Lines 2014, Issue 2 by CPS Energy

ISSUE 2 2014

STATE OF THE UTILITY

AL SO IN THIS ISSUE: GRADUATES • WELLNESS •COMMUNIT Y EN GAGEMENT • DEMAND RESPONSE

benefits it â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more than exercise

/// NEW TO LINES: The new benefits wellness section is now featured in LINES magazine (See page 15). When looking for our company wellness initiatives and tips on healthy living, look no further than LINES.

EDITOR Monika Maeckle MANAGER Christine Patmon ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Barbara Burris, Eduardo Flores Michael Freberg, Frank Jimenez

3 State of the Utility by Leon Waddy and Albert Cantu

Read what President and CEO Doyle Beneby has to say about our utility and our industry.

8 Making the Grade by Leon Waddy

See our tribute to 2014 graduates and learn how one employee is using his new degree to advance his career.

19 Community Engagement by Samuel Taylor

Learn how the new team will serve our community and take customer service to the next level.

21 25 31 33

Scene Anniversaries Family Ties Fond Farewell

PHOTOGRAPHY Vincent McDonald Pam Maris Sam Taylor AREA REPORTERS Hermelinda Acevedo Sandra Alfaro Rodney Anderson Donna Bailey Becky Baring Leona Boswell Gloria Calderon Madalena DeHoyos Elizabeth Engel Emily Flores Paula Ford Erica Gabriel Andy Garcia Linda Gil Lalie Gomez Yvonne Gomez Katherine Hacker Patricia Hansen Patty Hight Kathy Jarzombek Eunice Lopez Veronica Martinez Robin McFarlane Christine Miller JoAnn Moreno Denae Myers Tressie Neill Cindy Nieto Samantha Perez Ronda Reisdorph Maria Sandoval Juanita Torres Jeannie Trevino Michelle Trevino Rachel VanDerKnaap Bonnie Vines Patty Ware LINES is produced by the CPS Energy Corporate Communications Department. Mail all correspondence to Lines, Mail Drop 11 02 01, P.O. Box 1771, San Antonio, Texas, 78296, or call ext. 2546 or 4125.

United Way Golf Tournament Raises $120,000 What a way to kick off the company’s 2014 United Way season! The 16th annual CPS Energy IBEW Local 500 United Way Golf Tournament, which took place on May 1 raised more than $120,000 for City Year San Antonio! City Year, an AmeriCorps program, is a national service organization which pairs young

adult volunteers, ages 17 to 24, from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds with at risk students to help them stay in school and succeed.

a day of fun and fellowship.This year, 280 players and more than 40 volunteers supported the tournament through corporate sponsorships, time and hard work.

The annual golf tournament, held at the J.W. Marriott resort, united CPS Energy employees, IBEW Local 500 members and volunteers for

CPS Energy is a United Way of Bexar County pacesetter company and will begin our 2014 employee campaign in September.

San Antonio Magazine Features Mi Casa Makeover San Antonio Magazine featured a story in their June issue about the Vasquez family who benefitted from the CPS Energy/KENS 5 Mi Casa Makeover. The makeover not only made the family’s home 47 percent more energy efficient, but it also provided Candy Vasquez with a healthy environment to recover from chemotherapy. The program, with the help of a number of sponsors who do the work, has been making homes more energy efficient and improving the quality of life for families for the past nine years.

CPS Energy Earns #1 Safety Ranking CPS Energy ranked number one for safety among the largest publicly owned utilities last year, according to the American Public Power Association, which awarded our utility its Safety Award of Excellence for safe operating practices on April 7. CPS Energy was top among utilities with more than 4 million work hours annually, a small group that includes Salt River Project, which ranked number one the year before; the Omaha Public Power District and the Nebraska Public Power District. CPS Energy is the largest publicly owned electric and gas utility in the country. “We can’t achieve goals like this without the cooperation of all our employees,” said 1

Lauro A. Garza, CPS Energy’s senior director of safety. “Our frontline workers walk into a dangerous environment day in and day out. Our employees have put safety at the forefront of everything they do and it shows with our record-breaking performance and now, outside recognition.” This is the third consecutive year CPS Energy has seen a significant decrease in recordable injuries, improving the safety metric by 70 percent since 2010. More than 285 utilities entered the APPA’s annual Safety Awards this year, the highest number of entrants in the history of the program. Of those, 115 earned excellence awards.

ABC News Spotlights Our Cool Energy SmartAC Kits Program In May, ABC News came to town to highlight the Cool Energy SmartAC Kit – one of our newest Demand Response tools being promoted to help customers lower the amount of energy they buy, especially during the hot summer months.The kit, made for window units, was already being used in some other cities. When ABC News heard it was being launched in San Antonio, they used the opportunity to include the story in their reoccurring segment called Real Money, Cool Cash in late June. Reporter Linzie Janis interviewed two local families now using the SmartAC Kit.The families heartily endorsed the kit and the thought of saving energy and money.

Wellness Program earns silver level recognition For the third consecutive year, CPS Energy earned a Healthy Workplace Recognition Program Award – Silver Level, for providing

a wellness program that promotes, among other things, health education and physical activity. An initiative of the San Antonio Business Group on Health and the Mayor’s Fitness Council, the program recognizes local employers for their worksite wellness efforts.

your favorite summer images for LINES annual employee photo contest Landscape ★ My San Antonio ★ Texas Places & Icons ★ Unique/Humorous Find contest details, including image resolution size and the entry form, on CPS Energy Connect (search: photo). All active employees may submit up to two images, along with completed entry form, via email to lines@cpsenergy.com. The deadline to submit is August 22.

Get clicking SHUTTERBUGS, and you may see your photo in the fall issue of LINES.

STATE OF THE UTILITY

Often, as employees, we are so focused on our individual tasks and projects that we lose sight of where we are going and what we have accomplished as a company. The State of the Utility edition of LINES is always a special one because it allows us a chance to celebrate our accomplishments but also gives us insight into the vision and strategic thoughts of our CEO. LINES staff sat down with Doyle Beneby as he spoke candidly about where he sees our company today, overall opportunities for growth, and where he wants us to go. So what is the current state of the utility? Our leader says things are looking very good. Currently, CPS Energy is enjoying the highest credit rating in the industry. That means borrowing money at lower costs, which saves the company and our customers over the long haul.Thanks to a diversified fuel mix and

by Leon Waddy and Albert Cantu

Since accepting the offer to become president and CEO nearly four years ago, Doyle Beneby has focused on leading CPS Energy in new directions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or as he would say, navigating disruptive change while maintaining our history of community involvement, affordable rates, and reliable service. As a company, we have continued to diversify our power plant fleet, adding low and no-carbon energy resources to our generation mix. Beneby also fostered partnerships with clean technology companies, and in doing so, helped create jobs in the San Antonio area. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also continued our commitment to education and invested heavily in research and development. Equally important, Beneby has invested in us - the employees - by creating opportunities for growth, with a focus on employee safety always at the forefront.

efficient workforce, CPS Energy continues to deliver energy at rates lower than any of the 20 largest cities in the country. We also are operating at the top tiers of reliability and safety, when compared to peer utilities. It’s never been more apparent that the utility industry is changing. Thanks to planning and foresight, CPS Energy is well positioned to adapt to new EPA regulations, so the higher standards don’t prove to be a financial burden for our customers. In 2012, we announced our oldest coal plant – JT Deely – would close in 2018 instead of undergoing a half-a-billion dollar upgrade for a scrubber. In the meantime, we’re using ultra low-sulfur coal in the units to keep mercury emissions low. We purchased Rio Nogales, a 10-year old natural gas plant in Seguin, to replace the megawatts Deely will stop generating. And, we signed a 400-MW solar deal with OCI Solar Power. Natural gas produces about half the emissions of coal, and solar is a non-emitting, waterless generation source.

