CPS Energy (City of San Antonio) Rate Selection Guide
CPS Energy is the largest municipally-owned integrated electric and natural gas utility in the United States, serving the San Antonio metro. C&I customers access 15-minute interval data and CSV/PDF/PNG exports through the My Business Energy Portal, with no formal Green Button, EDI, or public API program today.
CPS Energy (City of San Antonio) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Service (PL) | Commercial | Customer charge + energy charge (see PDF) | Small/mid commercial |
| Large Lighting & Power (LLP) | Commercial | Energy + demand (kW) charge | Larger commercial loads |
| Extra Large Power (ELP) | Industrial | Energy + demand charge | Large industrial |
| Super Large Power (SLP) | Industrial | Demand-driven | Largest industrial loads |
| Industrial High Voltage Service | Industrial | High-voltage demand/energy | High-voltage industrial |
| Large Volume Gas Rate | Commercial | Customer charge + volumetric gas | Large-volume gas |
Market Overview
Municipal utility outside ERCOT retail choice. Rates are set by the CPS Energy Board of Trustees and approved by San Antonio City Council; there is no competitive retail supplier market in the territory.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the CPS Energy (City of San Antonio) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
CPS Energy commercial and industrial electric service is delivered under City-approved tariffs. Rates last increased 4.25% effective February 1, 2024. C&I schedules span General Service (PL) for small commercial up to Industrial High Voltage and Super Large Power (SLP) for the largest loads, with demand charges applying to larger schedules. Exact $/kWh and $/kW values are published in each rate PDF on the CPS Energy rates page.
Effective: February 1, 2024 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Service Base Commercial Electric Rate (PL) | commercial | Small and mid-size commercial customers (base commercial electric). | Monthly customer charge plus energy (kWh) charge; demand charges may apply at higher usage. See the General Service rate PDF for current per-kWh and demand values. | — |
| Large Lighting and Power Service (LLP) | commercial | Larger commercial customers with significant lighting and power load. | Customer charge plus energy charge plus a billing-demand (kW) charge. Per the LLP rate PDF. | — |
| Extra Large Power Service (ELP) | industrial | Large industrial/commercial loads exceeding LLP thresholds. | Customer charge, energy charge, and demand charge structured for large loads. Per the ELP rate PDF. | — |
| Super Large Power Service (SLP) | industrial | The largest industrial customers served at higher voltage. | Demand-driven structure with customer, energy, and demand components for very large loads. Per the SLP rate PDF. | — |
| Industrial High Voltage Service | industrial | Industrial customers taking service at high (transmission/sub-transmission) voltage. | Demand and energy charges for high-voltage industrial service. Per the Industrial High Voltage Service tariff. | — |
| Large Volume Gas Rate | commercial | Commercial/industrial natural gas customers with large volume requirements. | Customer charge plus volumetric gas charge for large-volume gas users. Per the Large Volume Gas rate PDF. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial facility
Office, retail, or light-commercial site on General Service (PL) or Large Lighting & Power.
PL fits smaller loads; once demand grows, LLP's demand charge rewards flattening peaks. Pull 15-minute interval data from the My Business Energy Portal to see where demand spikes.
- Export CSV interval data and identify coincident peaks
- Stagger large equipment startups to reduce billing demand
- Track fuel/regulatory adjustment charges separately from base energy
Large industrial / manufacturing
High-load manufacturers on ELP, SLP, or Industrial High Voltage service.
These demand-driven schedules make peak demand the dominant cost lever. Taking service at higher voltage (Industrial High Voltage) can lower per-unit cost for the largest loads.
- Use interval data for demand-response and peak-shaving analysis
- Evaluate high-voltage service if load and infrastructure justify it
- Baseline 12+ months of interval data before efficiency projects
Multi-site portfolio / energy consultant
Consultants or portfolio managers tracking many CPS Energy accounts.
The My Business Energy Portal supports meter groups and batch CSV export; consultants gain access via Authorize Contacts without sharing credentials.
- Have each client authorize you via Authorize Contacts
- Use Nectar's API for standardized multi-utility aggregation — see docs.nectarclimate.com
- Rename meters/sites in the portal to match facility names
Large-volume gas customer
Commercial/industrial sites with significant natural gas load.
