CPS Energy is asking San Antonio residents to help shape how the city will keep the lights on for decades to come.
The city-owned utility has launched a new round of community engagement events as it updates its long-term power generation strategy and implements its Horizon 2050 framework, approved by the CPS Energy Board of Trustees earlier this year.
Beginning this week, CPS Energy will host in-person sessions on Dec. 10 at St. Brigid Catholic Church Hall and Dec. 12 at Las Palmas, followed by a virtual tele-town hall on Jan. 13. Customers can learn about progress since the CPS approved a new generation portfolio in 2023 and can offer feedback on future recommendations.
Utility leaders say public input has already pushed CPS Energy toward a mix that emphasizes reliability, affordability and cleaner power. The Vision 2027 plan calls for retiring or converting coal units, phasing out aging gas plants and adding solar, wind, battery storage and newer gas units, all while aligning with the city’s Climate Action & Adaptation Plan and a pathway to net-zero emissions.
To keep up with rapid growth, the San Antonio–New Braunfels area added nearly 200,000 residents between 2020 and 2024, and CPS Energy plans to secure about 5,703 megawatts of new supply by 2030, replacing older coal and legacy gas units. That includes a $1.3 billion acquisition of four modern natural gas plants near Houston, which together add roughly 1,632 megawatts and can be adapted to lower-carbon hydrogen blends in the future.
Those investments come as CPS Energy acknowledges it is in a “period of high investment” and may need additional rate support later this decade. The utility’s most recent base-rate increase of 4.25% took effect in February 2024. Officials say any future request, likely in 2026, would be preceded by extensive outreach.
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and several council members have pressed CPS Energy to clearly explain any proposed bill impacts, especially as other city utilities also contemplate increases. They argue residents need to see how higher rates would translate into fewer outages, cleaner air and long-term savings.
CPS President and CEO Rudy Garza told the San Antonio City Council the utility will “not ask for anything more than we think is justified,” emphasizing that low-income customers deserve the same level of reliability as wealthier households, even if that requires costly upgrades.
Guest:
Rudy Garza is the president and CEO of CPS Energy.
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This episode will be recorded on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at 12:00 p.m.