Committed to communities we serve There’s no denying that our customers are the ones most affected by decisions, policies, and programs. So, our first priority as a utility is to respond to the needs of our Greater San Antonio community. Beneby pointed to the recent rate increase as an example. “We received many accolades for the things we are doing in the community. However, some council members believe – and we take it to heart – that there are customers out there who need to hear more from us.” The response will be an increased presence

with our customers through the newly developed Community Engagement area, a restructure that includes the Casa Verde weatherization team, Community Outreach and a new team called the Customer Response Unit (CRU).The CRU will handle complex customer service issues that may need more of a case-management approach. Beneby says grassroots, face-to-face interaction will “allow us to communicate better, rather than simply depending on radio and television.” CPS Energy’s commitment to the community isn’t only about enhanced customer service. One of our cornerstones is the spirit of giving back. Beneby recognized our willingness to give as employees when he came on board. “It’s something that pre-dates me. I’m awfully proud of our spirit of giving. I’m happy to support and enhance it.” And the numbers speak for themselves. Beneby stated, “Employees volunteered more than 15,000 hours last year – and that’s just what we counted, there are probably more we didn’t. And, our employees donated nearly one million dollars to local charities last year.”

“I proudly share, outside of our company walls, that the people I have the honor to lead give graciously and without coercion. ”

The figures shore up our Corporate Responsibility initiatives and demonstrate that we are a community utility. “It’s our responsibility to give more than just the 14 percent of our revenues every year (to the City of San Antonio). Whether it’s volunteer hours or our consistent donations to United Way, it’s a part of our charge to give back. And, I proudly share, outside of our company walls, that the people I have the honor to lead give graciously and without coercion.” 4

Leading the way through innovation

“If played right, a person can develop and the person behind him or her can play up and develop. ”

Just as we welcome the opportunity to make San Antonio and the surrounding communities better through giving, we have to embrace innovation because the utility industry is changing. Rather than fight what is often called disruptive change, Beneby’s goal is to find a way to adapt and use it to benefit our company and our customers. “We want to be leaders.” In addition to traditional power plants, we are investing in distributed generation. Traditional analog meters are being replaced by smart meters, and we are putting more into high-tech demand response efforts than we ever have before. According to Beneby, all of the industry advances are motivated by the regulatory need to minimize the impact of generation on the environment, or put simply, minimize the amount of pollutants put into the air.

Empowering employees in a changing industry Embracing innovation creates a demand for an educated workforce with a variety of skill sets. Beneby is committed to creating an environment where the leaders of tomorrow are being developed today. That’s why CPS Energy is investing in Empower U and other developmental initiatives. “Empower U was envisioned to reach a lot of employees. We wanted employees across the workforce to have access to thoughts about leadership, change, and some of the softer skills. It was not designed to replace procedural or policy training but to touch some other points of our lives.”

The goal is one most people can agree on. How we get there is another matter. Our CEO says the industry is looking for certainty right now and where there’s no certainty, there’s risk.

The hope is that employees will take charge of their own careers, adapt to a changing industry, and build skill sets that make them marketable; even if it creates opportunities outside of the company.

We will manage industry change by embracing it with innovation.

“People come to work, especially for a company like ours, to provide something to the community. But they should also think, what’s in it for me – how can I grow? I want all of our employees to feel that when they come to work, that it’s enriching. It’s a career, not a job. Position themselves to compete and grow, or whatever that means to them.”

“It makes you look differently at the kind of power plants you invest in; it makes you look differently at the way you help your customers use less energy-- and the other aspect is customer choice.” As the technology and our customers evolve, they have more mobile and powerful ways to manage the energy they buy. Offering these new technologies, like the Cool Energy 5

SmartAC Kit – recently featured on ABC News – and Nest Rush Hour Rewards, gives customers the power to choose how and when they buy energy. They can even choose to employ a technology, like rooftop solar, where they sell energy back to us.

Beneby says Empower U is not just a flash in the pan, or one-time experiment. The sessions – two have been held so far, attracting

national speakers, including former AT&T and GM CEO Ed Whitacre – will continue and are designed to perpetuate development for years to come. Employees also are taking advantage of talent development teams at CPS Energy. Since we are committed to innovation, it’s important to allow employees from all areas of the company to be part of that process. Whether the focus is working on innovative demand response or energy efficiency projects with major customers like Rackspace, HEB or Joint Base San Antonio; solar power; or the consideration of relocating our corporate headquarters, each new developmental team member will walk away with new skill sets, new insight into the technology that’s driving our industry, and an opportunity to have engaged in key decision making. Beneby believes we need to create avenues for employees who are willing to “raise their hand and say, ‘I want to be a part of that.’ ” It can result in opportunities for leaders to be developed from within. That’s why we are seeing new initiatives like rotational development. “In the past, our leadership might have been resistant to let people rotate for fear of losing manpower and expertise.” But the foundation has been laid to re-orient leadership to look at rotational opportunities differently. “If played right, a person can develop and the person behind him or her can play up and develop,” says Beneby. “This means rotational development provides growth for more than just the person rotating to a new position.” Beneby looks at talent development like an iceberg – “what’s truly important is what’s

happening below the water line. So, although the new talent development initiatives are important, the foundation is a leadership team that understands that 40 percent of their jobs should be talent development. Succession planning, talent management and development – aside from protecting our employees, community and environment—are the most important part of leadership.”

