SAN ANTONIO – As winter approaches, CPS Energy leaders say the utility has ramped up efforts to prepare for potentially severe weather conditions.
On Monday, the utility provider announced measures that include maintenance, additional energy supplies and tree-trimming initiatives aimed at reducing service interruptions.
“We have completed the necessary maintenance and planning to ensure reliable service,” President and CEO Rudy Garza told reporters.
Maintenance at plants should be finished this month, he added.
The company revealed it acquired additional energy from power plants in Corpus Christi and Laredo to meet San Antonio’s demands during cold weather.
Nearly 2,000 megawatts (MW) of additional generation capacity have been added to the grid in anticipation of extreme weather events.
The company maintains that it is ready to respond to a range of scenarios this winter.
San Antonio has yet to experience a freeze this fall season, but the 2021 freeze is likely on the forefront of Texans' minds every winter season.
Starting on Feb. 12, 2021, and continuing through early Feb. 17, 2021, San Antonio saw below-freezing temperatures. Millions of people across Texas experienced power outages due to the storm, causing deaths due to hyperthermia, carbon monoxide poisoning and lack of access to medical equipment.
‘Power Grid Failure: What Went Wrong,’ the collaboration between KSAT Explains and KSAT Investigates, examines the February storm and its aftermath. You can watch the special here.
>> THREE YEARS AGO: A look back at the historic February 2021 winter storm in San Antonio
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