Austin Energy Snapshot
The capital city of Texas may have a laid-back reputation, but it uses plenty of energy. Austin Energy is a municipally owned electric utility that serves more than 400,000 residential and commercial customers. Its about 3,000 MW of generation capacity comes primarily from its interests in three gas-fired plants, part-ownership of a coal-fueled facility, and a 16% stake in a nuclear-powered plant. Renewable energy sources include wind power and landfill methane. Austin Energy has been producing electricity since 1895, when a hydroelectric plant opened on the Colorado River. Power deregulation took effect in Texas in 2002, but as a city-owned utility, Austin Energy is not required to participate.
