New Commercial Construction

A PDF version of the new commercial construction application is available for download.

 

Be sure and enroll on the Construction & Renovation Web Portal to be able to apply for service and monitor your project throughout the steps below. Read More Here

 

Contact CPS Energy Customer Design & Delivery at 210-353-4050 Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4pm or [email protected] if you need assistance with any of the steps below.

Download the detailed New Commercial Construction Step-by-Step Process Document.

 

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Understand your location within CPS Energy Service Boundaries

Understand your location within CPS Energy Service Boundaries.

Ensure you are within CPS Energy’s Electric Service Boundary Map and/or Gas Service Boundary Map. If you service is within the Downtown Network Service Boundary, please note your project is subject to CPS Energy’s Electric Service Standards Section 1100 – Service from Downtown Network System.

*The following link will provide important addressing information that is needed before an application can be processed.  Read More Here

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Call CPS Energy to have your current service closed and request removal of service

We offer a free OPTIONAL Utility Preliminary Plan Review (UPPR)

This OPTIONAL Utility Preliminary Plan Review, for qualifying projects, provides you with the opportunity to meet with CPS Energy staff to discuss your project.  This optional meeting will assist you by identifying items that need to be addressed or modified prior to submitting a complete service application to CPS Energy for your project.  We will help you understand CPS Energy Service Standards, environmental requirements, and required easements information for your project. In addition, we will also describe your construction options: CPS Energy Turnkey or Developer Install and CPS Energy will discuss working with other utilities, like San Antonio Water & Sewer.

Please make your request for a UPPR through our Construction & Renovation Web Portal and submit your site plan, conceptual elevations, photographs, survey, and estimated electric and gas loads. See the  UPPR Memo and Form for qualifying criteria, information on the UPPR process and a pdf form for applying outside the portal.

If you would NOT like to request this optional UPPR meeting, please proceed to Step 3.

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Complete a Commercial Building Application

Complete a Commercial Building Application.

Apply on the Construction & Renovation Web Portal. Read More Here

Or download and email your application: 

REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS

Attach the required documents to your project by selecting the Project from Home, then Attachments.

  • Customer Environmental Requirements Checklist
  • Load Sheet - Signed & Sealed if design drawings are not yet at 100%
  • Electric/Gas Utility Site Plan – Signed & Sealed (2007 CAD and PDF)
  • Electric Meter Loop Drawing – Signed & Sealed if required by Electric Service Standards, Section 90.3.2 (PDF file)
  • Electric One-Line Diagram – Signed & Sealed (PDF)
  • Gas Appliance/Plumbing Schedule – Signed & Sealed (PDF)
  • Gas One-Line Diagram – Signed & Sealed (PDF)
  • Site Plan with Easements Identified (CAD and PDF) - Easements accommodate CPS Energy overhead or underground primary electric line extensions or gas main extensions.
  • Motor Load Form (will be provided to customer if project includes motors of 100 hp or larger)
  • If installing a generator, provide Distributed Generation Form
  • Approved address plat (If applicable)

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. Schools
Texas state law requires all public, private, and charter schools to perform School Pipe Testing and provide appropriate documentation before CPS Energy can activate gas service. Also, the law requires that a leak test be completed every two years. Please go to School Pipe Testing for more information.

2. Small and Large Commercial Customer Classification
CPS Energy designates customers with a diversified electric load of less than 300 KVA as “Small Commercial” and will typically provide service with overhead transformers. Small Commercial customers are served by CPS Energy’s Commercial Services Section.

CPS Energy classifies customers with a diversified electric load of 300 KVA or larger as “Large Commercial” and will provide service with a pad-mounted transformer. Large Commercial customers are served by CPS Energy’s Large Commercial Developments Section. 

3. CPS Energy will diversify based on customer-connected load
Customers who do not qualify for a pad-mounted transformer may request to install a pad-mounted transformer if they agree to pay the difference in cost between an overhead and pad-mounted transformer. These customers will be served by the Large Commercial Developments Section.

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Meet with CPS Energy at a Pre-Design Meeting.

