Home energy provider Base Power is no longer pursuing a multimillion-dollar city incentive deal for a new manufacturing facility but may still be expanding its local presence.
The overview
The Austin-based power company was founded in 2023 and currently has an office at 205 E. Riverside Drive, Ste. 100. Last year, Base announced $1 billion in fundraising to develop its first Texas factory across the street at 305 S. Congress Ave., the former home of the Austin American-Statesman that’s slated to be redeveloped into a mixed-use high-rise district.
Earlier this year, city officials were set to consider another investment from Base under Austin’s Business Expansion Program for a $265 million east side manufacturing and production facility. A proposed economic development agreement expected to support hundreds of new jobs was on City Council’s Feb. 5 agenda but was pulled before a vote.
The city and Base had “mutually agreed not to move forward” on that outlined incentive deal, Austin Economic Development spokesperson Carlos Soto said.
“We appreciate Base Power’s engagement throughout the process and remain supportive of companies exploring opportunities to invest and grow in Austin,” Soto said in an email. “Austin continues to be a strong and competitive environment for businesses in the energy and advanced manufacturing sectors, and we look forward to working with companies that are interested in creating jobs and investing in our community.”
A Base representative didn’t respond to a request for comment about the city incentive deal or the company’s plans in the area.
Zooming in
Base’s incentive for more than half of Austin property taxes over a 10-year period would’ve been worth up to $4.9 million. In exchange, the city was projected to receive almost $10 million in financial benefits through taxes and utility charges. A portion of Base’s incentive payment worth almost $1 million would’ve also been transferred to a public child care reserve fund.
Under the business expansion agreement, development of a 486,000-square-foot manufacturing center at 8001 Metropolis Drive was projected to retain 100 of Base’s local jobs and create 500 new full-time positions paying average salaries of $50,000.
While the city incentive deal fell through, the company may still be pursuing added space in East Austin. Soon after the city agreement was withdrawn, a Base project at the same Metropolis Drive address was registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
The TDLR project outline is for a $10.2 million, 216,060-square-foot manufacturing and warehouse facility in the MetCenter business and industrial park. It’s labeled as Base’s first phase at the expanding development.
A state filing shows Base Power is planning an East Austin manufacturing and warehouse facility at the MetCenter park that’s now expanding. (Ben Thompson/Community Impact)