CPS Energy will add 300 megawatts of solar power to its energy portfolio through a contract with Consolidated Edison Development Inc., officials said Tuesday.
The deal is the first struck under CPS Energy’s FlexPOWER Bundle initiative, which looks to bring 900 megawatts of solar online to replace older and dirtier power plants. The municipally owned utility faces mounting pressure to phase out its J.K. Spruce coal plant, Bexar County’s largest pollution source.
Construction on the new solar facilities will get underway early next year, creating as many as 300 construction jobs, according to Consolidated Edison and CPS officials.
“The local impact for our community is expected to be $19 million,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said at a press conference unveiling the project. “This is proof to our community commitment to clean energy.”
The announcement comes a month after Austin-based advocacy group Environment Texas released a report naming CPS Energy first in Texas and fifth in the nation for total solar capacity within city limits.
In an emailed statement, Environment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger praised the new contract but said San Antonio still has untapped solar potential. The city could accommodate 6,200 megawatts of solar capacity via rooftop arrays and large-scale solar farms, he added.
“With drought, flooding and intense heat waves, San Antonio has already experienced the havoc that global warming can cause,” Metzger said. “Increasing solar energy capacity will be critical to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a more resilient and reliable energy system.”
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This article appears in May 18-31, 2022.