Preparing for the inevitable – the departure of talent While some employees are taking advantage of new ways to advance their careers, other members of our aging workforce are looking at the perfect timing to ride off into the sunset. Our leadership responded to the potential for unexpected waves of retirements by creating the Volunteer Retirement Incentive Program. “We are unique in that we have an unusually high number of employees who are eligible for retirement. As the economy continues to improve, employees are in a better place financially to start the next chapter of their lives in a way that makes the most sense for themselves and their families.” So, a volunteer retirement program benefits those employees but also CPS Energy because it creates opportunities for others in the company. “It also allows us to bring in new talent with skill sets that are more in line with the changing utility industry.” But how do we ensure that retiring talent leaves the company intact? “We have embarked on a knowledge transfer process, so between now and when an employee raises his or her hand and says

‘I want to leave’ we will then put in place a very aggressive and specific knowledge transfer regime so that we can pick up the slack. Additionally we have a lot of talent here that’s waiting to emerge. So, I think we have a pretty good bench waiting for the opportunities.” And, as employees look to a future without a CPS Energy badge, they can rest assured that they will still be top of mind for our CEO. “We can never lose sight of our retirees. They are a big part of the family. If we run the company well, they can continue to enjoy retirement.”

Working to achieve trust The same holds true for our employees. He stressed that we need to continue to make CPS Energy a place where people want to work, grow - and one day - retire. He works to maintain that environment by engaging with every internal stakeholder group, demonstrating the importance of working together most recently during negotiations with the union. He tasked union leadership with creating an environment of trust, inclusion, and respect. His thought process was simple. “Let’s stop for a second, put the pencils down and talk about having trust, inclusion, and respect. And if we have a basis for that, then we can deal with the issues. But if that doesn’t exist you never get to the issues. It becomes, heated, emotional and you can’t resolve the issues because they’re clouded by a lack of trust.” Beneby put the onus on management to extend as far as they could to resolve issues. The result was a three-year labor agreement. 6

Previously, the agreements normally spanned just two years.

Keeping safety the main thing Two years ago for the state of the utility article, we asked Doyle Beneby what keeps him up at night and his answer was “the safety and welfare of our employees.” That hasn’t changed, but according to Beneby things are getting better. “I see improvement and I think we have much more robust safety processes in place. We have almost everyone in the organization thinking about safety, and we have much more accountability. So, we are improving. The fact that our safety statistics are getting better is testament to that; however, safety is not about the numbers.” Even though our numbers are good, heart wrenching events can and do happen. Beneby pointed out that the company still grieves for lineman Hector Castro and his family. So, even though we have seen improvements, safety can never be placed on a back burner or in a coasting pattern. One gets the impression that in Beneby’s mind, true commitment to safety is more of a journey than a destination. To him, it’s about constantly striving every day, with every employee, to increase awareness, attention, and accountability. So, no matter what we score, returning

every employee home in the same condition they left their families will always be the top priority.

Wrapping it all up So, what is Doyle Beneby most proud of after fiscal year 2013? He mentioned that as a company we rallied to forgo a rate increase for two years by tightening our budgets and working more efficiently. Even without the increase, all of our financial indicators like our debt service coverage ratio and credit ratings still remained pristine. Across many departments of the company, as people retired and moved on, others stepped up to fill those voids, and we were able to accomplish more work with fewer resources. Affordable. Reliable. Innovative.Three key words define the work we do as an efficient and forward-thinking organization that places high value on its history. “We are delivering on our commitment to the community.” The state of this utility is strong and getting stronger, and that strength comes from our employees.

“We are delivering on our commitment to the community.”

Cordova Achieves Degree to Pursue Dream of Advancing Career by Leon Waddy Each year, employees celebrate loved ones who are graduating from high school or college by sending in pictures and information for publication in a special graduation section of LINES. It’s obvious that our employees and their families understand the importance of education when it comes to starting a career path. But education isn’t just a springboard for starting a career. It also can serve as a powerful tool for taking your career to the next level. Joe Cordova, a control room operator at Calaveras Power Station, hopes to use his new bachelor’s degree in Biology to advance his career. Cordova just completed online courses through the University of Phoenix to earn his bachelor’s degree. He has been working fulltime and going to school for the last three years, taking advantage of one of the benefits we enjoy as employees – the tuition reimbursement program. The majority of his college education was paid for through this program. “The tuition reimbursement program shows that CPS Energy cares about its em-

ployees. It’s a huge statement. They’re investing in employees and developing the future leaders of the company.” Cordova is hoping that his degree will help him further his career and sees his concentration in environmental science playing a key role. “CPS Energy is committed to renewable fuel sources and generating energy with less impact to the environment,” said Cordova. With plans to work his way to supervisor in the future, Cordova advises employees to be proactive in taking their career to the next level. “Don’t stay in your own little world,” he said. “Get out and network and get involved. You may find areas that interest you that you never knew about before.” Cordova is focusing on opportunities to learn and grow. He’s volunteered to be a safety ambassador, joining a

team of employees tasked with creating a culture of safety in their respective work areas. They deliver trainings, raise safety awareness, create SOPs (standard operating procedures), and find solutions for potentially dangerous situations. He also is planning on applying for the New Energy Economy development team to learn even more to advance in his career. A relative newbie, Cordova has been at the company for five years and plans to retire here. As he works to advance his career, he plans to continue taking advantage of tuition reimbursement and pursue a master’s in business.

Joe Cordova Calaveras Power Station University of Phoenix Bachelor of Biology

Graduates Take Next Step Toward Success

The large number of graduate announcements in this edition of LINES shows how much CPS Energy employees and their families value education. Some are pursuing higher education while others are entering the workforce or enhancing an already established career. LINES staff congratulates our recent graduates on their achievements and wishes them success in the next chapter of their lives.

High School

Patrick A. Anguiano Jubilee Academy Robert Anguiano, Jr. Joining the military and attending Palo Alto College

Marcus A. Bazan Brennan High School Cindy Nieto Attending Northwest Vista College then Texas A&M to major in criminal justice

Ashley Nicole Benavides Ronald Reagan High School Maricela Benavides Attending Baylor University

Danielle Cervantes Brackenridge High School Liza Cervantes

Makalie Dehoyos Southwest High School Brian Gutierrez Attending the University of Texas at Austin to study medicine

Desiree Escalante Thomas Jefferson High School Debra Gonzales Attending the University of Texas at San Antonio to major in business administration

Erica Michelle Felix Highlands High School Albert Felix Attending the University of Texas at Austin

Brittany Flores Byron P. Steele II High School Bill Flores Attending the University of Texas at Tyler to major in nursing

Bianka Kathryn Garcia William J. Brennan High School Cathy and Max Garcia III Attending St. Philipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College to major in culinary arts

Kiana M. Garner Douglas MacArthur High School Sabrina Hearn Attending University of the Incarnate Word to major in accounting

Olivia Garza Medina Valley High School Frank Garza Attending Northwest Vista College

Grant Griffin Clark High School Lois Emerson Attending Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi to major in business/ marketing Hired as a field design engineer with GW Communications

Danielle Gutierrez Health Careers High School Daniel Gutierrez Attending the University of the Incarnate Word to major in biochemistry

Epiphany Amber Haman St. Anthony Catholic High School Floyd Haman Attending the University of Texas at Austin to major in kinesiology

