The solar expansion comes as the utility works to close its coal-fired J.K. Spruce 1, one of the region's biggest sources of pollution, but environmentalists say it must do more.
In a Monday committee hearing, lawmakers questioned whether a Public Utility Commission proposal to redesign Texas’ electricity market would lead to the building of more natural-gas-fired power plants. Regulators say it would.
The proposal is aimed at making sure power providers and electricity generators have enough power on hand in case of increased demand. But it’s not clear how it would hold up in unexpected weather, an expert said.
CPS discharged 72,494 pounds of toxic chemicals, including chromium compounds, into Calaveras Lake and stormwater in 2020, according to data it filed with federal regulators.
CPS officials this week said they'll buy 180 megawatts of solar energy from West Texas' Tierra Bonita solar farm, a facility expected to be completed in 2024.