Overview
- SAWS and the City of San Antonio said Tuesday they will not relocate the Commerce Street chilled water plant after a feasibility study showed moving it would cost more than $300 million.
- The decision removes the SAWS site from the city’s proposed location for a second convention hotel and means the hotel design or site will need to be changed or abandoned.
- SAWS has asked its engineer to keep studying alternatives, including expanding capacity at the existing plant and building a smaller satellite plant in the Hemisfair area, and it will coordinate sizing with Project Marvel program managers.
- SAWS says any costs to boost downtown cooling capacity would be paid by chilled-water customers through separate rates and are not covered by the utility’s potable-water revenue or general rate increases.
- The Commerce Street plant has served about 22 downtown sites since 1968, and city and SAWS officials expect a recommended, cost-effective option for additional chilled-water capacity later this year.