CPS Energy\u2019s CEO Rudy Garza is leaving the San Antonio utility to lead the Lower Colorado River Authority, the agency announced in a press release Monday.<\/p>\n
Garza has led CPS Energy since 2021, when he was named interim CEO<\/a> after Paula Gold-Williams left the role in the aftermath of Winter Storm Uri. He was named to the position on a permanent basis<\/a> in August 2022.<\/p>\n The Lower Colorado River Authority manages water and electricity around the Colorado River in Central Texas.<\/p>\n \u201cTexas continues to grow, and the demands on LCRA increase with it. I am ready to get to work, and I could not ask for a better team to do it with,\u201d Garza said in a press release from the LCRA.<\/p>\n He\u2019ll be the 12th general manager of the agency.<\/p>\n CPS Energy board chair Francine Romero thanked Garza for his work at the utility. He worked for CPS Energy for 12 years in a variety of positions and was the company\u2019s first Hispanic CEO<\/a>.<\/p>\n CPS Energy will hold a special board meeting Thursday to discuss the succession process. It is unclear whether there will be a search or an internal candidate would slot into the role. Garza\u2019s salary was increased to $742,000<\/a> in 2024.<\/p>\n Garza led the utility after COVID-19-related revenue losses and Winter Storm Uri caused widespread blackouts.<\/p>\n More recently, though, he ran afoul of San Antonio City Council members while discussing rate increases. Council members pushed back after CPS Energy<\/a> presented a budget that included a shortfall and, council members said, assumed a rate increase. That discussion came as council members considered changing costs for water and local property taxes.<\/p>\n The City of San Antonio owns CPS Energy and has the final say on rate adjustments.<\/p>\n