The Austin City Council on Thursday approved Austin Energy’s third-party contract for evaluating more than 12,000 miles of electrical distribution lines. Twin independent studies by engineering firm Burns & McDonnell will begin in March 2024 to assess underground feasibility, as well as overhead resiliency of Austin Energy’s distribution system.
The contractor will evaluate the distribution system, which consists of approximately 7,000 miles of underground lines and 5,000 miles of overhead lines. The goal is to identify potential improvements to ensure the continued safe and reliable delivery of power to Austin Energy’s electric customers with a focus on risk management and resiliency.
“Austin Energy is excited to embark on these studies with an eye toward continually improving electric service reliability and resiliency,” said Elaine Veselka, Vice President of Electric System Engineering and Technical Services. “We feel this is much more than a ‘one size fits all’ approach to improving resiliency and can help guide our ongoing efforts.”
