San Antonio's energy future

As demand for electricity increases, utilities turn to demand-side or supply-side responses in order to reduce demand or add supply to their energy portfolio. CPS Energy, a municipal utility owned by the City of San Antonio, Texas, recently broke ground on a new coal plant to meet rising demand for electricity. This report examines the public debate that accompanied the proposal and investigates the possibilities of other solutions for utilities to meet demand. Two case studies, overviews of the utilities in Austin, Texas, and Sacramento, California, provide insight into the considerations for utilities with renewable energy and demand-side management (DSM) in their energy portfolio. This professional report will evaluate these case studies and apply lessons learned to the case of CPS Energy in San Antonio, and report on the options available to utilities considering conventional supply-side additions and demand-side management.