District 5 Councilmember votes against CPS Energy rate hike

Published on December 07, 2023

Cited reason is that many residential rate payers are struggling with energy bills

SAN ANTONIO (December 7, 2023) — Today City Council voted to approve CPS Energy’s 4.25 percent rate increase. The increase passed by a vote of 8 to 3.  

Councilwoman Teri Castillo voted against the rate hike, and stated the following:

“As with the first proposed rate hike in 2021, I cannot in good conscience support today’s proposed rate hike. This increase – without a rate restructure – forces vulnerable residents to shoulder the burden of this rate hike instead of ensuring that big commercial and industrial customers finally pay their fair share. Many of my residents were struggling to pay their energy bill after the rate hike passed by the previous Council. 

This vote imposes higher energy costs on our residents forcing families to make difficult decisions, such as limiting energy use during extreme weather or skipping out on life-saving necessities to pay their electric bill. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about a fifth of San Antonio residents are living in poverty. Many residents are living paycheck to paycheck. If our priority is keeping people in their homes – increasing their energy bill bring us further away from that goal.”

The second CPS Energy rate hike in two years will go into effect February 1, 2024.