September 22, 2015
Re: Decision on purchasing up to 600 MW of Solar Energy
Dear Mayor and Council,
The Coalition for Clean Affordable and Reliable Energy (CCARE) represents small, commercial and industrial
businesses, as well as non-profits, school districts and state facilities which in total, employ more than 50,000
Central Texans. Collectively, our members purchase more than 200 million kilowatt hours of Green Choice
energy annually. We are nationally and internationally recognized for leadership in environmental stewardship
and the leaders in the business community on energy and regulatory issues.
CCARE supports prudent investment of renewables in the City of Austin and Austin Energy’s Generation Plan.
However, we are very concerned at the speed with which the City Council is proposing to move forward with
the purchase of 600 MW of solar; despite objections from its professional staff.
A summary of our reasons are below:
1. There has not been an analysis performed to determine the cost to each customer class for the
decision to move ahead with 600 MW as called for in the Local Solar Strategic Plan adopted by the
Austin Local Solar Advisory Committee.
2. There has not been a study of what the impact will be on the affordability goal.
3. Additionally, the Generation Plan states that AE staff is to compare any procurement of 10MW or more
with other available power on the ERCOT market.
4. Has any of this been provided to the City Council/Board of Directors for Austin Energy?
5. The cost of solar will continue to go lower over time. Why the rush to buy 600MW now and not phase
it in over several years? The City of Austin will once again be paying a premium that is not necessary.
Just like Biomass. Just like the Webberville Solar project.
6. The Navigant study on the Generation Plan hasn’t been completed. Completion of the City Council
authorized study would provide the answers to the questions posed in the study, and those above.
On September 24th, 2014 at the Austin Energy subcommittee meeting, Austin Energy presented the financial
feasibility of replacing Decker Power Plant with 600 MW of Solar. In this presentation, Austin Energy outlined
in great detail that the Generation Plan--with direction to staff to replace Decker--would violate the City
Council’s own adopted affordability goal. The City’s professional staff was clear; converting the Decker Power
plant to solar would cost hundreds of millions dollars to the ratepayers of Austin.
CCARE has worked closely with Austin Energy to identify and support additional wind and solar contracts to
reach renewable energy goals, because we too value a future that includes renewable energy. But we, like the
community, also value affordability and this decision does not uphold affordability and smart-planning for the
future of this utility. Affordability isn’t just important for residents—who are also our employees—but it is

 vital to the city’s economic success that Austin remains competitive and affordable for businesses to
successfully plan for retention and expansion.
CCARE is respectfully asking the Austin City Council to slow down and not repeat the mistakes of the previous
City Council.
Sincerely,

Roger Wood
Chairman CCARE
CC:

City Manager Marc Ott
Assistant City Manager Robert Goode
General Manager Larry Weis