CONGRESSMAN JOAQUIN CASTRO SECURES $1 MILLION GRANT TO GROW CPS ENERGY’S CASA VERDE HOME WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM  

The funding will expand the reach of the energy efficiency program that provides home repairs to low-income residents in San Antonio.  

March 13, 2024 (San Antonio, TX) – Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that his office has secured $10.6 million through the Fiscal Year 2024 federal appropriations process to support thirteen San Antonio community projects, including $1 million for CPS Energy’s Casa Verde Weatherization Program.  The additional funding will expand the reach and impact of Casa Verde, the utility’s energy efficiency program that provides energy-saving upgrades for limited-income residents in San Antonio. This new funding is part of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and will provide home repairs for 500 homes which will make them eligible for weatherization. 

“This program has changed the lives of many CPS Energy customers, especially during our extremely hot summers and during the coldest days in winter,” said President and CEO of CPS Energy, Rudy D. Garza. “I would like to express my gratitude to all of the elected officials at the local, state and federal levels who have worked with us to grow these community initiatives. I extend a special thanks to Congressman Castro for his consistent contributions to these efforts.”  

“The CPS Energy Casa Verde Weatherization Program is a great example of how smart infrastructure investments can protect the environment and uplift San Antonio families,” said Congressman Joaquin Castro. “Every year, I’m glad to nominate community projects from across San Antonio for well-deserved federal funding to expand their work. The Casa Verde program has a great track record of helping families save on their energy bills while improving energy efficiency, and I was glad to work with CPS Energy to get $1,000,000 in this year’s appropriations package to serve more homeowners across our city.” 

Although many residents qualify for the Casa Verde program currently, CPS Energy must unfortunately deny approximately 47% of these applications due to the homes needing additional repairs beyond the scope of the current program (plumbing, electrical, foundation, active roof leaks). In many cases, these additional repairs can be done for under $1,000. With the additional assistance from the grant, more homes will now qualify for the Casa Verde Weatherization Program. 

The Casa Verde funding is included in the HR 4366, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which last week was passed through both houses of Congress and signed by President Biden. CPS Energy submitted the grant application as part of its Vision 2027 strategic plan, which includes the pursuit of grants and other new revenue sources. 

The Casa Verde Weatherization Program helps income-qualifying homeowners and renters reduce energy loss and costs with free energy efficiency improvements. CPS Energy plans to invest $82.5 million in Casa Verde to weatherize up to 16,000 homes. Last year, CPS Energy’s Casa Verde celebrated the weatherization of 30,000 homes throughout the San Antonio community .  

Casa Verde is part of CPS Energy’s  Sustainable Tomorrow Energy Plan (STEP). The STEP program’s goals include 410 megawatts (MW) of energy demand reduction over 5 years with equitable programs designed to help customers save energy and money, 1% energy savings per year systemwide, and 1.85 million tons of avoided carbon. STEP’s award-winning energy efficiency and conservation programs received approval in 2022 for $350 million in funding over five years from the CPS Energy Board of Trustees and San Antonio City Council. This plan includes community solar and multifamily weatherization for low-to-moderate income customers; energy storage; electric vehicle (EV) charging; educational curriculum to promote behavioral changes toward energy conservation; demand response in the form of technology like smart thermostats both in homes and businesses; and support for the commercial sector to become more efficient through traditional energy efficiency rebates and other new programs. 

Energy efficiency measures are beneficial for the community and environment as reduced electricity consumption leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality, among other advantages. Energy efficiency is also a critical community contribution to enhance grid reliability in Texas by lowering the demand for megawatts during critical periods. 

Casa Verde participants receive:  

• An average of $4,500 in free home weatherization improvements, saving approximately $450 a year in energy costs.  
• Energy assessments of their homes to determine what improvements will have the greatest impact on energy savings.  
• Energy-saving measures may include attic insulation, wall insulation, solar screens, air-sealing measures, replacement of incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, and duct sealing in addition to some health and safety measures. 

CPS Energy customers interested in applying for Casa Verde can do so by filling out the application forms in English or Spanish here. To learn more about the Casa Verde program customers can call 210-353-CASA (2272), email [email protected], or visit our website at cpsenergy.com/casaverde and cpsenergy.com/casaverde-programa. 

About CPS Energy 

Established in 1860, CPS Energy is the nation’s largest public power, natural gas, and electric company, providing safe, reliable, and competitively priced service to more than 930,114 electric and 381,379 natural gas customers in San Antonio and portions of seven adjoining counties. Our customers’ combined energy bills rank among the lowest of the nation’s 20 largest cities – while generating $9 billion in revenue for the City of San Antonio for 80 years. As a trusted and strong community partner, we continuously focus on job creation, economic development, and educational investment. We are powered by our skilled workforce, whose commitment to the community is demonstrated through our employees’ volunteerism in giving back to our city and programs aimed at bringing value to our customers. CPS Energy is among the top public power wind energy buyers in the nation and number one in Texas for solar generation. 

###