Rolando M. Hinojosa Judson High School Leticia and Rolando Hinojosa Attending the University of Texas at San Antonio to major in kinesiology

Rebecca Huizar Pleasanton High School Patricia Huizar Attending Texas A&M University to major in electrical engineering

Amanda Lynn Kirk La Vernia High School Brenda and Alex Kirk Attending Palo Alto then Texas A&M University to major in horticulture

Wyatt Koepp Marion High School Gary Koepp Attending Alamo Community College then Texas State University to major in sports medicine

Sara Lange La Vernia High School Phyllis Lange Attending the University of North Texas to major in film

Michael Francesco Lamourt Hondo High School Francesco Lamourt Attending a technical school to be a mechanic or electrician

Austin Lawrence William Howard Taft High School Mark Lawrence Attending Texas A&M Kingsville to major in bio-engineering

Devon Anthony Lyssy Falls City High School Sheldon & Cheryl Lyssy Attending Blinn College to major in fire science

Matthew Maron Winston Churchill High School Rick Maron Attending Trinity University to major in computer science

Ryan McGallicher Byron P Steele II High School Kathryn McGallicher Attending Northeast Lakeview College then Texas State University

Eric Minor MacArthur High School Sharon Luther-Minor Attending Blinn College and then Texas A&M to major in industrial engineering

Gabriella Moreno East Central High School Herlinda Moreno Attending the University of North Dallas to major in pre-med

Shelby Neill William Howard Taft High School Tressie Neill Attending Texas A&M in Corpus Christi to major in education

Marcus Ni単o John Paul Stevens High School Lisa Ni単o Attending Texas A&M University at Kingsville to major in civil engineering

Lauren Pape Poth High School Ronnie Pape Attending the University of the Incarnate Word to major in rehabilitation science

Kasey Reinen LaVernia High School Russell Reinen Attending Tarleton State University to major in biomedical science

Ezekiel Elijah Reyna John Jay Science and Engineering Academy Cynthia Reyna Attending Columbia University to major in electrical engineering

Lindsey Reynolds Clark High School Jerry Reynolds Attending the University of Texas at Austin to major in art history

Alexandria Rivera Brennan High School Herlinda Moreno Attending the University of Texas at San Antonio to major in physical therapy

Sean Elijah Salazar Southwest High School Carleen Aleman-Salazar Attending Northwest Vista College then the University of Texas at Austin to major in mechanical engineering

Brian Scheffler Samuel Clemens High School Harvey Scheffler Texas State University to major in architecture

Garrett Schneider Navarro High School William Schneider Attending Texas State Technical College to study diesel equipment technology

Joseph Slansky MacArthur High School Ted Slansky Attending the University of Houston to major in civil engineering

Daulton Sodrok La Vernia High School Eric Sodrok Achieving his Journeyman Plumberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license

Colton M. Stoker Churchill High School Kim Stoker Attending Sam Houston State University to major in business

Nicholas J. Vidal Johnson High School Nick Vidal Enlisting in the United States Air Force

Jacob Steven Viera Harlandale High School Laura Viera Attending Stephen F. Austin University to major in business marketing

Ashleigh Villarreal Rainbow Hills Baptist School Roland Villarreal Attending LeTourneau University to major in aircraft engineering

College

Lauren Aniol Texas A&M University Corpus Christi David Aniol Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary studies

Eric Birkelbach The University of Texas San Antonio Karen Birkelbach Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering

Lyndsey Marie Cloman University of Oklahoma Derick Cloman Master of Human Relations

Cody Crea Texas Tech University Elaine Crea Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering

John J. Delgado University of Texas at San Antonio Cynthia Martin Delgado Bachelor of Science in construction and science management

Derek Faul Texas Tech University Cory Faul Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering

Alexander Gonzalez University of Utah Melquiades Gonzalez Master of Science in Geology

Sarah Haro University of Texas Southwestern Medical School David M. Hagen MD

Jordan Jimenez St. Edwardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University, Austin, Tx Frank Jimenez Bachelor of Arts in Communications

Jordan David Jungman Texas A&M University David Jungman Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing

Lauren Minor University of Texas at Austin Sharon Luther-Minor Bachelor of Science in public relations

Joshua Orta Our Lady Of the Lake University Jesse B. Orta Bachelor of Business Administration

Desiree Marie Ramos Texas A&M International University Belinda M. Ramos Bachelor of Science in kinesiology with a minor in mathematics

Cole Reed Texas A&M University Derrick Reed Bachelor of Science in sports management

Kyle Reinen Schreiner University Russell Reinen Bachelor of Science in exercise science/pre-med

Taylor Story Graduate of Aviation School, Mayport Naval Base in Florida Karen Gonzales Current Rank: ASAA E-2 Airman Apprentice

Employees & Spouses

Taâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Mara D. Williams The Univeristy of Texas at San Antonio Garrick T. Williams Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering

Eddie Kirby Navarro Building Capella University PhD in organizational management

Katelyn Werner Abilene Christian University Mark Werner Bachelor of Arts in English and Bachelor of Science in biochemistry Attending Texas A&M University for a Master in science journalism

Samantha Jo Wiatrek Texas A & M University â&#x20AC;&#x201C; San Antonio Trisha Wiatrek Master of Business Administration

Paula Lyssy University of Texas at San Antonio Wife of David Lyssy Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies

Juanita Ramos Martinez Northside Customer Service Center San Antonio College Associate of Arts in liberal arts

NOT PICTURED Aspen Robinson Clark High School Martin Robinson Attending University of Texas at San Antonio to major in biology Vera Phillips Palo Alto College Wife of Jimmie Phillips CISCO Networking Associates Employment as a computer or network technician

Sandra L. Pruski-Munoz Main Office San Antonio College Associate of Arts with a concentration in business administration

Cynthia Reyna Jones Avenue Texas A&M University at San Antonio Master of Business Administration

Benefits Wellness Newsletter: A New Look with the Same Goal! We are pleased to introduce the new Wellness section of LINES, which is replacing the Bfit wellness program newsletter that was once mailed out to LINES subscribers quarterly. We hope you will enjoy this new addition to LINES as a resource for staying informed about company wellness initiatives and learning more about healthy living.

S TAY I N G I N T H E G A M E : H O W T O K E E P Y O U R B A C K H E A LT H Y BACK PAIN IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON CONDITIONS IN THE UNITED STATES. OVER THE COURSE OF A LIFETIME, EIGHT IN 10 AMERICANS WILL HAVE AT LEAST ONE EPISODE OF BACK PAIN. THE PROBLEM RESULTS IN MORE THAN 100 MILLION LOST WORK DAYS PER YEAR.

remember these tips: • Keep feet apart for better stability and lifting power. • Center your body over your feet for better balance and lift. • Keep your back straight so spine, back muscles and organs align right. • Tuck your chin to keep the neck, head and spine straight. • Grip an object with your whole hand for more lifting power. • Keep arms and elbows tucked in for more gripping power. • Bend your legs and then lift by straight- ening the legs. The leg muscles will carry the load instead of your back. 2. Sleep better A poor sleeping position can create back stress. The best sleeping positions are on your side with knees slightly bent, or on your back with a pillow under your knees.