Meet with CPS Energy at a Pre-Design Meeting.

Once CPS Energy Customer Design and Delivery receives all required documents, the job is assigned to a Designer who will schedule a Pre-Design Meeting with you. In preparation for this Pre-Design meeting, CPS Energy will gather information and comments from internal departments.

During the Pre-Design Meeting, we will review your project with you and explain any steps required before the design of your project can begin. At this time, you will need to decide whether you would prefer to use the CPS Energy’s Turnkey option, or the developer install option for infrastructure installation.  Please keep in mind that any proposed developer install company must be approved by CPS Energy

Revision to already provided documents maybe required.

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CPS Energy reviews and approves your metering diagrams

CPS Energy reviews and approves your metering diagrams.

CPS Energy will review and approve your metering diagrams. Once approved your designer will procure meter cans for your installation. Providing your metering diagrams promptly is especially important for customers requesting quick turnaround as the design phase will not begin until your metering diagrams have approval

Once your CPS Energy Design phase is complete, confirm with your Designer or Coordinator that your meter cans are available for pick up at: 511 S. Salado St San Antonio 78207 EXT. 4245.

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CPS Energy designs your service infrastructure and sends you a design, contract, and invoice.

CPS Energy designs your service infrastructure and sends you a design, contract, and invoice.

CPS Energy will review all submitted documents and will need to approve before design process can begin.

Once CPS Energy has received all documents, CPS Energy will assign a Coordinator to your project and begin the Design phase. During this Design Phase, you should apply for all of your required permits, which can have a long lead time. CPS Energy will apply for permits for CPS Energy work. At the end of the Design phase, CPS Energy will provide your final design, a contract, and invoice.

Every project will have a unique design that may include Overhead Service, Underground Service, or both. If a customer is required to install Underground facilities, they will receive a design specific to their project with precise measurements from source of power (riser pole, manhole, etc.) to the meter location or transformer location(s). For Commercial projects, the customer will need to install all underground electric infrastructure according to CPS Energy’s design and have it inspected by a CPS Energy inspector.

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Apply for the necessary permit(s) in your city of municipality.

Apply for the necessary permit(s) in your city of municipality.

You will need to obtain all relevant permits and, where required, final electrical and/or gas inspection from your local city or municipality, such as the City of San Antonio. For more information about City of San Antonio permitting and inspections, go to City of San Antonio - Permit, Inspection and Review. CPS Energy has also worked with the City of San Antonio to create a Permits and Inspections Checklist for your assistance. If you are outside San Antonio, contact your local municipality.

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Sign your contract and pay your invoice for CPS Energy work

Sign your contract and pay your invoice for CPS Energy work.

CPS Energy encourages Developers to sign their contract and remit payment within 5 business days to avoid schedule delays. 

Pay Online

Or

Pay by mail:

CPS Energy
PO Box 2678
San Antonio, TX 78289-0001

Pay in-person by check at any of our Customer Service Centers

Pay electronically via Automated Clearing House (ACH)

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Prepare Site for Inspection.

Prepare Site for Inspection.

Property Staking

In an effort to reduce conflicts with other infrastructure or fixtures, CPS Energy requires your engineer to stake designated pole locations, transformers, streetlights, and easements per CPS Energy design prior to construction. CPS Energy will only stake CPS Energy infrastructure in public right-of-ways.

CPS Energy Construction Standards

CPS Energy has adopted specific standards for the construction of electric or gas services within the CPS Energy Service Area:

o    If installing Underground infrastructure based on a CPS energy design (underground primary duct banks, manholes, concrete slabs, or underground secondary duct banks), then call the CPS Energy inspection line at 210-353-3373.

