Austin Energy's Weatherization Fail

Cold council reception to losing $400K In stimulus bucks

"...frame. … 54 families are not going to get weatherization services because of that failure to communicate.” Leffingwell tried..."

Dec. 9, 2011 News Post by Wells Dunbar

Point Austin: Storm Surge

Finger-pointing follows lost fed funds for Weatherization Assistance Program

"...Community Affairs) and approve the contracts necessary to begin weatherization work on the Mount Carmel Village apartments in East..."

Dec. 2, 2011 News Column by Amy Smith

Look What Blew In

City scores $900,000 after $400,000 loss

"...There's a new twist to the city's weatherization fiasco that's as puzzling as it is pleasing. In..."

Dec. 29, 2011 News Post by Amy Smith

Point Austin: Season of Discontent

Bungling a high-profile project is not the best way to ask for a raise

"...To quickly summarize last week's weatherization meltdown, Weis and Karl Rába­go, AE's vice president for..."

Dec. 16, 2011 News Column by Amy Smith

Weather-Beaten but Still Ticking

City lands $900,000 for weatherization but Rábago no longer heads program

"...that the city had regained financial footing in its weatherization program was followed by another surprise on Tuesday: Austin..."

Jan. 6, 2012 News Feature by Amy Smith

The Daily Hustle: 4/27/10

Sample some TDH -- no permit required

"...eligibility requirements for folks seeking city home repair and weatherization funds. As Laura Morrison (co-sponsoring the resolution with Mike..."

April 27, 2010 News Post by Wells Dunbar

How ERCOT and the City Are Preparing for the Next Winter Storm

Mayor: "We should anticipate that we will have a big weather event"

"...made several improvements, including inspecting power plants for proper weatherization, adding additional battery capacity, designating gas plants as critical..."

Dec. 8, 2023 News Feature by Lina Fisher

ERCOT Listening Tour Offers More Explanations Than Plans

Virtual town hall tries to allay fears of power grid reliability

"...measures ERCOT has already taken, including facility inspections of weatherization measures by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and..."

Feb. 4, 2022 News Feature by Lina Fisher

Austin Energy Still Hasn't Fixed Problems With Utility Bill Discounts on Expensive Homes

Consumer advocate requests audit of AE's Customer Assistance Program

"...set by Council with each year's budget) for free weatherization for lower­-income homeowners. "If they're not using a lot..."

Jan. 29, 2021 News Feature by Lina Fisher

Then There's This: As the Door Revolves ...

Contractors cry foul when ex-city official returns – wearing new hat

"...claimed they were being shut out of a federal weatherization program administered through Austin Energy. The complaints momentarily halted..."

Nov. 9, 2012 News Column by Amy Smith

Then There's This: Utilities or Food?

The poor get poorer as electric and water rates rise

"...Additionally, of the 1,245 homes that received federally funded weatherization work last year, the vast majority of those households..."

Feb. 24, 2012 News Column by Amy Smith

Top 10 Environmental Stories

Drought, wildfires, and more WTP4

"...8) Whither Weatherization? A miscue somewhere between Austin Energy and the City..."

Jan. 6, 2012 News Feature by Amy Smith

Austin Energy Generation Resource Planning Task Force Recommendations: An Excerpt

"...the community by ... developing a neighborhood-by-neighborhood approach for weatherization services and other DSM program offerings ... by identifying,..."

Dec. 25, 2009 News Feature

With Six Seats Up in the Air, City Council Could Look Very Different Next Year

Ready to rumble?

"...justice goals," Siegel said. That could include a city-funded weatherization program, which would help strengthen the climate resilience of..."

Jan. 5, 2024 News Feature by Austin Sanders

Travis County Needs to Double Its Emissions Reductions by 2030

No strategy too small for tackling climate change

"...expanding recycling and compost programs. Lower-impact actions include home weatherization, regenerative agriculture, and tree planting. County staff joked that..."

Oct. 13, 2023 News Feature by Lina Fisher

The Good, The Bad, and the Pricey of Texas Energy Bills

Incentives for gas move ahead, energy efficiency measures stall

"...utilities to offer rebates and incentives for strategies like weatherization to customers, in order to meet the goal in..."

May 19, 2023 News Post by Lina Fisher

Supplying the Gas

"...supply gas during the storm because they skimped on weatherization, thinking that was the way to maximize their profits...."

Feb. 22, 2022 Postmarks

Opinion: The Texas Grid: A Tale of Profits Over People

One year after Winter Storm Uri, Rep. Gina Hinojosa reflects on still-needed improvements

Feb. 18, 2022 Column by Rep. Gina Hinojosa

It Wasn't Just ERCOT: Task Force Slams City's Freeze Response

Winter Storm Review Task Force finds fault in city's Uri response

"...fuel resources during the winter months, as well as weatherization, Lake said...."

Aug. 6, 2021 News Feature by Kimberly Reeves

Even the Winter Storm Disaster Couldn't Budge the Texas Lege on Climate Change

Maybe when hell freezes over?

"...Storm Uri, Zwiener's bill to authorize state grants for weatherization became a component of the omnibus Senate Bill 3..."

June 4, 2021 News Feature by Lina Fisher

House Makes Its First Post-Freeze Moves to Fix the Grid

Who's got the power?

"...coordination between ERCOT and energy regulators, and mandate the weatherization of generation and transmission systems. That last item was..."

March 12, 2021 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

The Buck Stops Here

"...The Texas system minimizes this storage as well as weatherization measures so as to maximize profit to the producers...."

Feb. 21, 2021 Postmarks

Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground

Austin slowly thaws out from an unprecedented – but not entirely unexpected – disaster

"...coal, and nuclear energy went offline due to insufficient weatherization or insufficient gas supplies, while West Texas wind fields..."

Feb. 19, 2021 News Feature by Lina Fisher

What’s Happening, What’s Being Done, and How We Got Into This Cold Weather Catastrophe

More chaos with continued power outages, calls for water conservation

"...coal, and nuclear energy went offline due to insufficient weatherization or insufficient gas supplies, while West Texas wind fields..."

Feb. 17, 2021 News Post by Lina Fisher

Austin Energy's Quest to Bring Solar Power to Renters and the Less Wealthy

What can new incentive programs and community solar projects do for the city's most abundant energy source?

"...considers the opportunity to subscribe to community solar and weatherization simultaneously a boon for residents. "It's better than nothing,"..."

Nov. 24, 2017 News Feature by Joseph Caterine

Council: The Public Weighs In

Budget priorities continue to be debated

"...housing increase $7.0 million: Austin Energy increase for low-income weatherization program..."

Aug. 28, 2015 News Feature by Michael King

The Road to 10-1: Add One More …

Candidate pilgrimage grows, and a glance at District 4

"...he would look to expand city programs – like weatherization of older housing stock – that promise both to..."

June 30, 2014 News Post by Michael King

Then There's This: Another Swipe at Austin Energy

State report calls for slashing low-income assistance program

"...Maine, challenged Cavin's opinion that the low-income discount and weatherization programs for low-income ratepayers are "non-utility" functions of the..."

Feb. 22, 2013 News Column by Amy Smith

Council: Raise Your Hand If You're Running for Mayor

It's impossible to ignore Council members' political aspirations

"...earmarked for the TFC partnership to Austin Energy's low-income weatherization program. But after a testy exchange with Cole at..."

Feb. 8, 2013 News Feature by Mike Kanin

Council: Time for a Beer

A short but packed agenda for this week's Council

"...for that purpose be redirected to Austin Energy's low-income weatherization program. For more, see "State & City Redevelopment? Hold..."

Feb. 1, 2013 News Feature by Michael King

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