Austin Energy has proposed a service hike driven chiefly by the higher costs of natural gas.
Conservation-minded retirees Dale and Pat Bulla do everything they can to keep their bills down — they paid a mere $10.83 per month for electricity last year in their Northwest Austin home — but a key Austin City Council decision on Thursday could ballon that utility charge.
The city-owned utility has also floated eliminating the current tiered rate structure that encourages conservation.In October, the Austin City CouncilThe Bullas — Dale is 76 and a retired school teacher; Pat is 80 and a retired university instructor — live in the Jester subdivision. Their home sports plenty of south- and north-facing windows to catch the low-flying winter sun. However, to reduce the amount of direct sunlight, it has a few that face east and none that face west. The windows, which cost almost $20,000, use a special glass to block out heat.
Shade trees, high efficiency heating and air-conditioning units, ceiling fans, a programmable thermostat, solar panels and a metal roof that reflects sunlight contribute to their energy savings.Dale Bulla, at Once Over cafe earlier this month. He came with a printout of his household's water and electricity use, left, and homemade scones. Photo: Asher Price/AxiosThat monthly bill could triple, to more than $30 per month, once the rate hike settles out.
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