CPS Energy and UTSA Partner on Clean Air and Other Important Research

SAN ANTONIO, June 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CPS Energy and the University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA) are partnering again to complete a new emissions research baseline study. This will assist CPS Energy in evaluating future opportunities to maximize new energy solutions to have the greatest positive environmental impact on San Antonio, while economically meeting the needs of our expansive metropolitan community.

CPS Energy and UTSA first began joint research initiatives about seven years ago and, since then, CPS Energy has invested more than $7.2 million in research from UTSA. This year, in addition to the emissions study, CPS Energy also funded research to further explore solar forecasting; integrated solar and storage systems; harvesting energy from roadways; and smart grid security.

"Our CPS Energy team members live and work in the areas we serve, so we have consistently invested in economic and environmentally valuable generation and technologies to improve the quality of life here," said Paula Gold-Williams, President & CEO of CPS Energy. "This new research will provide us with the valuable information we need to continue to be a leader in our industry and continue to serve the people of San Antonio.

This year's funding was approved with a unanimous vote by the CPS Energy Board of Trustees at its regular meeting on Monday. Besides benefitting customers of CPS Energy, the investment further positions UTSA as a growing research institution.

"The partnership with CPS Energy is one of the most important relationships UTSA has with local institutions. As UTSA continues to make steady progress toward a top-tier university, the CPS Energy partnership provides students and faculty with funds and relevant research topics to pursue," said C. Mauli Agrawal, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at UTSA.

Gold-Williams said, "CPS Energy has made tremendous progress in reducing emissions from a number of different strategies, including generation diversity, controlled energy production, conserved customer consumption and new technologies on the grid. The goal is to continue pushing forward to bring the best economical, reliable and innovative solutions to the major metropolitan community that we serve. Our investments today, will reap important benefits in the future."

"This is our long-term and complex mission, but one we are committed to. We've made tremendous progress and we are continually looking for new ideas that will ensure we keep making progress," she said.

CPS Energy is celebrating its 75th year of City of San Antonio ownership. Established in 1860, we are the nation's largest municipally owned natural gas and electric company, providing safe and affordable service to 804,000 electric and 343,000 natural gas customers in Greater San Antonio. With our AA+ credit rating, one of the best in the industry, we offer best in class reliability and some of the lowest rates among the top 10 largest U.S. cities. We recognize our role as a community partner and are continuously focused on job creation, economic development and educational investment. Powered by our people, our investment in the community is demonstrated through our employees' generosity in giving $1.1 million to United Way. We are also committed to investing in clean energy. CPS Energy is among the top public power wind energy buyers in the nation and number one in Texas for solar generation. For more information, visit newsroom.cpsenergy.com.

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SOURCE CPS Energy