We’ve known this was coming for more than two years, but it's even worse than we thought. Austin Energy is asking the Austin City Council to approve some amount of money that they won't disclose to the public for the purchase of additional methane gas-burning peaking power generation (gas power plant) without going through a competitive purchasing process as required by the Austin City Charter and state law.

Here are the facts:

• Austin Energy issued a request for proposals for local energy from any resource, but found that the gas peaker proposals weren't attractive.
• Austin Energy is asking City Council to authorize an undisclosed amount of money to develop contracts behind closed doors to buy 400 megawatts of gas peakers power generation anyway.
• Austin just had the hottest March on record.
• Austin has a community-wide net-zero greenhouse gas goal for 2040 and a goal for Austin Energy to be carbon-free by 2035.
• Austin’s air pollution levels already exceed national standards.
• Natural gas prices have risen significantly.
• Gas peaker turbines are on back order for 3-5 years.
• Clean energy – solar, batteries, virtual power plants, demand response, energy efficiency, etc.) are readily available, technologically advanced and financially proven.

And yet the City of Austin is going to invest in MORE fossil fuels?

Email the Austin City Council now and tell them to reject this illogical proposal.