Public Citizen Statement on CPS Energy’s ‘C’ Rating in Latest Dirty Truth Report
SAN ANTONIO – Today, the Sierra Club released its annual Dirty Truth report, which rates 75 electric utilities on their progress toward embracing renewable sources of energy, like wind and solar. The utilities analyzed include CPS Energy, which received a C grade.
Public Citizen, through its energy program, reviewed the report and provided feedback. DeeDee Belmares, who is based in San Antonio as a clean energy advocate for the Texas office of Public Citizen, issued the following statement:
“CPS Energy should prioritize its customers’ pocketbooks at a time when so many San Antonians are enduring an affordability crisis. Embracing wind, solar and battery storage can offer the savings and reliability residents need. The old way of doing things – burning gas and coal – delivers higher costs and dirty air.
“This report confirms that CPS Energy has work to do. The utility must make better plans and additional investments in clean energy rather than continuing its reliance on fossil fuels to meet increasing customer demand. As CPS Energy begins work this fall on a refresh of its power generation plan, its board of trustees and the San Antonio City Council must press the utility to accelerate clean energy, which has proven to be affordable and reliable.
“CPS Energy made the right decision – as advocates urged it to – to shut the J.K. Spruce Coal Plant. Still, the utility will convert one of Spruce’s units to gas and, in a decision announced last week, will purchase additional gas plants in the Houston area, a significant step backward that will cost more than a billion dollars and will only export San Antonio’s emissions to a region already oversaturated with pollution.”
More information on how other Texas utilities scored is available here.