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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Garland Power & Light is celebrating its centennial |
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in April 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, In the early 1920s, the City of Garland sought to |
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power the pump of its newly completed water well; an electric |
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provider refused to negotiate a reasonable commercial rate, so the |
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city founded Garland Power & Light; on April 1, 1923, it began |
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generating electricity with a 117-kilowatt diesel generator, |
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serving 300 customers; and |
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WHEREAS, GP&L established its first interconnection with |
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another utility, the Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, in 1943; in |
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subsequent decades, the utility built and purchased a number of |
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plants; it completed two transmission lines to bring wind power |
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from West Texas in 2014, and it has entered into contracts for |
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affordable solar power as well; for the past five years, it has |
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given customers the option of choosing 100 percent renewable power; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In 2018, GP&L completed its portion of the Houston |
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Import Project, a series of critical bulk power transmission lines |
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for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas grid; the utility |
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supports the state grid by investing in transmission projects |
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outside of Garland, which not only expand grid capacity, but also |
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generate revenue for GP&L; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, GP&L serves more than 73,000 customers; it |
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ranks as the fourth-largest municipal electric utility in Texas and |
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43rd in the nation; its local transmission and distribution |
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electric delivery system has built a reputation for reliability, |
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with outage frequency and duration well below the national average; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, GP&L continues to thrive under local leadership; it |
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reports to the city council, and a portion of its revenues return to |
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the city's general fund; the utility's management demonstrates its |
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commitment to the community through support of the performing arts |
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and economic development; moreover, it sponsors programs for |
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residents, among them the Tree Power Free Tree Giveaway and |
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EnergySaver, which helps customers save money through efficiency |
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measures; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of a century, Garland Power & Light |
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has provided an essential service to area residents and businesses |
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while finding additional ways to make the community an even better |
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place to live; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary of Garland |
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Power & Light and extend to all those associated with the utility |
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sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the utility as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |