San Antonio Power Plant Expected to Be Retired

Media Contacts

Environment America

SAN ANTONIO – Environment Texas hailed the expected announcement today by San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro that the city-owned CPS Energy will retire the polluting Deely power plant by the year 2018 and replace its power with additional investments in solar energy. According to research by Environment Texas, in 2009, the Deely plant emitted 3657 tons of nitrogen oxide, a key precursor to smog pollution. The two Deely smokestacks join with the two “Spruce” units to make up the Calaveras Power Station, which an April Environment Texas report found ranked 11th out of the state’s 20 power plants for mercury pollution.  And according to a study by the Clean Air Task Force, power plant pollution in Bexar County is linked to 282 asthma attacks and 11 deaths every year. Environment Texas Director Luke Metzger released the following statement:

 “The ‘Dirty Deely’ power plant has plagued the health of San Antonio for decades and we’re glad to see that it will be going away. We applaud Mayor Castro and CPS Energy for their leadership in designing an energy future that will bring clean air and green jobs to Texas instead of more asthma attacks and poisoned waters. Solar is clean, never runs out and will bring high-paying jobs to the Alamo city.”