R2020-077 2020-04-27 RESOLUTION NO. R2020-77
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Pearland, Texas„ ("City")
responding to the application of Centerpoint Energy Resources Corp.,
Texas Coast Division, to increase rates under the gas reliability
infrastructure program; suspending the effective date of this rate
application for forty-five days; authorizing the City to continue to
participate in a coalition of cities known as the "Texas Coast Utilities
Coalition" of cities; determining that the meeting at which the resolution
was adopted complied with the Texas Open Meetings Act; making such
other findings and provisions related to the subject; and declaring an
effective date.
WHEREAS, on or about March 5, 2020 CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp., Texas
Coast Division ("CenterPoint") filed for an increase in gas-utility rates under the Gas Reliability
Infrastructure Program (`GRIP"), resulting in a requested increase in the monthly customer
charge for a residential customer from $17.10 to $17.77, an increase of approximately 3.92% in
the monthly fixed customer charge; and
WHEREAS, the City has a special responsibility to exercise due diligence with regard to
rate increases of monopoly utilities who operate within its boundaries; and
WHEREAS, the application to increase rates by CenterPoint is complex; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to suspend the effective date for the increase in rates for
forty-five days, so that the City can assure itself that the data and calculations in CenterPoint's
rate application are correctly done; and
WHEREAS, the effective date proposed by CenterPoint is May 4, 2020 but a suspension
by the City will mean that the rate increase cannot go into effect prior to June 18, 2020, now
therefore;
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS:
Section 1. That the statements and findings set out in the preamble to this resolution
are hereby in all things approved and adopted.
Section 2. The City suspends the requested effective date by CenterPoint for forty-
five days pursuant to the authority granted the City under Section 104.301 of the Texas Utilities
Code. The City finds that additional time is needed in order to review the data and calculations
that provide the basis for the rate increase application.
Section 3. The City shall continue to act jointly with other cities that are part of a
coalition of cities known as the Texas Coast Utilities Coalition ("TCUC") of cities.
Section 4. The City authorizes the law firm of Herrera Law & Associates, PLLC, to
act on its behalf in connection with CenterPoint's application to increase rates.
Section 5. To the extent allowed by law, CenterPoint is ordered to pay the City's
reasonable rate case expenses incurred in response to CenterPoint's rate increase application
within 30 days of receipt of invoices for such expenses to the extent allowed by law.
Section 6. The meeting at which this resolution was approved was in all things
conducted in compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter
551.
Section 7. This resolution shall be effective immediately upon passage.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this the 27th day of April, A.D., 2020.
Oy,2 :.
TOM REID
MAYOR
ATTEST:
CRY AL ROAN, TRMC, CMC
CITY SECRETARY
=V N3
APPROVED AS TO FORM: - �\
DARRIN M. COKER
CITY ATTORNEY
2