CPS missed a great opportunity in the contract negotiations for its share of STNP. The board and management probably didn’t realize it but by revealing the increase in the contract price by $4 billion CPS could have leveraged public sentiment in driving down the price. By showing Toshiba the public would not tolerate such a large increase in project costs CPS could have taken Toshiba to task at driving for a more reasonable price. Then again, CPS seems to be missing a lot of great political opportunities these days. In an editorial piece in today’s Express-News the editors call for a more formalized reporting process between the public owned utility and city leadership. I couldn’t agree more. Because of the relationship between CPS and the city it is important to understand that the utility is being run in the best interest of the citizens of San Antonio. Read more…
Today an article in the Express-News disclosed that Mayor Julian Castro, in response to a request for open meetings by the Express-News, postponed the upcoming executive session with CPS to allow them to determine what items could be discussed in open session and what required executive session. “There cannot be even the perception that any portion of this process isn’t as open as it should be,” Castro said. One word sums up that move in my mind – COOL! Castro has demonstrated a strong desire to hear the public during his first year in office. He’s learned a lot in the four years since leaving city council and those lessons can help lead to great movements in our city. The question is if the public can learn to discuss the issues in a civil manner. Read more…
Tonight before a crowd of around 300 or so at the Villita Assembly Hall the CPS Board of Trustees held the final hearing before making their decision on future investment in the South Texas Nuclear Project. All members of the board were present along with Mayor Julian Castro. Councilman Reed Williams, the principal council member staying close to the discussions, was also in the audience. The board will have one more meeting on Oct. 5 but will not be taking public input during that meeting. Audience members were permitted to speak for 3 minutes each before the board to voice their opinions. I stayed for about an hour and a half before leaving to come watch the Cowboys game. Even though I left early it was pretty easy to get the basic messages of the evening. Read more…
Recently there has been a lot of talk about solar energy these days as many utilities cope with a need to expand their infrastructure and deal with the environmental impact of generating electricity. San Antonio is among those communities dealing with these issues, primarily because of discussion about expansion of the STNP. Over the past few months CPS, city council, and energy advocates have hosted a number of public forums to learn and discuss options to consider for the future. The discussion rivals only the health care town halls in intensity and interest in San Antonio. San Antonio must address growing energy needs as the city grows and expands its reach into information technology. So with all this discussion is there really a simple answer or is there more complexity to the matter?
Read more…
Today in the Express-News Jan Jarboe Russell wrote a great op-ed piece on recent news that Mayor Julian Castro had suggested a reduced investment in the South Texas Project, the nuclear generating facility located at Bay City, Texas of which San Antonio currentlly has a 40% investment in. In the piece Russell says that reducing our investment gives San Antonio more flexibility in terms of its energy portfolio and financial feasiblity. “In terms of the city-wide dialogue, we need to make sure that investments in nuclear and renewable sources in solar and wind not only work for CPS Energy’s bottom-line but also for the city’s long-term economic vitality — in other words, the city’s bottom-line,” said Russell. This makes a lot of business sense with regards to San Antonio’s energy future. Read more…
Recent Comments