City Council Lets Nukes slip in Back Door

Another chapter concluded on thursday in the epic battle between People Power vs. Nukes -- this time results were indecisive. SWU pulled way ahead in the category of awesome banners (see photo).

As SWU had garnered sufficient pressure against a rate-hike (for the municipally owned utility, CPS) to pay for building two new nuclear reactors, CPS decided to take nukes off the table -- sort of. Instead the rate-hike CPS asked for from City Council will pay for the still-not-finished-over-budget coal plant and maybe some energy efficiency incentives. While the finances are kept from the public and councilmembers, it seemed that fancy accounting took money from the existing accounts for the nuke studies and moved the coal project over for rate-hike funding.

SWU youth, Diana Lopez, told Council "It is time for the Council to take the lead from the youth and not the other way around, we want a green future."

Thursday the City Council was set to vote on the rate hike at 9am, but managed to drag out any decision-making until late in the afternoon. Endless presentations by CPS and numerous hand-fed questions by Councilwoman Herrera (6) kept the meeting going on and on. In the end, the word nuclear was barely mentioned and the debate centered around whether to give the entire 5% rate hike or something smaller. The debate did send a message to CPS that they can no longer treat the council as a 'rubber stamp' and may not be able to continue to keep the council (and the people) in the dark about operations.

Mayor Hardberger passionately linked a vote for 5% to a vote for not only the People but for the Spurs. CPS complained that "we don't own the wind," while the CEO was likened to a "19th century manager." Everyone talked about being green and liking solar power. But no Councilperson demanded any more from CPS.

7 hours later, the vote finally happened. At first it looked like 5% passed... then meekly from the corner Councilwomen Loudres (5) told the Mayor she accidentally pushed the wrong button. After the motion failed, the Council passed a 3.5% rate hike to start in September of this year. There was no mandate about energy efficiency or renewable targets.

In the end, CPS and the Council felt the heat. SWU has elevated the debate around energy justice in the city and educated thousands. The question of funding for nuclear power will probably go to a popular vote in the fall. We will continue to bring forward a movement for green energy and green jobs in south Texas.