Over 65,000 still without power after storms, CPS says power could take days to restore

FOR ASSISTANCE AND CITY SERVICES: DIAL 3-1-1

SAN ANTONIO – Over 65,000 people remain without power as CPS Energy works to restore service after severe storms led to outages for over 100,000 customers.

Around 11 am on Saturday, officials with CPS Energy held a press conference to update the public on their recovery efforts as crews work to restore service to affected communities.

City officials confirmed that there were no fatalities as a result of the storms.s

San Antonio officials are urging patience as crews work to restore power and clear debris after a severe storm brought widespread damage, including downed trees and power lines, but no reported fatalities.

CPS Energy said the storm produced 23,000 cloud-to-cloud lightning strikes and knocked out electricity to about 112,000 customers at its peak. As of the latest update, just under 70,000 customers remained without power, with about 562 outages still active. Officials said roughly 250 downed power lines require attention, and the Five Points area has been identified as the epicenter of the damage, accounting for more than one-third of the total outages.

Interim CEO Frank Almedaz said lightning strikes damaged equipment, and officials reported significant infrastructure damage, including crushed poles caused by 60 mph winds. CPS Energy said restoration is expected to continue through the weekend and into early next week. Crews are working 24/7 and prioritizing safety by addressing downed power lines first, then focusing on restoring service to the largest clusters of customers.

Mayor Jones and city officials outlined resources for residents dealing with high temperatures and loss of utilities. Most public libraries and park centers are open as cooling centers, but the Bazan, Las Valla and San Pedro libraries are currently unavailable. Resiliency hubs at Copernicus, Garza, Miller’s Pond and Normoil are open to provide cooling and refrigeration for medications, and officials said two more hubs will open at noon. The city planned to assess later this afternoon which resiliency hub facilities will remain open overnight and to coordinate with VIA on transportation if overnight operations are needed.

VIA is providing free transportation to cooling centers through its regular routes, officials said.

Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez said city crews from the fire department, public works and solid waste are conducting damage assessments across neighborhoods. The city’s initial focus is addressing immediate hazards such as downed trees and traffic signals before moving on to broader debris removal. Officials said there have been 167 reports of fallen trees that need to be cleared to restore access to streets and public spaces, and they warned that the volume of debris could slow progress in some areas.

Residents are being asked to report debris and request general assistance through 311, use online requests if phone lines are delayed, or email non-urgent needs to 311customerservice@sanantonio.gov. Officials said 311 delays occurred this morning but service has improved significantly. The city urged residents to call 911 for life-threatening medical emergencies, including emergencies related to power loss, and encouraged people to check on vulnerable neighbors.

CPS Energy said it has deployed a customer response unit in hard-hit areas to connect residents with resources. For customers needing critical medical care during outages, officials said CPS works on a case-by-case basis for registered individuals or those who reach out directly.

Alongside thousands of residents without power, multiple city services have been affected. This includes the Bexar County Jail and multiple San Antonio Animal Care Services campuses.

Officials with CPS Energy say that it may take several days to restore power to the affected communities.

To contact CPS Energy, please call 210-353-2222.

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