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Tuesday, February 23, 2021

San Antonio mayor creates panel to probe power and water outages during last week's winter storm

Posted By Sanford Nowlin on Tue, Feb 23, 2021 at 2:56 PM

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A power outage turned off lights and heat in this San Antonio neighborhood last week. - SANFORD NOWLIN

Sanford Nowlin
A power outage turned off lights and heat in this San Antonio neighborhood last week.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg has minted a panel to investigate what the city and its utilities got wrong during last week's historic winter storm that left hundreds of thousands without power and water.

Former councilman and San Antonio Water System trustee Reed Williams will lead the seven-member group, which also includes attorney and Texas Bar Association President Lisa Tatum and retired Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., along with council members Adriana Rocha Garcia, Clayton Perry, Ana Sandoval and Manny Peláez.

“Our community deserves answers," Nirenberg wrote in the memo he issued Monday creating the panel. "I am asking that this effort be done as comprehensively and expeditiously as possible while maintaining the necessary thoroughness.”

Nirenberg called on City Manager Erik Walsh to provide necessary support staff and for city-owned utilities CPS Energy and San Antonio Water System to provide experts as needed.

During a conference call with reporters Tuesday, CPS Energy CEO Paula Gold-Williams said her organization's board ordered up its own audit of the power failures. CPS Energy officials will coordinate with the city to share findings, she added.

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Tags: CPS Energy, San Antonio Water System, San Antonio, Mayor Ron Nirenberg, investigation, probe, panel, City Council, Paula Gold-Williams, City Manager Erik Walsh, Adriana Rocha Garcia, Clayton Perry, Ana Sandoval, Manny Peláez, Reed Williams, Lisa Tatum, Edward A. Rice Jr., Image

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