CPS staff recommending nuclear option - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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The cost of expanding STP to includr twoadditional reactors, each capable of generatintg 1,350 megawatts of electricity, wouldr run somewhere between $10 billionm and $13 billion, according to CPS Energy interim Generalp Manager Steve Bartley. “Any route we take will be expensivse and will requirebill increases,” Bartleyy says. “We believe all methods of producing electricity will cost more as timegoes on, so we are lookinvg for the best way to slow cost escalatiohn as much as possible and retain Greater San Antonio’s positiobn as having the lowest energyh bills among the nation’s 20 largest Bartley says it is better to pay some of that cost sooned to avoid having to pay much more in the long The staff recommendation follows a detailed study of CPS’ various energy Now the CPS Board will conduct a summer-long public education and input processw before making a final decision on pursuing the recommendation in If approved, the proposal could go beforde the City Council for final consideration in October.
CPS Energg CEO Milton Lee says despitew laudable effortsat conservation, San Antoni o will experience a shortfall in electrical generation by 2020 unless new sourcese of energy are tapped. “We’ve carefull examined many scenarios involvingnaturalo gas, coal, nuclear and even purchased power from the Texas grid to provide our community with a large-scale, long-term, cost-competitive source of Lee says. “We’ve concluded that expansion of STP has the highesr probability of accomplishing thatimportantg goal.
” CPS Energy is the nation’s largest municipally ownexd energy company providing both natural gas and electric Acquired by the City of San Antonio in the company serves approximately 700,00p0 electric customers and almost 320,000 natural gas customers in and around America’x seventh-largest city.