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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 24-021 ORDINANCE NO. 24-021 AN ORDINANCE BY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS AUTHORIZING THE SETTLEMENT OF CENTERPOINT ENERGY RESOURCES CORP., D/B/A CENTERPOINT ENERGY ENTEX AND CENTERPOINT ENERGY TEXAS GAS'S STATEMENT OF INTENT TO INCREASE RATES IN THE HOUSTON, TEXAS COAST, SOUTH TEXAS, AND BEAUMONT/EAST TEXAS DIVISIONS, FILED OCTOBER 30, 2023; FINDING THAT THE MEETING COMPLIES WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, on or about October 30, 2023, CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp. d/b/a CenterPoint Energy Entex and CenterPoint Energy Texas Gas("CenterPoint"or"Company")filed a Statement of Intent with the City of Beaumont ("City") and concurrently with the Railroad Commission of Texas("Railroad Commission")to increase gas rates in the Houston,Texas Coast, South Texas and Beaumont/East Texas Divisions by$37.4 million per year; and, WHEREAS, the Company revised its Statement of Intent on December 19, 2023, and increased its requested revenue increase to $38.8 million; and, WHEREAS, the City of Beaumont joined the Steering Committee of Cities to intervene and participate in the Railroad Commission proceedings; and, WHEREAS, CenterPoint, Railroad Commission Staff, and other intervening parties including the Steering Committee of Cities participated in settlement discussions to resolve all contested rate case issues without litigation; and, WHEREAS, CenterPoint agreed to settle the rate request at an overall rate increase level of $5 million per year for the Houston, Texas Coast, South Texas and Beaumont/East Texas Divisions combined; and, WHEREAS,the agreed rate increase is expected to have no bill impact on customers in the Beaumont/East Texas Division; and, WHEREAS, the Railroad Commission Staff, the Lawton Law Firm, and counsel for other city groups participating in these proceedings have recommended approval of the Settlement terms as a reasonable alternative to resolve all contested rate case issues without the need for prolonged litigation; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT: Section 1. The statement and findings set out in the preamble to this Ordinance are hereby in all things approved and adopted. Section 2. The City of Beaumont hereby authorizes the settlement of the CenterPoint rate case proceedings at an overall rate increase level of$5 million per year. Section 3. The meeting at which this Ordinance was approved was in all things conducted in strict compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551. Section 4. This ordinance shall become effective from and after its passage. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Beaumont this the 7th day of May, 2024. ..t_' a(• v. - Ma or Roy Wes - ATTEST: '1‘S �� Tina Broussard, City Clerk