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CPS Energy offered its winter outlook during a news briefing at its downtown headquarters on Monday, predicting a mostly warm and dry season.
CPS Energy President and CEO Rudy Garza said plants and personnel have undergone the necessary readiness checks for the season.
"We are ready for anything that Mother Nature has to throw at us, but I'm proud of the fact that it has been quite some time before we had a winter or summer event that has impacted our customers," he said. "And we hope to keep it that way this winter season."
New smart equipment has been installed to address power outages faster. And power capacity has been increased with the purchase of four power plants in Southeast Texas.
Garza said San Antonio Water System water-pumping plants continue to be backed up by generators, so they don't fail as many did in February 2021, leaving entire sections of the city without water.
He said state support has helped that effort.
"We got two of ... nine sites that they're backing up, done. And we're working to get the other ones done." he said. "So SAWS infrastructure is in much better shape than it was then."
Garza said about 60% of the power utility's infrastructure is underground, which protects it from inclement weather. But if something does go wrong, he said it can take longer to repair because of the digging involved.
CPS Energy's Chief Meteorologist Brian Alonzo said the winter blast of 1921 was a "once in a million" type of storm. He's predicting the La Niña effect will shield the San Antonio area from most of the worst impacts of a severe winter.
"It looks like the storm systems are going to stay primarily to our north here, so that kind of leaves us on the warm side," he said. "So, some warm temperatures, above average temperatures are expected. However, there is a possibility we get a little bit of a kink in the jet stream, where we could see some Arctic air coming on in. "And that's kind of what we've been seeing now."
CPS Energy reports the average winter bill in the San Antonio area is around $170, depending on whether a resident is an all-electric or electric and gas customer. Garza said an all-electric customer will pay a little more.