<<<<<<<<<<< CPS Energy employees who complete the telephonic Healthy Back Program by Oct. 31, 2014, will earn 100 points toward 2015 premium discounts. Call (877) 440-9938 to learn more about this program.

COMMON CAUSES OF BACK PAIN Many back injuries are the result of cumulative damage, but certain motions and movements can contribute to back injuries more than others.These include heavy lifting, twisting or reaching while lifting, working in awkward positions, as well as poor posture, and sitting or standing too long in one position. 15

Practices to alleviate back problems There are three practices you can incorporate into your daily routines to help avoid serious problems. 1. Lift safely When possible, use lift-assist devices for heavier objects. If you can’t avoid lifting,

3. Conditioning Regular exercise can improve overall fitness and lower the likelihood of back problems and injury. Exercises for strength, flexibility and aerobics are best. Get into a daily flexibility routine and do strength training for your core muscles. Yoga and Pilates classes offer good core workouts. If you have trouble doing certain exercises, swimming, walking, or bicycling may be good options. Always check with your doctor before you increase your activity level. Red flags to watch for While most of us will experience back pain in our lifetime, you should call your doctor if you have other symptoms such as tingling or numbness in either leg; pain down your leg; weakness; gait problems; loss of bladder or bowel control; or nausea, vomiting, fever or chills. S o u r c e : U n ite d H e alth care

Veggie Pizza

Love pizza, but not what it does to your waistline? Try this pizza, which is made with a whole-wheat crust and piles on the veggies for lots of flavor. Ingredients:

Preparation:

• 1 pound prepared whole-wheat pizza dough • 2 cups chopped broccoli florets • 1/2 cup onions, cut into strips • 1/4 cup water • 5 ounces arugula, chopped (about 6 cups) • 2 cloves of garlic • Pinch of salt, if desired • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste • 1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning • 1 teaspoon oregano • 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced • 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese • Other vegetables of your choice

Position oven rack in the lowest position and then preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll out dough on a lightly-floured surface to about the size of the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, about 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook broccoli and onions in water in a large skillet over medium heat, covered, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in arugula and garlic and cook, stirring, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes more. If desired, season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning and oregano. Spread the

tomato sauce mixture evenly over the crust. Top with the broccoli mixture and tomatoes and then sprinkle with cheese. Bake until golden and cheese is melted, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts Yields 6 Servings

Amount Per Serving Calories 250 Fat 6 g Saturated fat 2 g Cholesterol 12 mg Protein 12 g Carbohydrates 39 g Fiber 5 g Sodium 461 mg

S o u r c e : m yOptu m H e alth

CPS Energy started the benefits wellness program in 2011. Since then, the program has provided resources to help employees reach their wellness goals. Here are some employees who have achieved great success!

Scott Allen Employee Development Analyst Weight loss of 103 pounds

Art Zavala Multimedia Technician Weight loss of 30 pounds

Elaine Crea General Business Analyst Lowered cholesterol by 45 points

“My weight loss was largely due to the benefits wellness program. The required physical was the wake-up call I needed to make my lifestyle changes. The Lose to Win CBT’s (computer-based training modules) helped me learn how to make small changes at a time to accomplish my weight-loss goals.”

“The benefits wellness program at CPS Energy got me started and got me motivated. I joined the Lose to Win Weight Loss program for the cash prize. My goal was to lose 30 pounds and I accomplished my goal by losing 30.2 pounds. I didn’t win the Lose to Win contest, but I did win because I lost weight and my kids are now eating healthy and are more physically active!”

“I went to get my preventive wellness physical and my cholesterol came back at 205. So I started looking at labels to determine how much saturated fat was put into the items I was buying – something I learned at a Lunch ‘n’ Learn session. I eliminated any purchase that contained high saturated fats, and I started incorporating lots of high-fiber foods, fruits, vegetables and fish into my diet. I never felt deprived and every once in a while I would eat a steak or a Whataburger and fries. Two months later, I went back for a cholesterol check and found that my cholesterol dropped 45 points. It was down to 160!”

Be Happy. Be Healthy. Be Fit.

GET STARTED NOW FOR HEALTH PLAN PREMIUM DISCOUNTS FOR 2015 CPS Energy offers Wellness Incentive Rewards through 2015 medical premium discounts for active employees and their spouses or domestic partners who are covered by the CPS Energy Group Health Plan if they take the following steps toward improving or maintaining their health in 2014! Premium discount amounts for 2015 will be announced during Open Enrollment in October 2014, so start participating now to earn the required 1,200 points. STEP 1: Complete a Physical with Lab Work for 500 points from Jan. 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sept. 30, 2014 STEP 2: Complete your online Health Assessment for 500 points, between Oct. 1 and Oct. 31, 2014, at www.myuhc.com. Note: Step 1 & 2 MUST be completed in order to qualify for 2015 premium discounts, regardless of other points earned. STEP 3: Earn 200 points by participating in various wellness activities. See CPS Energy Connect or call Wellness at (210) 353-2900, option 4, for more information on how to earn 200 points through CPS Energy wellness activities.The deadlines for wellness activities vary, so start participating today! Covered spouses and domestic partners only need to complete Steps 1 & 2 to qualify. To earn spouse or domestic partner premium discounts, the covered employee must also qualify for medical premium discounts. CPS Energy retirees covered under the health plan will be entered into prize drawings for completed activities.

NEWTEAMNEWSTRATEGIES SAME HEART FOR ENHANCING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE by Samuel Taylor

Fueled by a passion to help customers,

the recently formed Community Engagement team is working on new strategies to enhance the customer experience, build strong relationships in the community, and improve overall customer satisfaction. The team comprised of Community Outreach, the Casa Verde weatherization program and a new, specialized group called the Customer Response Unit (CRU) will be out in the community and engaging our customers face-to-face to better educate them about rebates, assistance programs, public safety and more. “We are very excited to take this new strategic approach to enhance the customer experience and support customers who need it most,” said Jelynne LeBlanc Burley, executive vice president and chief delivery officer. “The CRU, Casa Verde and the outreach group will work closely with each other to hone in on assisting customers who have limited funds or are on fixed incomes.” The CRU will have the distinct task of staying connected with elected officials who receive customer calls. CRU members will be empowered to solve challenging situations, and help employees in the field resolve customer issues so crews can focus on the job at hand. And, they’ll need the support of other business areas to provide immediate responses for quick resolutions. “Our field crews have been on the frontline of customer service issues for quite some time. They often are stopped by customers while doing their work. The CRU will be able to lighten the load for our reliability teams, meter readers, meter shop, and others so they won’t have to close that loop for the customer,” said LeBlanc Burley.

