM, YOU GOTTA, YOU KNOW, GET IT FROM DIFFERENT PLACES TO GET THERE.
UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA WEATHERIZE AS MANY HOMES AS, AS, AS WE CAN.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I HOPE IT GETS SPREAD ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY.
I'LL SAY THIS, IT, IT'S BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT, AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY WELL UNDERSTOOD THAT A LOT OF THE INCENTIVES THAT WE HAD, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO SOLAR ENERGY ONLY BENEFITED A CERTAIN SEGMENT OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S A COMMUNITY WITH MIDDLE INCOME OR HIGHER THAT COULD AFFORD THE DIFFERENCE IN COST TO GO AHEAD AND ADD SOLAR TO THEIR HOMES.
AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN VERY MUCH IN THREE QUARTERS OF THE CITY.
AND I THINK IT'S SMART FOR US TO MOVE AWAY FROM ABSORBING ANY PART OF THE COST OF THAT.
I AM SUPPORTIVE THOUGH, OF THE COMMUNITY SOLAR EFFORTS THAT YOU'VE PUT OUT.
MY FAMILY AND I OWN PANELS IN COMMUNE SOLAR, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BENEFIT FROM IT, AND IT, AND IT HAS A GREATER BENEFIT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
BUT I THINK THAT, UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHERE A LOT OF THE BENEFITS HAVE BEEN, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WERE BENEFITS, UM, ON, UH, OTHER THINGS YOU COULD DO AROUND YOUR HOME.
THE PEOPLE WHO COULD AFFORD TO DO THAT TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT, RIGHT? BUT PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T, DIDN'T.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN THAT SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE BENEFITS THAT COME FROM THIS NEXT STEP PROGRAM REALLY BENEFIT AS MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND, AND NOT THE FEW, BUT THE MANY.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, AND I THINK YOU'RE TELLING US THAT'S THE DIRECTION YOU WANNA GO IN.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN OUR GOAL, COUNCILMAN.
WE, I MEAN, AGAIN, EVERY CUSTOMER'S PAYING IN.
SO WE'VE TRIED TO CREATE PROGRAMS THAT, THAT WHERE THERE'S A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY, UH, IN THERE.
AND I, AND, AND AGAIN, I THINK THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF EQUITY, YOU KNOW, ASSOCIATED WITH THAT TYPE OF, OF OUTLOOK AS WELL.
WE KNOW WE GOTTA DO MORE FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME AND WE'RE GOING TO, BUT THERE STILL HAS TO BE PROGRAMS IN THERE FOR EVERYONE, RIGHT.
AND PEOPLE HAVE TO ASK FOR THE HELP TOO.
AND I KNOW THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A CONCERN.
NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THE OPPORTUNITIES AND STEP FORWARD AND ASK.
I MEAN, THEY DO HAVE TO PROACTIVELY AGREE TO ALLOW US TO COME IN AND DO IT, BUT WE'RE TAKING THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO THEM GOOD.
YOU KNOW, SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE TO CALL US.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE IN FRONT OF YOU, WE'RE GONNA OFFER IT UP AND HOPE YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
[01:45:01]
GOOD.THE LAST COMMENT I WANNA MAKE IS ABOUT THE IDEA THAT WE'RE GONNA APPROVE EMISSIONS, UH, REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS.
AND OBVIOUSLY A CONSERVATION PROGRAM IS GEARED TOWARDS SAVING ENERGY AND SAVING MONEY.
AS MUCH AS YOU CAN FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MS EMISSION REDUCTIONS, YES, IF WE SAVE ENERGY, WE'RE SAVING THAT.
BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST AREA THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT EMISSION REDUCTIONS IS GETTING OFF OF COAL.
AND I WANT TO SEE AND HEAR MORE OF, OF WHEN WE ARE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
I KNOW IT'S NOT PART OF STEP, BUT I THINK IT'S AN INTEGRAL PART OF MEETING OUR, OUR CAP OBLIGATIONS AS A CITY AND AS A UTILITY.
THIS IS GONNA SAVE US SOME ENERGY, IT WILL HELP WITH EMISSIONS, BUT UNTIL WE GET RID OF COAL AND FIND SOME BETTER ALTERNATIVES, UH, IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AS PART OF MY CONCERN ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING IN THIS AREA, COUNCILMAN, WE'RE ON TRACK WITH THE COMMITMENTS WE MADE TO COUNCIL ON THAT DURING THE RA CASE CONVERSATION.
SO OUR BOARD IS, YOU KNOW, READY TO ACT WHEN, WHEN, WHEN WE PRESENT IT TO 'EM.
WELL, I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS, AND I THINK THAT IT, IT HAS BEEN A BRIEFING.
AND IT'S JUST, UM, A, A QUESTION FOR RUDY.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO, OR WILL YOU BE ABLE TO HAVE ANNUAL REVIEWS OF SPECIFICALLY ALL OF THE PROGRAMS AND MAYBE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON, ON REFOCUSING EFFORTS? LIKE WHETHER IT BE MARKETING EFFORTS, WHETHER IT BE, UM, FIGURING OUT HOW TO GIVE ACCESS TO FINANCE FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT, THAT COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE? AND AGAIN, I'LL, I'LL GO BACK.
THE, THE EASY EXAMPLE FOR ME IS THE SOLAR PANELS.
MY RESIDENTS CAN'T AFFORD UPFRONT THE COST.
AND SO IF, IF THERE'S SOLUTIONS TO FOCUS ON HELP FOR SPECIFIC AREAS, COUNCILMAN WE ARE, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY PART OF OUR PLAN.
I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA DO AN ANNUAL ANNUAL REVIEW WHERE WE TALK ABOUT SHORTCOMINGS AND WHERE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AND YOU KNOW, AND, AND GET INPUT.
SO YES, THAT, THAT IS PART OF OUR PROGRAM.
DOES THAT MEAN THE STEP PROGRAM HAS THE FLEXIBILITY TO ADD ON ADDITIONAL THINGS ALONG THE WAY? ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THAT, UH, WE'VE ALL HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PROVIDING THESE ANSWERS.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A BRIEFING FOR THIS COUNCIL.
WE'RE NOT GONNA, UH, THIS COMMITTEE, WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY DECISION.
THAT DECISION WILL BE MADE BY THE FULL COUNSEL WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO THEN AT THIS TIME I'LL SAY OUR MEETING IS ADJOURNED.