CPS Energy SaveNow is the San Antonio municipal utility's residential efficiency program, and its HVAC rebate covers heat pumps on a per-ton basis tiered by SEER2. On an early replacement — swapping a system that still works — the rebate runs from $115 per ton at the entry tier (SEER2 13.8–15.1) up to $310 per ton for the highest-efficiency equipment (SEER2 20.0 and above), with $130, $175, and $250 per-ton tiers in between. A mid-tier 3-ton heat pump therefore earns roughly $525, and a larger or higher-efficiency system earns more.
The structure rewards two choices: replacing before failure and buying up the efficiency ladder. If the old system has already died, the replace-on-burnout payouts apply instead and are lower across every tier ($90 to $275 per ton) — a real reason to start the conversation before an aging system quits in August. The equipment must be an AHRI-matched heat pump, installed by a licensed HVAC contractor, and the rebate is requested through the online SaveNow portal, with payment typically arriving 8–12 weeks after approval.
Eligibility follows the CPS Energy electric meter. CPS serves San Antonio and most of Bexar County plus parts of seven adjacent counties; because it is the city-owned utility, nearly every San Antonio home qualifies, but outlying addresses on a co-op or another provider do not. Confirm the electric account before counting the rebate, and ask the contractor to put the AHRI reference number and SEER2 rating on the application so the tier is paid correctly.
As with every utility rebate this year, the federal layer has thinned: the Section 25C tax credit that added up to $2,000 for a heat pump ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. For a 2026 San Antonio buyer, SaveNow is the dependable incentive, with the income-qualified state HEAR rebate a possible addition once Texas launches it. SaveNow resets its budget by program year, so verify current per-ton amounts on cpsenergy.com before relying on a figure.