Winter Storm Recovery Due to Outages

Power Outages and Damages Resulting From Winter Storm Uri

Austin Energy hereby declares that the power outages that occurred in our service territory between the dates of February 11 - 20, 2021, were caused by Winter Storm Uri.

Winter Storm Uri caused direct physical damage to Austin Energy’s transmission and distribution system, resulting in multiple power outages across our service territory.

In addition, the extreme low temperatures during the storm created high consumer demand for electricity, impacted fuel supplies, and caused equipment to freeze, causing numerous generation outages across the state and resulting in multiple emergency directives from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) for controlled power outages.

The combination of storm damage and ERCOT-mandated outages left thousands of homes and businesses in our service area and across the state without power at various times during the storm. Some outages were due to a combination of mandated outages and physical damage.

Recovery Resources Are Available

• Outage History — If you need outage history for your impacted property for insurance claims, please email Customer Care or call 512-494-9400.
   
• Assistance with Insurance Claims — If you need additional assistance with insurance claims, the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) may be able to help and has issued a bulletin with guidance on adjusting claims for damage from the recent winter storm.
   
• Federal Assistance — If not insured or if insurance does not cover damages to your property, you may be eligible for federal assistance. The fastest and easiest way to apply is by visiting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website. 
   
• City of Austin Utility Bill Relief — For more information on utility bill relief from the City of Austin and other measures to help those dealing with the aftermath of the winter storm, please visit City of Austin Utility Bill Relief.
   
• City of Austin Resources — Additional information and resources related to the February 2021 Cold Weather Emergency can be found on the City of Austin’s website.

Utility disconnections for non-payment resumed in July 2021. If you are experiencing financial hardship and are unable to pay your utility bill, please contact City of Austin Utilities Customer Care immediately at 512-494-9400. A Customer Service Representative will review your account and discuss available options such as payment arrangements and/or financial assistance.