Item 4 Passed 9-0
Item 4 — Thursday, May 21, 2026
Agenda PDF Legistar Official votes
Source information changed after this summary was written. The earlier summary is withheld.
Current official agenda wording
Authorize negotiation and execution of a battery storage agreement with OCI Energy, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of OCI Enterprises Inc., for up to 100 megawatts of electrical power capacity produced by a utility-scale battery facility, in an amount not to exceed $8,250,000 per year, for a term up to 20 years, for a total amount not to exceed $165,000,000. Funding for the additional amounts is contingent upon available funding in future budgets.
"Without objection, the consent agenda is adopted" — meeting transcript (unofficial)
What got said
Attributed statements from the meeting transcript, not official agenda values.
- Jen Robichaud urged shortening the 20-year battery contract given fast-changing technology
- Paul Robbins questioned the economics of Austin Energy's battery contracts
- Sierra Club's Cyrus Reed supported the OCI battery storage agreement
The roll call
Approved on Consent 9-0
Member records (11)
- Kirk Watson Mayor Yes
- Natasha Harper-Madison D1 Absent
- Vanessa Fuentes D2 Absent
- José Velásquez D3 Yes
- José "Chito" Vela D4 Yes
- Ryan Alter D5 Yes
- Krista Laine D6 Yes
- Mike Siegel D7 Yes
- Paige Ellis D8 Yes
- Zohaib "Zo" Qadri D9 Yes
- Marc Duchen D10 Yes