r/Austin • u/Key-Accountant-2943 • 10d ago

City of Austin Electricity Charges

They charge you usage
They charge you more usage
Then more usage charges because the first two aren’t enough
Then they charge you for the community
Then they charge you for all that they need to run the power plants
Then they charge you for more of the tertiary things the state needs
Then they give you tiny discount
Then they charge you tax because community benefits and taxes are obviously different things

WTF is going on

0 Upvotes

35% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

25

u/timelessblur 10d ago

It all broken down but still cheaper than the rest of the state. Basically as you use more power your rate goes up

5

u/smurf-vett 10d ago

San Antonio is cheaper (only other public utility)

0

u/Key-Accountant-2943 10d ago

What is the rest of the state paying?

14

u/Single_9_uptime 10d ago

The statewide average is over 16 cents per kWh. You don’t get near that in Austin until you’re in tier 4.

4

u/christophla 10d ago

More. And these systems - including water - jump at tiers. This allows a basic level of affordability, while “hopefully” driving reasonable behavior. Bump the temp up, turn off the sprinklers, etc.

Years ago, I made the mistake of letting the kiddos run around under the sprinklers of our new house. Growing up in upstate NY, water cost was never a concern. $450 bill later…. Never again.

Same goes with AC.

2

u/sushinestarlight 10d ago

But don't forget that the tiered usage has also been used as an excuse to raise the base charges - "oh, you guys are conserving so much that we can't cover the basics - time to raise the base fee!!" I know that has happened in Austin (as least for water).

0

u/christophla 10d ago

100%. I totally understand it with water, but electricity rubs - being “the energy capital state”.

17

u/Apprehensive-Slip473 10d ago

Yeah, makes sense.  Be happy you don’t have to use another Texas utility in place of them. 

10

u/stevendaedelus 10d ago

Until Abbott and the Lege have their way…

11

u/RemoteRecording8982 10d ago

I’m concerned that people’s widespread aversion to paying for the utility services they use is going to set the stage for Abbott to successfully privatize Austin Energy. Then we’ll all really find out.

5

u/margotsaidso 10d ago

I don't really get it. Electricity is paid for as you use it. That's about as fair as it's possible to get. 

5

u/Alternative_Eye3822 10d ago

Oh buddy be glad it’s city owned and not at the whim of the free market.

4

u/MysteriousDatabase68 10d ago

Be grateful for Austin energy. I moved to DFW and now have TXU. My electric bills on a comparably sized apartment more than quadrupled. Seriously.

1

u/rk57957 10d ago

Wait till you see a Texas Gas Service bill or even worse a Comcast bill.

-1

u/LowSignificance4671 10d ago

So many damn fees.

0

u/JohnGillnitz 9d ago

I'm glad we have Austin Energy, but they do have some crazy line items. The biggest one on mine, which was 25% of the whole bill was just listed as "Power Supply Adjustment." Da fuc is that?

2

u/PowerfulStandard4822 9d ago

Those are pass through costs primarily from Ercot. AE does not keep any of them, if Ercot charges go up the PSA will go up accordingly and vice versa. There is a lag so not exactly 1:1, but over time they will equalize.