| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Garland Power & Light is celebrating its centennial |
|
|
in April 2023; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In the early 1920s, the City of Garland sought to |
|
|
power the pump of its newly completed water well; an electric |
|
|
provider refused to negotiate a reasonable commercial rate, so the |
|
|
city founded Garland Power & Light; on April 1, 1923, it began |
|
|
generating electricity with a 117-kilowatt diesel generator, |
|
|
serving 300 customers; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, GP&L established its first interconnection with |
|
|
another utility, the Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, in 1943; in |
|
|
subsequent decades, the utility built and purchased a number of |
|
|
plants; it completed two transmission lines to bring wind power |
|
|
from West Texas in 2014, and it has entered into contracts for |
|
|
affordable solar power as well; for the past five years, it has |
|
|
given customers the option of choosing 100 percent renewable power; |
|
|
and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In 2018, GP&L completed its portion of the Houston |
|
|
Import Project, a series of critical bulk power transmission lines |
|
|
for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas grid; the utility |
|
|
supports the state grid by investing in transmission projects |
|
|
outside of Garland, which not only expand grid capacity, but also |
|
|
generate revenue for GP&L; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Today, GP&L serves more than 73,000 customers; it |
|
|
ranks as the fourth-largest municipal electric utility in Texas and |
|
|
43rd in the nation; its local transmission and distribution |
|
|
electric delivery system has built a reputation for reliability, |
|
|
with outage frequency and duration well below the national average; |
|
|
and |
|
|
WHEREAS, GP&L continues to thrive under local leadership; it |
|
|
reports to the city council, and a portion of its revenues return to |
|
|
the city's general fund; the utility's management demonstrates its |
|
|
commitment to the community through support of the performing arts |
|
|
and economic development; moreover, it sponsors programs for |
|
|
residents, among them the Tree Power Free Tree Giveaway and |
|
|
EnergySaver, which helps customers save money through efficiency |
|
|
measures; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Over the course of a century, Garland Power & Light |
|
|
has provided an essential service to area residents and businesses |
|
|
while finding additional ways to make the community an even better |
|
|
place to live; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of Garland |
|
|
Power & Light and extend to all those associated with the utility |
|
|
sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for the utility as an expression of high regard by the |
|
|
Texas House of Representatives. |
| |
|
|
Button |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 1134 was adopted by the House on April |
|
|
28, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |