Base Power Launches Affordable Whole-Home Backup Battery Program for Austin Energy Customers
Austin homeowners served by Austin Energy can now access an affordable whole-home battery backup solution following the official launch of Base Power’s residential battery program. Beginning today, eligible Austin Energy customers can have a Base battery professionally installed at their homes, providing automatic backup power during outages while also supporting the city’s electric grid during periods of peak demand.
The launch follows the strategic partnership announced by Base Power and Austin Energy in May, marking an important step toward modernizing residential energy resilience and strengthening grid reliability. By connecting thousands of home battery systems into a coordinated virtual energy resource, the initiative enables Austin Energy to access distributed battery capacity when electricity demand is at its highest, helping stabilize the grid while delivering dependable backup power to participating homeowners.
The collaboration introduces a new model for residential energy storage that combines affordable backup protection with broader grid support, offering benefits for both homeowners and the utility.
Making Whole-Home Backup More Accessible
For many years, comprehensive home backup systems have been considered a premium investment, often requiring homeowners to spend tens of thousands of dollars on standby generators or integrated solar-plus-battery systems. Those high upfront costs have limited adoption despite increasing concerns about grid reliability, severe weather events, and power outages.
Base Power aims to change that equation by introducing a significantly lower-cost alternative.
The company’s home battery system is available with an installation fee of $695, followed by a monthly service fee of $19, which includes ongoing maintenance and system support throughout the battery’s operational life.
By dramatically reducing the upfront investment traditionally associated with residential backup power, Base seeks to make energy resilience available to a much broader range of homeowners.
The subscription-based model also eliminates many of the maintenance responsibilities associated with conventional backup generators, giving homeowners predictable costs while ensuring long-term system performance.
Strengthening Austin’s Energy Future
Base Power’s launch carries special significance for the company, which was founded in Austin and has rapidly expanded across Texas.
According to Zach Dell, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Base Power, bringing the service to Austin Energy customers represents an important milestone for both the company and the community where it was established.
Dell noted that Austin has played a central role in Base’s development and emphasized that the partnership allows local families, neighborhoods, and businesses to benefit directly from technology developed within the city.
He also highlighted Austin Energy’s long history of serving the community, saying the municipal utility has powered the city for more than 130 years and that Base is proud to contribute to the next chapter of Austin’s evolving energy infrastructure.
The collaboration reflects a shared vision of improving energy resilience while supporting the transition toward a more flexible and distributed electric grid.
Automatic Backup During Power Outages
Customers enrolling in the program receive a professionally installed 40-kilowatt-hour Base battery mounted outside their homes.
The battery continuously monitors the home’s electrical service and automatically activates if utility power is interrupted.
When an outage occurs, the system switches seamlessly from grid electricity to battery power without requiring homeowner intervention.
The battery is designed to provide whole-home backup, allowing essential household systems and appliances to continue operating during outages.
Depending on electricity usage, the system can power a typical home for up to 36 hours, providing homeowners with multiple days of energy security during extended outages.
Unlike many residential battery systems currently available, Base’s solution does not require rooftop solar panels to function.
However, homeowners who already have solar installations can integrate those systems with the Base battery, enabling even greater flexibility and energy independence.
Delivering Value for Homeowners
The affordability of the system has already attracted positive feedback from early customers.
Austin Energy customer and Base member John H. explained that he had been considering backup power for years but had postponed purchasing a traditional generator because of the significant upfront cost.
He said Base’s offering immediately appealed to him because it provides several days of backup electricity at a fraction of the purchase price and maintenance requirements associated with conventional standby generators.
For many homeowners, the program provides peace of mind while avoiding the complexity and ongoing servicing required by fuel-powered backup systems.
The battery also operates quietly, produces no direct emissions during use, and eliminates the need for fuel storage, making it an attractive option for residential neighborhoods.
Supporting the Electric Grid
Beyond protecting individual homes, the program plays a broader role in strengthening Austin’s electrical infrastructure.
During periods of exceptionally high electricity demand, Austin Energy can temporarily draw upon the collective storage capacity of participating Base batteries.
This distributed energy resource effectively functions as a virtual power plant, providing additional electricity capacity precisely when the grid experiences its greatest strain.
By supplementing available energy during peak demand periods, the batteries can help reduce stress on the electric system, improve operational flexibility, and lower the likelihood of widespread outages.
When homes experience outages, however, the batteries automatically prioritize supplying electricity to their owners, ensuring participants continue receiving uninterrupted backup protection.
Customers participating in the program continue paying Austin Energy only for the electricity their homes actually consume, with billing remaining consistent under the utility’s standard residential rate structure.
Proven Success Across Texas
Austin Energy customers are joining a program that has already demonstrated strong performance across Texas.
Since publicly launching in 2024, Base Power has installed residential battery systems at more than 15,000 homes statewide.
Those installations collectively provide affordable backup power while simultaneously creating a large distributed energy network capable of supporting the broader electrical grid.
The rapid adoption reflects increasing consumer interest in resilient energy solutions as weather events, growing electricity demand, and aging infrastructure place additional pressure on power systems.
The success of the Texas rollout has helped establish Base as one of the fastest-growing residential energy storage companies in the United States.
Backed by Significant Investment
Base’s expansion has been supported by substantial financial backing.
In October, the company secured $1 billion in Series C funding, providing the capital needed to accelerate manufacturing, expand installation capacity, and enter new geographic markets.
The investment enables Base to continue growing its residential battery network while increasing production to meet rising customer demand.
In addition to expanding across Texas, the company recently announced plans to enter Illinois, extending its distributed energy model beyond its original market.
Future expansion is expected to continue as utilities seek innovative approaches to improving grid resilience while offering customers greater energy security.
Investing in Austin
The partnership also highlights continued investment in Austin’s economy and clean energy ecosystem.
Base currently employs more than 500 people in Austin and has established its manufacturing operations at the former Austin American-Statesman site.
The company continues investing in local engineering, manufacturing, installation, and customer support operations while contributing to the city’s growing clean technology sector.
Together, Austin Energy and Base Power are combining the experience of one of the nation’s oldest municipal utilities with the innovation of one of Austin’s fastest-growing energy technology companies.
By making whole-home battery backup more affordable while simultaneously strengthening grid reliability, the partnership represents a new approach to residential energy management—one that benefits homeowners, utilities, and the broader community alike.
As electricity demand continues to rise and resilient infrastructure becomes increasingly important, initiatives like this demonstrate how distributed energy resources can play a growing role in creating a smarter, more reliable, and more sustainable electric grid for the future.
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