Area Development Homepage >> Annual Reports >>

Planning for San Antonio’s Power Future

By Steve Stackhouse (Dec/Jan 08)

The economic growth in San Antonio, Texas, is the envy of many communities. But civic leaders, including those at public power provider CPS Energy, know they need to keep a few steps ahead of that growth. CPS Energy is already the nation’s largest municipal utility that provides both electricity and natural gas, and it’s adding a thousand or more customers a month.

America’s Public Power: Efficient & Green

A Message from the APPA Chair

R&D Program is a Really Cool CAT

Making Sure Electricity is Smooth

Public Power Bringing Prosperity to Nebraska

Partnering to Help Businesses Succeed

A Cool Way to Cool Down

Pumping Up the Use of Heat Pumps

A secret to success outlined in the utility’s strategic growth plan is diversity of fuel sources. Electricity in San Antonio comes from coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewable sources. That ensures reliability and allows low rates that beat America’s 20 biggest cities.

The utility is making plans to curb the growth in its peak demand, in order to keep the need for new power generation in line. It’s pursuing conservation and energy efficiency, and also boosting the use of renewable energy from wind, solar and landfill gas sources. And at existing power plants, the utility is investing millions of dollars in emissions controls, to help protect the environment.