Texas public power utility CPS Energy on Sept. 30 announced the beginning of operations of Padua 1, a 50-megawatt, two-hour duration Battery Energy Storage System in Bexar County.
Padua 1, owned and operated by Eolian, L.P., was part of an RFP seeking 50 MW of battery storage that the utility launched in 2020. CPS Energy entered into a storage capacity agreement for Padua 1 with Eolian in 2023.
This project advances the utility’s Vision 2027 strategy, which emphasizes delivering reliable, resilient, and cleaner energy solutions to meet the needs of San Antonio’s growing population.
Padua 1 connects directly to the CPS Energy grid and is designed to charge during periods of excess electricity supply to provide capacity that would be readily available to deploy during the hours of highest system cost and needs.
"This added flexibility to both absorb and discharge electricity within seconds helps strengthen grid reliability, improves system operations during peak usage, and supports the integration of cleaner energy resources, especially during extreme weather and high energy demand days," CPS Energy noted.
“Padua 1 is a major step forward for our utility and our community,” said Rudy Garza, President and CEO of CPS Energy. “It’s the first energy storage project as part of our diverse generation plan to come online, and it sets the tone for what’s ahead. Battery storage strengthens our ability to continue to serve our customers reliably now and in the future.”
“The overall Padua Grid battery energy storage complex, which will total 400 MW and nearly 2 GWh when completed in early 2026, will be the largest battery energy storage deployment in Texas when completed,” added Aaron Zubaty, CEO of Eolian. “Padua Grid was sited years ago at a critical substation adjacent to the JK Spruce and retiring Braunig power plants and was specifically designed to reduce overloads on key transmission lines serving San Antonio. Battery energy storage projects of this scale enable the efficient utilization of existing transmission resources and are the lowest-cost and fastest solution to meeting the nation’s strategic need to grow electricity production by allowing baseload power plants to operate better.”
The completion of Padua 1 follows CPS Energy’s 2024 announcement of agreements for an additional 350 MW of battery energy storage capacity, which includes Padua 2, a 150 MW 4-hour system, and Ferdinand, a 200 MW 4-hour system; both projects were also developed by Eolian. Padua 2, also located in Bexar County, is expected to be completed in Spring 2026.
As part of a related community benefits agreement, the project entities will contribute at least $175,000 each year to CPS Energy-sponsored activities and scholarships within the Greater San Antonio area for a five-year period once the projects are fully operational.
In addition, in alignment with its community impact program, Eolian contributed $50,000 in 2024 to CPS Energy’s Residential Energy Assistance Program to provide further bill support for customers in the San Antonio area.
