CPS ENERGY CREWS CONTINUE ACTIVE OUTAGE RESTORATION WORK FOR NEARLY 6,000 CUSTOMERS IMPACTED BY ICE STORM
UPDATE AS OF 11:30 A.M.
CPS Energy customer service centers reopen
FEBRUARY 2, 2023, 11:30 A.M. (SAN ANTONIO) – As winter weather starts to move out of the CPS Energy service area, crews continue actively working to restore 80 outages affecting nearly 6,000 customers resulting from ice accumulation on trees and power lines.
At peak of the storm, 45,000 customers experienced an outage. Currently, one of the largest outages, that impacted more than 7,000 customers in the Fair Oaks Ranch area, is due to an issue associated with neighboring utility, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). LCRA’s transmission lines are damaged and impacting a CPS Energy substation serving customers in the area. CPS Energy was able to connect some customers to other circuits but still has more than 2,000 customers without power at this time. Upon completion of LCRA’s repairs, CPS Energy crews can restore power to the remaining customers. LCRA’s estimated restoration time is this afternoon but will be dependent based on their ability to get their damaged lines and equipment fixed. CPS Energy’s Customer Response Unit (CRU) and its mobile support center are supporting local customers and is located at the Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary, 29085 Ralph Fair Rd, in Boerne. CRU are also contacting impacted customers directly.
As of today, reports of ice-covered trees and branches continuing to break and fall onto power lines are being received. A combination of the ongoing issue along with challenges of crews not being able to access utility easements due to muddy terrain, plus residential gates and fences built in easements, are causing outages to fluctuate.
There is an extended outage in the Timberwood area that is impacting more than 800 customers. Currently, there are 21 downed wires our crews are responding to. Our crews have been working throughout the night in this location and are onsite actively working to clear broken trees and remove ice from equipment. In some cases, there are trees that have to be manually climbed in order to make repairs. Our CRU team is also making direct contact with these customers and will keep them updated on restoration status. The weight of ice and trees falling onto power lines caused nearly 200 downed lines, with crews working on about 40 of the lines today. CPS Energy reminds customers to not approach a downed line and to treat them as live. Do NOT attempt to move or drive over the power lines and report them at 210-353-4357 (HELP).
CPS Energy thanks customers for their patience and encourages anyone experiencing an extended outage, especially if using medical equipment, to enact personal emergency plans and relocate if necessary. As crews continue working to restore power, CPS Energy reminds drivers to Move Over Slow Down, per State law, for crew and driver safety.
To stay up to date with the latest outage information, visit CPS Energy’s outage map at cpsenergy.com/outage and follow the utility’s social media channels. For winter preparedness tips, including power outage tips and generator safety info and a video, visit cpsenergy.com/prepare (English) and cpsenergy.com/preparar (Spanish).
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