Large-volume gas users get a tariff structured for their consumption; smaller sites stay on base commercial gas. Compare against base commercial gas as volumes grow.
- Track monthly gas usage trends in MMA
- Confirm eligibility thresholds for the Large Volume Gas rate
- Review the gas cost adjustment component each cycle
Historical Rate Trends
CPS Energy's most recent base-rate change was a 4.25% across-the-board increase effective February 1, 2024, approved by the Board of Trustees (Dec 4, 2023) and San Antonio City Council (Dec 7, 2023). The utility forwent a 2025 increase and has signaled a potential rate request in 2026.
February 1, 2024
Across-the-board base rate increase of 4.25%, effective February 1, 2024, after Board and City Council approval in December 2023.
+4.25%Overall trend: Gradual upward pressure driven by generation, grid investment, and a planned multi-hundred-million-dollar Oracle Fusion ERP modernization; fuel and regulatory adjustments fluctuate month to month on top of base rates.
Next expected change: Potential rate request in 2026 (not yet approved as of June 2026).
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because larger CPS Energy C&I electric schedules are demand-driven and 15-minute interval data is freely exportable, peak management and correct schedule selection are the highest-leverage savings levers.
Peak demand management
For: Commercial and industrial on demand-rated schedules
Use 15-minute interval CSV exports to find and flatten demand peaks that set the billing-demand (kW) charge on LLP/ELP/SLP schedules.
Right-size the rate schedule
For: All C&I
Confirm the facility is on the lowest-cost eligible schedule as load changes; high-load sites may benefit from higher-voltage industrial service.
Baseline with interval data
For: All C&I
Export 12+ months of interval data before efficiency or solar projects to quantify savings and verify performance.
Demand response participation
For: Commercial and industrial
Enroll in CPS Energy commercial demand response (STEP) to earn incentives for curtailing during peak events.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download CPS Energy (City of San Antonio) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my business download 15-minute interval data from CPS Energy?▾
Yes. Commercial and industrial customers use the My Business Energy Portal to view 15-minute interval data and export it as CSV, PDF, or PNG. At least 12+ months of history is available.
Does CPS Energy support Green Button or a public API?▾
No. CPS Energy is not Green Button certified and has no public REST API or EDI program. CSV export from the business portal provides equivalent data today, and Oracle Fusion ERP (rolling out 2027-2029) is expected to add native REST APIs.
How can an energy consultant access a client's CPS Energy data?▾
The client authorizes the consultant through the Authorize Contacts feature in Manage My Account. The consultant then accesses the client's accounts in the My Business Energy Portal and exports CSV data — no password sharing required.
Which C&I electric rate schedule applies to my facility?▾
Assignment is driven by load size and service voltage: General Service (PL) for smaller commercial, Large Lighting & Power (LLP) as demand grows, and Extra Large Power (ELP), Super Large Power (SLP), or Industrial High Voltage Service for large industrial loads. Larger schedules add a billing-demand (kW) charge.
Can I shop for a competitive electricity supplier in San Antonio?▾
No. CPS Energy is a municipal utility outside ERCOT competitive retail choice. Customers in its territory buy bundled service under City-approved tariffs and cannot switch to a retail electric provider.
When did CPS Energy rates last change?▾
Base rates increased 4.25% effective February 1, 2024. CPS Energy did not pursue a 2025 increase and has signaled a possible 2026 rate request.
Automate CPS Energy (City of San Antonio) Rate Analysis with Nectar
Nectar continuously monitors your CPS Energy (City of San Antonio) rate options and alerts you when a better schedule is available. Save 10-30% on energy costs.
Nectar for Energy & Sustainability Teams
Managing utility costs for commercial or industrial buildings? Nectar offers a free rate analysis — we'll review your current rate schedules and identify where switching tariffs or shifting load can save 10-30%.
Get a Free Rate AnalysisNectar for Energy Brokers & Consultants
Advising clients on rate optimization? Nectar works with energy consultants who need reliable interval data and automated rate comparison tools.
Partner with Us