CPS Energy has reached agreement with Consolidated Edison Development Inc. for a 300 MW solar project to be located in Goliad County, Texas, as the first part of its FlexPOWER Bundle initiative.
The FlexPOWER Bundle initiative aims to further diversify CPS Energy’s power generation mix, adding up to 900 MW of solar, up to 50 MW of energy storage and up to 500 MW of firming capacity. The bundle is part of the utility’s wider plan to replace older generation with newer and cleaner technologies.
Construction is scheduled to begin next year and is expected to add 250 to 300 temporary jobs, with priority hiring from the San Antonio area. As part of the agreement, Con Edison Development will contribute $500,000 over a 10-year period to support one of CPS Energy’s community priorities of supporting customers and education. Con Edison Development also will hire up to eight positions from Greater San Antonio and maintain $750,000 in annual spending with local suppliers and vendors through the life of the 25-year agreement. This will result in a $19 million local investment for Bexar and Goliad counties.
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Launched in November 2020, a request for proposals for the FlexPOWER Bundle resulted in over 650 proposals from 100 companies across the U.S. and 10 other nations. CPS Energy expects to finalize and award all FlexPOWER Bundle contracts within the next few months, with the next solar selections expected in the coming weeks.
“This agreement is a significant step forward for the FlexPOWER Bundle initiative and our community’s clean energy strategy,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “The way we generate power determines our ability to ensure a sustainable environment. San Antonio is making great advances toward carbon neutrality and CPS Energy’s continued leadership in renewable energy is making our progress possible.”
CPS Energy’s clean power generation portfolio includes 1,049 MW of wind, 552 MW of solar and 10 MW of battery storage. The 300 MW project, dubbed Peregrine Solar, is expected to increase CPS Energy’s total solar capacity to 852 MW once it comes online. Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses will be solely responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance costs of the project, while CPS Energy will acquire the solar energy produced at Peregrine through a power purchase agreement of 25 years.
Established in 1860, CPS Energy provides service to 884,811 electric and 366,709 natural gas customers in San Antonio and portions of seven adjoining counties.
Consolidated Edison Development is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses, Inc. (Con Edison CEB), which offers a portfolio of energy-related solutions, including utility-scale and behind the meter renewable development, construction and operation, battery storage, power marketer and asset management services, and energy efficiency services.