Jesse Hernandez is leading this holistic new effort as director of Community Programs and will report directly to VP of Community Engagement Maria Koudouris. Toni Harris Rowland, manager of the CRU, will head up a specialized unit of four employees. The unit works out of mobile offices in newly designed Chevy Volts that sport an eye-catching look. “Our focus is to help customers who are trying to pay their bills and are having challenges, to make homes more energy efficient, and to educate customers on safety around electricity and natural gas,” said Koudouris. “We’re striving to be more visible to our customers and working hard to build good relationships and partnerships in the community.”

DEVELOPING THE TEAM Creation of the Community Engagement team is in direct response to City Council requests from last year’s rate case discussion. Council members specifically asked that employees work more closely with customers with limited funds or on fixed incomes to educate them about programs and services, and help them enroll in programs in which they qualify. President and CEO Doyle Beneby and the Senior Leadership Team took action on

the Council’s request, gathering ideas from an internal focus group of employees with considerable knowledge and experience in customer service as a first step. “We gained valuable insight from the focus group of employees with 200 years of combined experience,” said Koudouris. “They identified ways to remove barriers and make it easier for customers to benefit from our programs and services.” Internal recommendations were then presented to several customer focus groups. Customers expressed a need for more flexibility on billing dates and late fees to align better with fixed income dates. Giving customers flexibility to select their own payment due date has always been a challenge due to meter reading routes but that could change with the incoming smart grid.

ENHANCING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Along with direct customer engagement, program changes and IT modifications also are being rolled out to enhance the customer experience. Customer Accounts & Opera-

Stan Polk with Palm Market Research guides a small breakout team during an evening session focus group with employees

tions staff changed the Budget Payment Plan to allow customers with a past due balance to participate. This revision opens up the plan to nearly 300,000 accounts that are past due by more than 30 days. One of the end results will be decreasing volume in the call center and walk-in locations. By early fall, real-time transactions will acknowledge payments from customers as soon as they are made. Changes will be phased in across the various payment channels, i.e. Manage My Account, debit/credit card, third party vendors like HEB, and are designed to significantly reduce customer calls and visits to confirm our receipt of last-minute payments. Amidst the improvements, Koudouris says, is our consistent and unchanging heartfelt effort to provide customers with excellent service. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a lot of employees with tremendous skills who are very passionate about helping our customers,â&#x20AC;? she said.

District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales supports the new Community Engagement team and customer service reps at a June 24 news conference

Here’s a look at some of the activities happening around CPS Energy. 21

Four Selected for Leadership Employees Conduct Book Series Drive to Improve Literacy Kim Stoker of Environmental Planning & Compliance, Dr. Gwen Young of Technology & Innovation, Janie Guzman of Claims and Gina Riak of Corporate Support Services were selected to participate in the San Antonio Women’s Chamber of Commerce Level 5 Leadership Program. The program is designed to help present and future leaders develop or refine their leadership skills. (1)

Members of the CPS Energy Reading Buddy Program gathered almost 1,000 books for San Antonio Youth Literacy’s Reading Buddy program. Employees conducted the book drive so that children in the associated tutoring program could continue practicing their reading and comprehension skills during the summer. Children who don’t read during the summer can lose up to three months of reading progress — and that loss has a cumulative, long-term effect. Ann Martinez,

administrative assistant at the CPS Energy Northwest Service Center, (center right) and a reading buddy herself, coordinated the three-week book drive. (2)

Mechanics Compete in Tech of the Year Contest In May, 13 of our mechanics – accompanied by their supervisors – competed in the 2014 Technician of the Year regional

contest. Only the top three contestants with the best written test scores advanced to the state finals. Although none of our fleet personnel advanced, they came away with a great experience and are looking forward to new training opportunities to sharpen their skills and prepare for next year’s competition. Photo courtesy of Tommy Johns. (3)

Supply Chain Exceeds Half-Million Hours Safety Milestone

Congratulations to the employees of Supply Chain for working more than 600,000 hours, and more than 565 days as of May 6, without a recordable safety incident! This department includes staff from Fleet, Logistics, Enterprise Business Services and Sourcing. (4)

Cyclists Take on Wildflower Ride

Fourteen employee cyclists pedaled various routes throughout Northeast San Antonio on April 27 to the finish line of the Fiesta Wildflower Ride. Seven of the riders completed either the 15-, 25- or 40-mile ride, while seven others completed the longer 100K (62-mile) and 100-mile rides. (5)

Kiolbassa Helps Boy Scouts Earn Merit Badges

Jeff Kiolbassa, Interim Maintenance Manager

at Rio Nogales, completed the Plumbing Merit Badge training requirements for Boy Scout Troop 114 in Floresville. Kiolbassa taught the Boy Scouts about plumbing system design, tools and repairs. He finished the class by having each scout cut and thread two pieces of steel pipe and solder three pieces of copper tubing.

Legal Team Assists Low-income Customers

In April, our legal team volunteered their time to assist low-income individuals in

creating a will, establishing powers of attorney and physician directives. St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University School of Law hosted the event. It was a way for the attorneys to give back to the community and perform a muchneeded service. Current law students were assigned to each attorney to assist in the process while earning practical hours toward their degrees. (6)

Energy Delivery Services

Fabian Emmanuel Hijar-Lopez, utility worker; Cody Dustin Riddell, Chance Michael

Enterprise Information Technology Peter Anthony Kleffner, director IT

Markgraf and Lee Edward Schaefer, Allan

governance & strategy; Samantha Isaacs,

Barcus Garner, Alberto Torres-Torres,

senior manager project management

trainee distribution; Allan Meineke, specialist SCADA 2

Corporate Support Services: Allen Myles Pena, lead security officer;

Christopher Arthur Fournier and Edwin Leon Lipinski Jr, security officer

Customer Accounts and Operations

Gas Delivery

Cesar Sanchez and Richard Hugh Conner, utility worker; Michael John Guerra, engineer

Power Generation

Paulo Ibarra, Amal Rimon Thompson Jr., Casey Dale Ellerbe, Robert Allen Driskill, Dylan Jeffery Gisler, Cornelius Martin

Sulma N. Ramirez, Rometres Lynch and

Boullard, Roberto Saenz Gutierrez and Jose

Stephanie Denise Barajas, Rep Customer

Carmen Tinajero Jr., operator auxiliary

Svc 1; Pamela Jean Garcia-Adame, supervisor contact; Veronica Velasquez Pelletier, teller

Finance

Power Generation

specialist; Cory Kuchinsky, director of ERMS

compliance; Thomas Daniel Sanchez, senior

Debra Ann Barry, financial services

Eric Sodrock, coordinator boiler code manager asset management; David Martinez,

Corporate Support Services Michael Heath, foreman warehouse

foreman coal yard operator; Gerald Tyler, operator coal equipment; Blake Vaughn, operator control room coal yard ; Juan Cubillos III, operator auxiliary; Jacob Stewart Bissell, manager plant engineering

LINES staff joins other CPS Energy employees in expressing deepest sympathy to: Gilbert Villafranco, Service Restoration, on the death of his son, Juan G.Villafranco Charles M Ross, retired employee of Purchasing and Stores Department, on the death of his mother,Theresa Ross

The family and friends of Angel Gonzales, retired employee of Materials and Transportation The family and friends of Jimmy Garcia, retired employee of Financial Services

Leon Waddy, Corporate Communications, on the death of his father, Lawrence Waddy, Jr.