Site Ready Checklist

You are required to meet all of the following conditions prior to the commencement of CPS Energy construction:

  • Have all required cps inspections
  • Ensure all infrastructure is complete and complies with CPS Service Standards.
  • Conduits and power cables on the load side of the meter are ready to be installed.
  • 100% of service conduit run to the building is installed or at least stubbed out 10’ from transformer location.
  • Survey and complete required staking on site.
  • Your address should be clearly posted. [CPS Energy Addressing Requirements for Meter Installation]
  • All trench paths for oh/ug/gas should be within 6 inches of final grade.
  • Ensure CPS Energy’s Easement is cleared of debris and accessible to CPS Energy construction crews.
  • Trim trees to provide at least 10 feet of radial clearance around facilities.
  • Ensure there are no potential issues with notch-outs and bluffs.
  • At least 80% of wet utilities are installed. 
  • There should be minimal activity from other contractors on site.

Final Notes

The overhead portion of the project will be released to construction after all payments have been received by CPS Energy. Meanwhile, you may begin construction of the underground infrastructure. You may extend the duct bank to within 10’ of the proposed riser pole location. After the riser pole has been installed and framed, we will provide the riser bracket so you can complete your duct bank installation. After this, you can schedule your final inspection.

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Sign your easements for permanent service.

Sign your easements for permanent service.

If necessary, submit easement documentation for the necessary utilities after they are constructed. The easement or field notes are required to be received, reviewed and signed by the property owner prior to your permanent service being activated. This process can take up to 3 weeks. If an Easement is required for your project, review the information below or click here to Read More.

Owner Request:

The owner will need to provide an easement description to the CPS Energy Agent (“Agent”). All Residential Development, Small Commercial, and Large Commercial Projects will require a surveyed easement description.  The Agent will determine if a surveyed easement description is necessary for Residential Service projects. 

Third-Party Request:

If your project requires a third-party easement, please contact the Agent. The third-party easement must be secured before design phase can begin.

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CPS Energy and your city or municipality will perform their required inspections.

CPS Energy and your city or municipality will perform their required inspections.

Permits & Inspections

Please note that all permits and inspections required by any Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) will need to be completed and released to CPS Energy prior to the electric and/or gas meter being set. CPS Energy has worked with the City of San Antonio to create a Permits and Inspections Checklist that must be satisfied in order for City of San Antonio permits to be released to CPS Energy. If you are outside San Antonio, contact your local municipality.

City or Municipality Inspections

In order for CPS Energy to turn on your service after our infrastructure installation, we require your city or municipality’s successful electric and/or gas inspection(s) and release. We recommend you acquire these inspections as soon as possible. In some locations, the CPS Energy Meter Installer will perform this inspection.

CPS Energy Inspections

Call 210-353-3373 for inspections according to the instructions on the sketch supplied by CPS Energy. Inspections are required before concrete is poured, for both the slab and the duct bank. The underground portion of the job will be released to construction after the final inspection has been approved. Our underground crews requires approximately 15 business days (weather permitting) to set the transformer, pull the primary cables and make up the transformer.

Schools

Texas state law requires all public, private, and charter schools to perform School Pipe Testing and provide appropriate documentation before CPS Energy can activate gas service. Also, the law requires that a leak test be completed every two years. Please go to School Pipe Testing for more information.

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CPS Energy construction completed.

CPS Energy construction completed.

CPS Energy will release the underground portion to construction. Our underground crews will set the transformer, pull the primary cables and make up the transformer.

PLEASE NOTE: You must allow proper access to poles and all underground facilities.

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CPS Energy reviews your meter loop installation, installs your meter, and activates permanent service

CPS Energy reviews your meter loop installation, installs your meter, and activates permanent service.

CPS Energy must receive your electric meter loop inspection from the City of San Antonio (or your municipality) to allow CPS Energy to schedule a service/meter crew. You are required to permanently stencil your address on your meter loop (refer to section 1800 of the Electrician Service Standards). Once CPS Energy receives your inspection release, allow 10 business days for service crew to install meter and energize.

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Request removal of your Temporary Service.

Request removal of your Temporary Service.

Contact your designer to request removing temporary services. CPS Energy will send your final Temporary Service bill. To request a removal of service you must be the customer of record or a listed authorized representative.


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All information, representations, links or other messages may be changed by CPS Energy at any time without prior notice or explanation to the user. In particular, CPS Energy is not obliged to remove any outdated information from its website or to expressly mark it as being outdated.