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CPS Energy has expanded its existing Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Avangrid by adding an additional 159.2 megawatts (MW) of wind energy from the Peñascal wind farm in Kenedy County, Texas. As a result of this expanded agreement, the utility’s power capacity from Avangrid will nearly double, rising from 160.8 MW to 320 MW. This increase is enough to power approximately 40,000 homes on a hot summer day.

“CPS Energy’s expanded relationship with Avangrid is a testament to our Vision 2027 plan, a comprehensive and diverse generation portfolio that enhances our capacity to serve a growing community,” said Rudy D. Garza, President & CEO of CPS Energy.  “This additional investment in wind power allows us to continue to provide reliable and sustainable energy at an affordable price for our customers.”

“Avangrid’s relationship with CPS Energy grows even stronger with this expanded power contract,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “Demand for electricity is growing from coast to coast, and we are glad to see this project serving communities in and around San Antonio. Projects like Peñascal are helping ensure we meet the growing demand for energy in Texas and support the reliability of the local electrical grid while bolstering the state’s reputation as a leader in American power production.”

The Peñascal wind farm has a total capacity of 401 MW. With this expanded agreement, Avangrid will allocate 80% of the total wind energy produced at this facility to CPS Energy’s customers.  

CPS Energy currently has approximately 908 MW of wind capacity in its generation portfolio. With the addition of the 159.2 MW from Avangrid, the utility will have a total of 1,067 MW of this renewable resource—maintaining CPS Energy’s position as the second-largest buyer of wind energy in the state. This additional wind energy connected to CPS Energy’s power system on April 1, 2025, and is already online to support the energy demand during this summer season.

This latest PPA expansion supports CPS Energy’s Vision 2027 plan which contemplates the retirement of 2,541 MW of older generation capacity before 2030. As part of this future generation plan, in 2024 CPS Energy added 1,735 MW of natural gas, 113 MW of wind capacity, 480 MW of solar and 520 MW of energy storage under contract. CPS Energy also contracted an additional 52 MW of nuclear.

These efforts also align with CPS Energy’s commitment to the City of San Antonio’s Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP), which includes a Board of Trustees resolution to support the CAAP’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2050 with interim goals of reducing greenhouse gas 71% by 2040.

As a community-owned utility, CPS Energy is committed to supporting individuals and families who may need bill assistance this holiday season. With over 82,000 customers enrolled in payment plans, CPS Energy continues to provide programs designed to ease the burden of utility bills.

 CPS Energy offers around 13 different billing assistance programs. The holidays can be a stressful time for many, and these programs are here to help customers navigate financial challenges.

The Affordability Discount Program (ADP)

ADP offers low-income customers a monthly discount on electric and gas services. To qualify for this program, your household income must be at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines, and you must meet one of the following requirements:

• Be 60 years old or older.
• Have a disability.
• Use life-sustaining medical equipment.
• Have pre-school aged children or school children age 18 and under.
• Have extenuating circumstances as determined by CPS Energy or the City of San Antonio.

For more details on how to apply, visit the ADP webpage.

Budget Payment Plan

The Budget Payment Plan helps balance out energy costs by averaging your annual bill and dividing it into equal monthly payments. Your account will be periodically reviewed for any necessary updates based on environmental factors, changing fuel costs, and usage.

Nearly 35,000 CPS Energy residential customers use the Budget Payment Plan. For more information, visit the Budget Payment Plan webpage here.

In addition, customers who need help managing past-due balances can apply for a modified budget payment plan. This plan breaks past-due amounts into manageable installments, which are added to the monthly Budget Payment Plan payments. To apply, simply log into your CPS Energy account.

Residential Energy Assistance Partnership (REAP)

Established in 2002, REAP is a partnership between CPS Energy, the City of San Antonio, and Bexar County. CPS Energy contributes $1 million annually to the REAP fund and raises additional funds throughout the year to help those in need. Earlier this year, the CPS Energy Board of Trustees approved the expansion of REAP to offer billing support for more customers. As part of this expansion, the utility also made a one-time $6 million contribution from the utility’s summer 2023 wholesale revenues.

You may qualify for REAP assistance if:

• Your household income is at or below 150% of federal poverty guidelines.
• You live in San Antonio or Bexar County.
• You meet at least one of the following: are 60 years or older, disabled, have children under age 16 living in your home, or require critical-care equipment.

To learn more, visit the REAP webpage.

Are you looking for a way to give back this holiday season?

Last year, CPS Energy updated its Energy Angel program. This program allows you to make a difference by donating anonymously to a CPS Energy account holder to help them with a payment toward their bill. You can make a one-time donation to the general Energy Angels fund, which helps those who may not qualify for REAP. Alternatively, you can make a direct donation to a specific individual by providing two of the following details:

• Address of the recipient
• Phone number of the recipient
• CPS Energy account number of the recipient

In addition to these programs, CPS Energy offers assistance for critical care customers, disabled citizens, senior citizens, veterans, and first responders. Visit the payment and assistance webpage for a complete list of available programs.  

How to get help

Assistance programs can make a meaningful difference to families in need. If you or someone you know needs assistance this holiday season, call CPS Energy at (210) 353-2222. Energy Advisors are ready to answer questions on assistance programs and offer resources to help customers.

Battery energy storage capacity under contract for CPS Energy exceeds 500 MW

December 6, 2024 (SAN ANTONIO) – CPS Energy, the largest municipally owned electric and natural gas utility in the United States, has entered into a long-term storage capacity agreement (SCA) with OCI Energy for a 120 megawatt (MW) – 480 megawatt-hour (MWh) – battery energy storage project called “Alamo City ESS LLC” which will be located in southern Bexar County, Texas.

Additionally, as part of a related community benefits agreement, OCI Energy will contribute $250,000 to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). OCI Energy will work with UTSA to establish educational initiatives tied to the $250,000 contribution.

This four-hour duration battery storage project will be newly constructed and is expected to be online in late 2026, serving the energy needs of the San Antonio community for a 20-year period. Four-hour duration means the amount of time the battery storage project can discharge at its full power capacity (120 MW) before entirely depleting its stored energy. The addition of this 120 MW project is a continuation of the utility's execution of its Vision 2027 generation plan and brings CPS Energy's battery storage under contract to 520 MW.

 “Our community is growing at an exponential rate, and we have been focused on our Vision 2027 strategy to meet this growth,” said Rudy D. Garza, President & CEO of CPS Energy. “I'm proud of our team for delivering on our commitment to increase energy capacity for our growing community. Every megawatt that we can provide our customers counts.”

“As a San Antonio-based company, we are thrilled to build on our successful, and more than a decade-long collaboration with CPS Energy, said Sabah Bayatli, President of OCI Energy. “Together, we've delivered multiple utility-scale solar projects to Texas's power grid, paving the way for renewable energy in San Antonio and across Texas. Now, we're embarking on an exciting new chapter—introducing large-scale battery energy storage to San Antonio to help secure reliable and sustainable power for our community today and for generations to come.”

 “This agreement is another important step toward a future focused on reliability, sustainability, and clean energy,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “This battery storage project continues the productive relationship between CPS Energy and OCI Energy that has helped our community become a national leader in the renewable solar power industry and preparing for the energy landscape of the future.”  

In January 2023, the CPS Energy Board of Trustees approved a generation plan as part of the utility's Vision 2027 strategy to power the community into the future. CPS Energy has since added 1,710 MW of owned natural gas generation, 500 MW of natural gas firming capacity, an additional 84 MW of wind capacity, and contracted 730 MW of solar energy.