The family and friends of Wayne Jaksik, retired employee of Energy Delivery Services

Allen Mayer, retiree, on the death of his son, Shelby Mayer

The family and friends of Paul F. Root, retired employee of Building Operations

Gene Dixon Jr., Weatherization Assistance, on the death of his father Gene Dixon, Sr.

The family and friends of Jess J. Witte Jr, retired employee of Gas Engineering and Fuels 24

Congr atulations to these employees who have reached milestones in their year s of ser vice with CPS Ener gy.

30 Abel Martinez Northwest Center

Antonio Torres Northwest Center

Paul Ozuna Mission Road Construction Center

Rick Valdez Calaveras Power Station

Yolanda Maldonado Main Office

Brenda Kirk Energy Management Center

Dennis Hans Mission Road Construction Center

Douglas Friesenhahn Meter Reading

Edward Segura Malone Administration Building

Jesse B. Orta Northwest Center

Ronald Gray Northside Customer Service Center

Ed Perez Jones Avenue Center

Roosevelt Carter, Jr. Main Office

George A. Sotello Northwest Center

Glenn Kosub Calaveras Power Station

Jose Puente Calaveras Power Station

Kenny Johnson Jones Avenue

Leonard Ruiz Salado Street Center

Mary Helen Alvarez Mission Road Construction Center

Howard Berry Eastside Center

Alfred Nieto Mission Road Construction Center

Daniel Martinez Main Office

Danny Granato Calaveras Power Station

Jack Smith Jones Avenue Center

Mark Davis Jones Avenue Center

Scott Allen Tuttle Training Center

Kevin Penny Main Office

Paul Lombrano Mission Road Construction Center

Steve Sanchez Northwest Center

Kim Stoker Main Office

Joe Sepulveda Calaveras Power Station

Lillian De Luna Navarro Building

Richard Zule Northwest Center

20 Arnold Sandoval Jones Avenue Center

Lisa Pennington Mission Road Construction Center

Robert Doege Tuttle Training Center

Benito Garza Jones Avenue Center

Robert Jendrusch Calaveras Power Station

Carlos Garcia Mission Road Construction Center

Dean Heather Northside Customer Service Center

Paul Herrera III Eastside Center

Erik Eirich Malone Administration Building

Eric Myers Calaveras Power Station

Roberto Gonzales Malone Administration Building

Fernando Lopez Southwest Center

Jose Alvarado Calaveras Power Station

Samuel Perez, Jr. Malone Administration Building

Floyd Schneider Braunig Power Station

Keith Balcar Navarro Building

Todd Pargmann Energy Management Center

Freddy Hernandez Southwest Center

Hassan Mkhantar Jones Avenue

Larry Banda Southwest Center

Marisa Barrera Navarro Building

Julissa Flores Main Office

Emil Browning Malone Administration Building

Justin Mooney Mission Road Construction Center

Raymond Drzymala Mission Road Construction Center

Vincent Travieso Northwest Center

Larry Mann Northwest Center

Robert Stull Jones Avenue Center

Vo Trieu Main Office

Manuel Carranza Northwest Center

Rudy Hernandez Northwest Center

Willie Davis Northside Customer Service Center

Moses Perez Eastside Center Garage

Todd Rogers Calaveras Power Station

Randall Davis Calaveras Power Station

Vivian Sarabia Northside Customer Service Center

10 Andrew Hernandez Eastside Center

Michael Malone Main Office

Gabriel Santos Jones Avenue

Gwen Young Navarro Building

Annie Diaz Main Office Leticia Gomez Northside Customer Service Center

Joe Cordova Calaveras Power Station

Bradley Allen Substation Maintenance Marlin Keith Calaveras Power Station

Luke Foster Southwest Center

Cris Eugster Main Office Richard Luyet Jones Avenue Center

Monico Levrie Southwest Center

Derek Steffe Calaveras Power Station Robert Dieckow Main Office

Xavier Caballero Substation Maintenance

Kip Giles Navarro Building

Jason Heymans Security

Jones Avenue Center

that his son, Jake, a sophomore at UTSA,

to announce the birth of their daughter, Lila

in April at the 2014 National Collegiate

Benito Garza and his wife, Elisa, are pleased Love Garza, born on March 27, 2014. (1)

Championships in Orlando, Florida.

Main Office, 10th Floor

9th out of 39 lifters in his weight class with

Jelynne LeBlanc Burley is proud to report that her daughter, Juliet Daste Burley, is going to study abroad in Florianópolis, Brazil as a culinary student this summer as she prepares to complete her culinary degree at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) this fall.

Here’s a look at some of the big events taking place in the lives of our CPS Energy family.

Jonathan Tijerina is proud to announce the birth of his son, Ian Tijerina, born April 22, 2014. Karen Gonzales is pleased to report the birth of her grandson, Ayden Story, born

Jake weighed in at 162.3 lbs. and placed a combined weight of 1339 lbs., which consisted of squat, bench, and dead lift. The UTSA Men’s team placed 3rd overall. Jake is pursuing an Electrical Engineering Degree at UTSA. (4)

Energy Delivery Services

Fernando DeHoyos is pleased to report that his son, Mark DeHoyos, a junior at Edison High School, became the District 28-4A Boys Singles first place champion in March at a tournament held at the

October 11, 2013. (2)

Northside Tennis Center in March. He also

Northwest Service Center

trict Team matches held in October 2013.

Larry Mann and his wife, Melissa, are

pleased to announce the birth of their twins, Hunter and Kristen, born Nov. 15, 2013. Their older son, Caden, is proud to be

got second place in the SAISD UIL Dis(5)

News from Retirees

Retiree Oscar Moore and his wife, Ruby,

a big brother. (3)

were very proud to keep a promise to their

Northside Customer Service Center

the Hoover Dam for keeping a 4.0 grade

Robert Martinez was pleased to report

competed with the UTSA Powerlifting team

granddaughter to take her to Las Vegas and point average. She is a sophomore at Lamar High School in Arlington.

Best wishes to these employees who have retired after many dedicated years to CPS Energy.

