AUSTIN (KXAN) — City council members approved an Austin Energy contract Thursday that will add 100 megawatts of battery storage. The contract will cost Austin Energy $14.5 million annually.
Austin City Council Member Ryan Alter said during the meeting that the extra storage will save city residents in the long term.
“That’s a lot of battery storage, and we can do is take energy, whether it’s wind in the middle of the night, or when we have extra solar energy … store it for when we really need it,” he said. “That not only saves customers money, but it makes the grid more reliable.”
Previously, the city council approved Austin Energy’s “Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan to 2035” in December 2024. KXAN reported on that plan, which included provisions related to battery storage.
“It’s a plan that essentially talks about how we’re going to meet Austin’s rising energy needs while providing an equitable clean energy transition in support of the community’s values,” said Austin Energy COO Lisa Martin in December 2024.