Base Power Brings Affordable Home Backup to Austin Energy Customers

Austin Energy customers can now have a Base battery installed on their home, providing them automatic backup power when their power goes out. The official launch follows the partnership between the two companies announced in May, which transforms thousands of home batteries into a new energy resource Austin Energy can draw on during periods of peak demand.

For decades, whole-home backup has largely been reserved for homeowners willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars on generators or solar-and-battery systems. Base costs $695 to install, plus $19 a month, which covers service and maintenance for the life of the battery.

"Austin is where we built Base," said Zach Dell, co-founder and CEO of Base Power. "Partnering with Austin Energy means our own community, families, and neighbors can now get affordable home backup. Austin Energy has kept this city powered for over 130 years, and we’re proud to now be part of that story."

Austin Energy customers who sign up for Base get a 40 kWh Base battery professionally installed on the outside of their home. The battery provides automatic, whole-home backup, switching over seamlessly when the power goes out and keeping a home running for up to 36 hours. It does not require solar but can integrate with it.

"I've been interested in getting backup support for a long time, but have held off due to the cost of a generator," said John H., a Base member and Austin Energy customer. "I immediately jumped at the opportunity to get a Base battery. It provides multiple days of backup for a fraction of the cost and maintenance."

During high-demand periods, Austin Energy can draw on the Base batteries to add capacity, easing strain on the grid and lowering the risk of outages. During power outages, the battery keeps the home powered, giving members the full protection of whole-home backup. Customers are billed only for the energy their home uses and will be billed at their normal Austin Energy rates.

Austin Energy customers are joining a model that's already proven at scale across Texas. Since publicly launching in 2024, Base has installed batteries on more than 15,000 homes, delivering affordable backup while supporting the grid. Funded by the $1 billion Series C it raised in October, Base is scaling further across Texas and recently announced an expansion into Illinois.

The partnership brings together two organizations investing in Austin's energy future: the city's longtime municipal utility and one of its fastest-growing energy companies. Base employs more than 500 people in Austin and built its manufacturing facility at the former Austin American-Statesman site. Austin Energy joins a growing list of utilities and cooperatives partnering with Base, including El Paso Electric, CoServ, Farmers Electric, GVEC, and Bandera.

Base Power | https://www.basepowercompany.com/austinenergy