Andrew Garcia Energy Delivery & Customer Services Navarro Building

Enemencio Maldonado Energy Delivery & Customer Services Malone Administration Building

Victor Orozco Energy Delivery & Customer Services Malone Administration Building

35 Years of Service

25 Years of Service

35 Years of Service

Present Position: General Designer 3

Present Position: Crew Leader

Previous Positions: Draftsman, engineer specialist, engineer specialist 2, engineer specialist 3

Previous Positions: Utility worker, crewman 1, assistant crew leader, truck driver specialist

Previous Positions: Utility worker 1, crewman 1, assistant crew leader

Robert Barba Energy Delivery & Customer Services Southwest Center

Kelley Farris Corporate Support Services Navarro Building

35 Years of Service

Present Position: EAI & Middleware Manager

Johnny Franklin Energy Delivery & Customer Services Mission Road Construction Center

Present Position: UED Installer

Previous Position: EAI/Interface analyst 2, program/system analyst 3, EAI/Interface analyst 3

Previous Positions: Utility worker, crewman 1, assistant crew leader

11 Years of Service

35 Years of Service Present Position: Distribution Regulator Repairman Previous Position: General helper, operations serviceman

RICHARD PEÑA Concludes 31-Year Career

by Christine Patmon Troublesome fish, a skyrocketing career, and men and women who could operate or repair anything are just a few notable memories that Richard Peña took with him as he wrapped up a 31-year career on June 1. The vice president of generation asset management started as a junior engineer when Power Generation was known as the Production Department in July 1983. Peña headed up Energy Market Operations when he decided to retire late last year. Over the years, he led some of the company’s largest projects, including the startups of JK Spruce 1 and 2 and Arthur Von Rosenberg 1. Other memorable moments include the

preparation for Y2K, the NODAL project for ERCOT, SAP conversion, the Tuttle Training Center, and new offices for the Coal Yard and Environmental Lab. Bricks and mortar aside, workforce development also marks Peña’s decades of leadership. He recalls the promotion plans for the Maintenance and Operations area, foreman qualifiers, and the rewards and recognition initiative. The promotion plans had tremendous support from both the union and management, and Peña said it highlighted the talents and capabilities of staff. He says working with true professionals, “some of the best people anywhere,” was a

privilege. Former executive Rod Seidel was one of those special people, showing Peña to look at problems and opportunities from a 360 degree approach, and taking a 10, 20 and 30 year hindsight view of what we could gain or lose. But what about those problem fish? Flashback to December 1989 when an extreme cold front came in, stunning the tilapia in Braunig Lake - thousands headed for the condensers, plugging them and shutting down the units. That led to rotating blackouts across the city. To this day, Peña refuses to eat tilapia. If that’s the worst thing that could happen in three decades, most people will take it. 34

by Scott Wudel Surely, by now, you’ve heard the term “demand response.” No, it’s not psychobabble for how quickly you should reply to your better half. But it is a call to action, and it’s one we’re hoping our customers hear to help us reduce energy consumption during the hot, summer months. If you’ve been around long enough, you’ve heard of Peak Saver, a programmable thermostat and our inaugural flight in to the land of energy conservation back in 2003. The thermostat proved worthy for its time and many customers still enjoy its benefits, albeit under a new name – Smart Thermostat. Today, Demand Response (DR) is a full-scale, multi-faceted program. Homeowners can get a free or discounted device to help them reduce their energy use and earn account credits for helping us curtail consumption.

customers better control of their home energy use through wireless technology and account credits for participating. “Demand Response customers are helping us reduce load growth on the grid,” says Rick Luna, manager of demand management and analysis. “They help ease the demand for power and help us maintain low rates. At the same time, we reduce the need for additional power generation.” Our commercial and industrial customers bring the largest share of load reduction. Today, more than 340 meters at schools, office buildings, hotels, and retail centers are connected to our commercial DR program. Like our residential side, when demand is expected to be high, an event is called. Facility managers at H-E-B, Microsoft, Trinity University and others have an hour or two to decide if they can afford to scale

CPS Energy also is implementing load reduction activities internally at locations such as Main Office and Navarro Buildings and NSCSC. During an event, thermostats are being adjusted, lights are being turned off in hallways, and electricity is conserved in other areas where possible. Employees can do their part during these events. When notified, you can: turn off all lighting except for task lighting; turn off computers, copiers or other equipment not in use; and delay print jobs until the next day. These events will typically be called between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

RESPONDING TO THE CALL CPS Energy focused on Demand Response to reduce consumption this summer All they have to do is heed the call during a “conservation” event and allow their thermostat to be adjusted slightly. Such events reduce the number of ACs demanding power at the same time and preserve valuable resources. Last year, nearly 100,000 customers used Smart Thermostat and the Home Manager energy management system, preserving more than 60 MW of energy. This year, a new central AC program – the sleek Nest Learning Thermostat – provides yet another energy-saving option. We also have programs for window units like the new Kuhl Window AC and the Cool Energy SmartAC Kit. All of these programs offer 35

back power consumption that day. In return for their commitment, they receive valuable account credits or financial incentives. In 2013, participating companies reduced consumption by almost 67 MW. Now, the challenge is expanding the program. “One of our biggest hurdles is that we’ve seen so much success in the large commercial market that the segment is becoming saturated,” says Justin Chamberlain, marketing analyst in New Programs and Services. “The opportunity we see before us is to work with smaller accounts on finding ways to enable them for demand response.”

LOOK TO CPSENERGYSAVERS.COM FOR MORE DETAILS ON WHICH PROGRAM BEST FITS YOUR HOME. ALL PROGRAMS ARE FREE, BUT MAY REQUIRE A PURCHASE (NEST THERMOSTAT, FRIEDRICH KUHL WINDOW AC).

Home Manager – Control your central AC, water heater and pool pump and monitor your energy use with a computer or smartphone.

Smart Thermostat – Program your free Honeywell thermostat from anywhere to reduce your central AC running time.

Cool Energy SmartAC Kit – control and monitor temperature settings on your window AC with a computer or smartphone.

Friedrich Kuhl Window AC – purchase an efficient window AC at a local Conn’s and control it remotely. Look for additional account credit to reduce purchase price. Nest Rush Hour Rewards – purchase a Nest Thermostat and enroll in Rush Hour Rewards. The Thermostat learns your daily routine and develops a schedule for your central AC. Look for $85 account credit to reduce price of thermostat.

PRSRT STD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

SAN ANTONIO, TX PERMIT NO. 251

Power Generation literally put a spotlight on energy efficiency and safety by improving lighting at Calaveras and Braunig Power stations.The new LED lights installed at various power plant facilities will bring an estimated annual savings of more than 1,000 megawatt-hours. Here (left to right) Mario Valadez, shift supervisor, Dustin Winkler, A03, and Alan Moore, control room operator, enjoy the new lighting at Braunig Power Station, which has created a safer work environment and boosted morale.