- CPS Energy has partnered with OCI Energy to build a 120MW/480 megawatt hours battery energy storage system (BESS) in Texas, US.
- This initiative aims to enhance the utility’s battery storage capabilities, with the new project increasing the total capacity under contract to 520MW.
CPS Energy has partnered with OCI Energy to build a 120MW/480 megawatt-hours battery energy storage system (BESS) in Texas, US.
The project, named Alamo City ESS LLC, will be developed in southeastern Bexar County and become operational by late 2026.
Under a storage capacity agreement, OCI Energy will be responsible for the development, financing, construction, ownership and operation of the project.
CPS Energy will maintain operational control to meet the electrical demand in the San Antonio region.
The partnership will extend to the community, with OCI Energy pledging a $250,000 contribution to the University of Texas at San Antonio for educational initiatives.
The Alamo City ESS [energy storage system] project, with its four-hour discharge duration, is a key element of CPS Energy’s Vision 2027 generation plan.
This initiative aims to enhance the utility’s battery storage capabilities, with the new project increasing the total capacity under contract to 520MW. The project will support the San Antonio community’s energy needs for 20 years.
CPS Energy president and CEO Rudy Garza stated, “Our community is growing at an exponential rate, and we have been focused on our Vision 2027 strategy to meet this growth.
“I’m proud of our team for delivering on our commitment to increase energy capacity for our growing community. Every megawatt that we can provide our customers counts.”
CPS Energy’s board of trustees approved the Vision 2027 generation plan in January 2023. It includes the addition of 1,710MW of owned natural gas generation, 500MW of natural gas firming capacity, an extra 84MW of wind capacity and 730MW of contracted solar energy.
The Alamo City ESS project is a further step towards realising this vision, reinforcing CPS Energy’s strategy to power the community into the future with a mix of renewable and traditional energy sources.
OCI Energy president Sabah Bayatli stated, “As a San Antonio-based company, we are thrilled to build on our successful and more than a decade-long collaboration with CPS Energy.
“Together, we’ve delivered multiple utility-scale solar projects to Texas’s power grid, paving the way for renewable energy in San Antonio and across Texas.
“Now, we’re embarking on an exciting new chapter — introducing large-scale battery energy storage to San Antonio to help secure reliable and sustainable power for our community today and for generations to come.”