CPS Energy Launches Community Dialogue About Its Flexible Path Resource Plan, Including A Focus On Coal
PR88027
SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --
CPS Energy, the largest municipally owned electric and natural gas company in
the United States, is launching a community-wide dialogue about future paths it
could pursue to power San Antonio, Texas, the nation's 7th largest city.
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In 2021, the utility will launch a community-wide dialogue by publicly
releasing its Flexible Path(SM) Resource Plan, which is now accessible on their
website (
). The Flexible Path Resource Plan directly addresses the retirement of several
aging gas steam units that will reach their end of life during this decade.
Aligned with the company's broad Flexible Path strategy, CPS Energy developed
the new and innovative FlexPOWER Bundle(SM) Request for Proposal (RFP). This
important global RFP was issued in 10 languages in late 2020. The RFP
submission process closed on February 1, 2021. The company started its
evaluation process and hopes to begin announcing selected projects by early
spring or late summer.
The FlexPOWER Bundle will help CPS Energy vet the most effective energy
solutions to replace its previously mentioned older gas steam units that will
reach their end of life (approximately 55 years) before 2030. The following
shows the components of the bundle:
-- Up to 900 MW of solar resources that will support the Environmental
Responsibility Pillar.
-- Up to 50 MW of energy storage that will support the Resilience and
Environmental Responsibility Pillars.
-- Up to 500 MW of all-source firming capacity, defined as any technologies
that can be called upon when renewables are not available, supporting
the Pillar of Reliability.
NOTE: A Megawatt (MW) is the unit representation for power. For example, 1 MW
of solar can power 200 homes on an average summer day.
In 2018, CPS Energy shut down two older coal units, J. T. Deely 1 and 2, 15
years earlier than planned. The company thoughtfully replaced that power
generating capacity through the purchase of a newer natural gas plant. The new
Flexible Path Resource Plan also includes a view of possible alternative
options for their two remaining and newer coal units, Spruce 1 and 2.
To expand customer engagement, CPS Energy is opening the topic about coal up to
its community. Part of that conversation will involve further explaining how
the company aspires to come up with a balanced, thoughtful, and effective
pathway forward. To facilitate the discussions, CPS Energy will explain how it
uses its balanced Guiding Pillars & Foundation, as shown below, to vet all
major strategies and initiatives, including the Flexible Path, as well as any
specific incremental power generating solutions.
The primary objective of this community-wide dialogue is to broadly engage
customers while soliciting their questions, insights, and feedback. Included
in this process will be a series of virtual town halls and meetings where
customers will hear from leaders and have opportunities to ask questions and
seek collaboration. Information about how to participate will be shared this
month.
As a basis of the upcoming conversations, the Flexible Path Resource Plan's
available reference materials will include key assumptions and scenarios,
including estimated residential customer bill impacts and company financial
metric projections. Importantly, the document also addresses potential impact
to their workforce. Relative to the new Resource Plan's look at potential
options for its two remaining coal units, two distinct scenarios have been
developed.
BASE CASE: REPLACE SPRUCE 1 & 2 COAL UNITS: REPLACE & CONVERT:
• Spruce 1 – Replace • With Renewables & Batteries • Spruce 1 –
with an Additional Replace with an
FlexPOWER Bundle(SM) Additional FlexPOWER
offering in 2029 Bundle(SM)
• Spruce 2 – Continue • Spruce 2 –
to Operate as a Coal Convert to Natural
Plant Gas
"When I took the helm of CPS Energy in 2015, I asked our employees to embrace a
People First approach, through which we look at our customers as our beacon and
inspiration to provide excellent service and we continue to take caring actions
to support our entire community. I am proud to say that our employees anchor
to these beliefs every day, as they diligently serve Greater San Antonio. Our
team looks forward to a robust dialogue with all our customers about our new
Flexible Path Resource Plan," said Paula Gold-Williams, President & CEO of CPS
Energy. "Extensive, broad, open, constructive, respectful, and frequent
conversations, based upon facts, figures, and finance are the best way for San
Antonio to determine how to move prudently to a decarbonized future by, and
perhaps before, 2050."
It is important to clarify that no specific decision has yet been made to close
either remaining coal unit early. Such an assumption is only factored in the
current modeling assessments to support the upcoming community-wide
discussions.
Along with the Flexible Path Resource Plan document and supporting attachments,
also included is an Executive Summary and Overview written by the President &
CEO to provide helpful context. That broad document provides highlights and
takeaways from the Resource Plan and can be accessed here (
).
While the utility focuses on actively engaging through this dialogue, it is
important to note that the CPS Energy Board of Trustees must approve all major
power generation decisions. At the appropriate time, after extensive and
frequent conversations with our community and thoughtfully considering their
suggestions, the Board will authorize management to proceed with a viable set
of Resource Plan solutions.
Continue to check the CPS Energy website, www.cpsenergy.com, for other
informational materials such as our latest Sustainability Report (
), Annual Reports (
), and helpful customer programs.
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.
SOURCE CPS Energy
CONTACT: 210-353-2344
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