AsiaNet 87061

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

-- Project will nearly triple solar capacity and seeks to add new technologies

to diversified generation mix

Today, CPS Energy, the largest municipally owned, fully-integrated electric and

gas utility in the United States, has formally launched a Request for Proposal

(RFP) seeking to add up to 900 MW of solar, 50 MW of energy storage and 500 MW

of firming capacity as part of the utility's new FlexPOWER Bundle(SM)

initiative.

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg9nuOrODIs

Watch video announcement from San Antonio Mayor, Ron Nirenberg and CPS Energy

President & CEO, Paula Gold-Williams https://youtu.be/Dg9nuOrODIs

The FlexPOWER Bundle is part of CPS Energy's Flexible Path(SM) and is designed

to replace some aging generation capacity and introduce new technologies as

firming capacity to provide around-the-clock energy reliability for our San

Antonio community.

CPS Energy has been an environmental leader among utilities for decades.  Every

year, the company works with many community partners to make meaningful steps

toward full carbon neutrality by 2050, which aligns directly to the City of San

Antonio's Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP) and the Paris Climate

Agreement.  CPS Energy is a forward-thinking energy utility, and with support

from Mayor Ron Nirenberg and the City Council, San Antonio has been designated

a "Shining City" by Environment Texas (

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2997547-2&h=3880457763&u=https%3A%2F%2Fenvironmenttexas.org%2Fsites%2Fenvironment%2Ffiles%2FTX_Shining_Cities_2020_scrn.pdf&a=Shining+City%22+by+Environment+Texas%2C

), ranking 1st in the state and 5th in the country for solar capacity. CPS

Energy also ranks 2nd in the nation among municipally owned utilities for total

solar, owned or contracted. The FlexPOWER Bundle is part of CPS Energy's

continued commitment to help Greater San Antonio reach net zero emissions by

2050 or sooner, if possible.

"I created the Flexible Path strategy in 2017, and since that time our great

team of 3,100 People First Champions have been working diligently to bring this

concept to life," said Paula Gold-Williams, President & CEO of CPS Energy.

"Through this continually evolving strategy, we are working with our customers

to thoughtfully lower San Antonio's carbon footprint. In the next phase of our

Flexible journey forward, the global FlexPOWER Bundle RFP will help us find

solid solutions from around the world, which will potentially include exciting

new and cleaner energy technologies. San Antonio has trusted us to be their

diligent and effective energy provider for 160 years. This RFP is the next step

that will further ensure we optimize innovation while maintaining energy

Reliability and helping the Environment."

By procuring multiple resource options at once as a diversified bundle, CPS

Energy is focused on identifying the best combined technologies that enhance

Environmental Responsibility, while maintaining the Reliability and

Affordability customers expect.

"With global attention on CPS Energy and our push to expand a resilient

portfolio of power generation, our publicly owned utility is poised to become

the solar leader in the United States and a pioneer in utility scale resiliency

in the world," said San Antonio Mayor, Ron Nirenberg. "I am proud of what this

organization is doing to ensure it continues to be a reliable, affordable, and

innovative energy provider that San Antonians have come to expect."

The RFP seeks both large and small options for solar, energy storage and

technologies that provide reliability, with responses expected from large,

well-known firms to local, small businesses. Additionally, community solar and

storage are also welcome technologies, so everyone from large renewable

providers to residential customers have an opportunity to participate –

directly or indirectly.

This RFP follows a global Request for Information (RFI) that closed at the end

of August of this year.  It was issued in 10 languages and CPS Energy received

nearly 200 responses from expert energy providers around the world.  Responses

included information and ideas on new and clean technologies and solutions that

could become a part of the FlexPOWER Bundle. CPS Energy used the helpful

information obtained from the RFI process to enhance its new RFP, which has

been thoughtfully designed to help San Antonio lean into its next solid steps

toward a cleaner, more Resilient energy grid.

As part of the same August 2020 RFI process, CPS Energy also asked for

information about solutions for the next phase of its successful and

award-winning energy efficiency and conservation program, called the Save for

Tomorrow Energy Plan (STEP). Coming in January 2021, CPS Energy will release

another global RFP for FlexSTEP(SM) that will again be designed to increase

direct customer participation and raise their satisfaction.

The following are key dates for the RFP:

Milestone                                Date

RFP Issuance                                Nov. 30, 2020

Pre-Bid Webcast                                Dec. 9, 2020

RFP Responses Due                        Feb. 1, 2021

FlexSTEP RFP Issuance – Coming Soon!        January 2021

CPS Energy expects to finalize the evaluation and shortlist candidates for the

RFP by Summer 2021. For more information on the RFP, visit the CPS Energy

website www.cpsenergy.com/flexrfp.

About CPS Energy (

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2997547-2&h=773924116&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cpsenergy.com%2Fen.html&a=About+CPS+Energy

)

Established in 1860, CPS Energy is the nation's largest public power, natural

gas, and electric company, providing safe, reliable, and competitively-priced

service to 860,934 electric and 358,495 natural gas customers in San Antonio

and portions of seven adjoining counties. Our customers' combined energy bills

rank among the lowest of the nation's 20 largest cities – while generating $8

billion in revenue for the City of San Antonio for more than seven decades. As

a trusted and strong community partner, we continuously focus on job creation,

economic development, and educational investment. True to our People First

philosophy, we are powered by our skilled workforce, whose commitment to the

community is demonstrated through our employees' volunteerism in giving back to

our city and programs aimed at bringing value to our customers. CPS Energy is

among the top public power wind energy buyers in the nation and number one in

Texas for solar generation.

Photo -

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1358928/CPS_Energy_FlexPOWER_Bundle.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/528746/CPS_Energy_Logo.jpg

SOURCE CPS Energy

CONTACT: Dana Sotoodeh, Dsotoodeh@cpsenergy.com