Elizabeth Trovall/Houston Public Media
The Public Memorial Tribute took place outside of City Hall.
The city of Houston is expected to spend more than $131 million on electricity this fiscal year, according to a new report from the city controller’s office, which says the city is on track to spend about 40% more on electricity than it did last year.
Will Jones, with the city controller’s office, discussed electricity spending at a city council committee meeting this week. He said the city entered into an electricity contract with Reliant Energy right before the 2021 winter freeze, temporarily shielding the city from increased costs after the storm.
“Now that we’re in the renewal option, now we have some exposure to the reality of what everyone else has been paying for a while,” he said.
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Jones said energy costs are expected to remain higher due to infrastructure improvements after natural disasters, including the 2021 winter freeze and Hurricane Beryl in 2024.
“This is not a one-and-done impact,” he said. “We’re going to be dealing with this for quite a while.”
The city has used about 86% of the money set aside for its electricity contract with Reliant, an electricity retailer in the Houston area. CenterPoint Energy distributes power to much of the region.
The controller’s office said it’s continuing to monitor the city’s electricity spending.
“The Controller’s Office is closely monitoring the City’s exposure and will continue to provide data-driven analysis that supports long-term planning, protects taxpayer dollars, and ensures the City is prepared for future market volatility,” Controller Chris Hollins said in a statement.